Las Flechas Amarillas (the Yellow Arrows)

I had often wondered about the yellow arrows that are on the path from St. Jean Pied du Port all the way to Santiago.  How did they get there? It turns out that it was really through the efforts of one man, Elias Vilina from O Cebreiro, Spain.

He was a scholar and priest who was obsessed with the story of St. James and had walked the path himself. He wished everyone to be able to experience this. The problem was finding a consistent route.  

In the late 70s , he and his young nephew set out to mark this path by painting the now famous yellow arrows.  When he died a shrine was built for him in his home town of O Cebreiro.  I had the incredible honor of meeting his sobrino when I passed this town. I shook his hand and thanked him for the hundreds of thousands of peregrinos that have made successful pilgrimages because of his uncle and his efforts. 

We are in Galicia where the forests are dense and the skies are clouded with fog and mist.  Many of the pathways are lined with ferns and the traditions here go back to Celtic origins. Of course there is livestock all along the way. I keep apples in my backpack so I can feed horses. 

Along the road I met a Spanish couple with a beautiful and very large German shepherd. When they stopped to chat the dog sat dutifully beside them. I learned that the dog didn't belong to them and just started following them in the last hamlet. It turns out that he has a canine friend that he visits daily in the next town and prefers to accompany pilgrims. I wondered why he didn't just travel alone. Jake whispered "wolves ."

At one  point I encountered a herd of bulls being moved along the road.  I laughed thinking this is my version of Pamplona!

Dogs were everywhere and sometimes they would join pilgrims for lunch.

The final 800 meters going to Acerbo was a rock scree and shale path that went straight up.  It was by far the steepest incline that I encountered on the hike.  It took me almost half an hour to get up. At the last 150 meters, Jake's hip dysplasia kicked in and he could go no further.  I said not to worry.  I will carry you friend.  And so both of us found the spirit to finish.

We stayed at a Galician manor this night.  Here is a view from our room.  Lorenzo found a guitar for me so I serenaded the group.