Day 22: Ballard Locks, Golden Gardens Park, Green Lake

 Highlights:

According to my Village to Village Guide, from days 22-25, the real Camino would have me shift to the Cantabrian Mountains and El Bieszo with highlights including magnificent mountain scenery, enigmatic Maragato culture, quaint stone villages, and the towering cross at Cruz Ferro. 

Day 22 specifically, asked me to cover 16.1 miles from Astorga to Foncebadon where I would have started exploring that Maragato culture and experiencing the ambiance of tiny stone villages nestled in the mountains.

My Faux Camino today took me 15 miles to three Seattle landmarks: the Ballard Locks,  the Golden Gardens Park and something I had not originally planned for, traveling to and circumnavigating Seattle’s beloved Green Lake.  

As mentioned yesterday, my good friend Gail and I met at the Locks parking lot (free during Covid) and walked at a moderate pace to the Golden Gardens Park.  Gail was my first fellow pilgrim on my Fauxmino. Her companionship was appreciated not just for the company but how much faster time seemed to pass on our stroll. 

The heavy California fire smoke, which had rolled into Seattle last night around 9 pm,  obscured but luckily did not obliterate the views. Our masks provided double protection from the virus and the smoke.  The park was beautiful as expected but as I have found on this Camino, there were fun and interesting things that popped up in the most unusual places.  See some happy looking truck drivers in the pictures below.

I officially completed the Burke-Gilman trail (see photo marking the beginning of the trail)  and enjoyed walking to the sounds of the train on the track accompanying us back to the Locks.  At this point, I bid Gail adieu and decided to head to Green Lake to add to the day's miles.

The route led me through Seattle’s super hip, creative area of Ballard, past fun shops and signs.  I was also delighted that the route took me around  the grounds of the Woodlands Park Zoo. We have gone to this Zoo a few times since moving to Seattle. I love its down-to-earth, caring nature for the animals and the intimacy of this small zoo for us other animals.  As I hugged the zoo borders, I was hoping to catch sight of some furry occupants -- but no such luck.

Green Lake was beautiful as usual. In 2007, it was my habit to walk around the lake before my yoga teacher training weekly class which took place just up the hill.  Today however, there were only a handful of people walking. Signs pronounced that no wheeled vehicles of any kind were allowed during this time.  Normally, the Lake trail is crowded which makes it a struggle to feel the peace of this area. Today, it was quiet.  I observed people taking advantage of this state by fishing alone on a dock, or feeding geese and ducks from park benches.  

On the way back to my car through Ballard, I came across what I will simply call "a rude flower", a  sign  that caught my eye (Vote Early!), and another one that described the anatomy of colorful feet. I felt obliged to pay homage to those parts that continue to carry me every day with relatively little complaint.

Day 23 will either be finishing the northern Centennial Trail or starting a new trail south of Seattle. Stay tuned and ¡Buen Camino!