Day 21 - 'O Canada, Our home and native land'

Today was kicked off with another new experience - watching the sunrise. I don't quite know how I've managed to go 28 years avoiding this every day occurance but there we go! The day before I had found a terrace out the back of the hostel and when I got up in the morning thought this might be a good viewing spot for the rising of the Sun. I gathered up a few other Pilgrims for the show and as we sat on the terrace waiting I started singing every song I could think of containing the word 'sun'. For fear of ruining the moment I then shut up. Just as the BBC said at approximately 7.33 a bright chink of sun appeared and within a few minutes the whole lot was above the horizon. We gave it a round of applause and set off on our way. It was a close call but I think this was better than eating cow stomach for the first time.

Today we left the flat Meseta and I was daunted by the relief map which showed today to be a large climb. However the climb was very gentle and the scenery soon started changing, becoming very easy on the eye. It must be a sign of how much I'm enjoying the Camino but I find myself constantly wanting to sing with every situation lending itself to a different song. Today I got to blast out the national anthem as we decided everybody had to sing their national song. After 'God Save the Queen' we were treated to 'O, Canada' and then a duet of the Hungarian national anthem. Towards the top of our climb, despite warm temperatures we began find snow! At one point we had to walk across snow half a metre deep which luckily was fairly compacted as I was wearing shorts. I don't know if he was still full of patriotism from singing his national anthem but Damian (Canadian) said seeing snow reminded him of home and he had a brief moment of homesickness.

Late afternoon we found ourselves at a hilltop yoga retreat. This Albergue offered beds but also reiki and a morning yoga session. There was a log fire going, healthy foods on offer and a smell of incense through out.

For the evening meal we all decided to go for the Pilgrim meal that was on offer. At 7pm the bell was rung and we decended from the dormitories for the presentation of a giant Paella. We were each given a huge mound which was eaten with a crispy green salad and a small selection of cheese and hams. Delicious!

Now a few more nations were present we had renditions of the German, Lithuanian and Korean national anthems. According to the Germans only the first verse of the national anthem can be sung and the others are now illegal. The Canadian national anthem is no longer sung  regularly in schools because of political correctness and the Hospitalerio (guy in charge of the Albergue) said the Spanish national anthem no longer has  any lyrics because they were too fascist. He did however treat us to a performance of one of his own songs which was on a par with the Korean national anthem for my favourite song I'd heard that day.