This morning, Gabriela was our “star” pilgrim. She is a 32-year-old from Brazil who could easily be mistaken for someone ten years younger. She was such a delight—bright-eyed and full of energy and gratitude. She ran nearly 40 kilometers yesterday and was the first to arrive in the early afternoon. Gabriela’s goal is ambitious in spite of the blisters she got when training at home in Brazil. She needs to reach Santiago in just seven days and get to Paris on September 17th for her flight home.

This morning, our pilgrims set off under light rain, but the forecast promised clearer skies by 10 AM. Right on time, the rain stopped and the sun peaked through, so the pilgrims would enjoy sunlit views by the time they reached the highest point of the Camino Frances (Cruz de Ferro) almost eight kilometres away. Thankfully, there is no more rain in the seven-day forecast.

What a difference a day makes! Yesterday by 3 o’clock, we were twiddling our thumbs, wondering if more than two pilgrims would arrive. Today, by that same time, we had welcomed 13, and by the end of the day, we had 17 pilgrims from six different countries. Denmark was especially well-represented with five pilgrims, while Italy followed closely with four. We also hosted three pilgrims each from Germany and Spain, and one each from the Netherlands and France.

Janine kept busy again this morning, baking another apple cake using apples off the tree in the garden. Yesterday’s cake was a hit during tea, with everyone cozied up by the fireplace, grateful for its warmth. With the weather warming up today, we decided to gather in the garden for tea. Janine added a touch of icing to the apple cake, turning it into a birthday celebration for Julio, who turned 38 today. It became a particularly beautiful moment of connection for this diverse group of pilgrims. Many remarked that this was the best experience they’d had on the Camino so far—a rare opportunity to bond in such a meaningful way.