Beautiful Days

Beautiful Days

We had a delightful evening before we left Leon. We dined in a place where the locals eat and the gentleman who seated us also cooked and served us. We were a bit early for dinner...8:00 which is early by European standards but since we wanted an early morning start we decided to try to find a place that accommodated peregrinos. We did and it was a fantastic dinner.

We enjoyed a lovely breakfast before we checked out of our hotel room. We left the city and its beautiful architecture and quickly the landscape began to change. Gone were the stunning cathedrals of old quickly to be replaced by the beautiful colors of fall in Spain.

We chose the alternate route today which is a bit longer but goes through the countryside. I can not describe how beautiful the area was as we watched the sun and clouds change the color of the miles of countryside along side us. It was spectacular and we would go for hours without speaking while just trying to capture the beauty of these moments. The hues of the land would change from silver to gold and then to green and blue with just the movement of the clouds. We were lost in our thoughts and quickly fifteen miles went by.

We had lunch in Fresno del Camino even though it was a bit out of our way because we liked the name of the town. We are spending the night in Villar de Mazarife and will head to Astorga tomorrow which is about twenty two miles away.

Looking forward to tomorrow and living in the beauty that is around me.

Buen Camino. You are loved...

Sahagun to Leon

Sahagan to Leon

We were intentional in our plans to enter Sahagun early in the afternoon. There was a 100% chance of rain and on the meseta this is usually accompanied with ferocious winds. Either one of those things can wear you out over a period of time but the combination takes it toll rather quickly. If the rain did appear as predicted, we would lodge in Sahagun. If not, we would go on.

 The rains appeared and we had a lovely day in Sahagun which is considered the half way mark of the Camino Frances.
We checked into a little Hostal which in this case was like checking into a small cave. I mean a really nice cave. I was feeling cold which for me is unusual even in rainy, windy weather. Our host took our wet clothes and washed and dried them for us. We were given a down comforter, took a hot shower and then a lovely siesta.

When we awoke we took a walk to the place where the Camino Frances and the Camino Madrid meet. This is just past the halfway mark of the Camino Frances and you can get a Half Compestella if you chose. We opted to wait for our complete Compestella when we complete our journey.

We travelled onward through the small town of Puente Canto which is legendary in this area. First, it houses the infamous five arch bridge which was built before the 11th century and still stands today. Secondly, and I rather like this story, there is a grove of poplar trees known as The Copse of Charlemagne's Lances. Legend has it that the lances of his troops turned into these very trees and were meant as reminder of his superiority on the battlefield. Those trees stand today in perfect alignment.

We traveled through many small villages before we landed in Leon. We looked forward to a time of resting our bones for a bit and have checked into a lovely old Inn in the center of the old city. We are warm and dry and have spent our days exploring this city with a magnificent history.

We heard the nuns sing vespers and spent the day in the infamous cathedrals and cloisters of Leon. We visited the museums and of course, the tapa bars.

We are having our siesta for the day and then head out for a little nightlife. Tomorrow we are back on the road...you are thought of and loved so very much.

Buen Camino.

Way Signs

Way Signs

One of things we needed to understand and fully appreciate as we embarked on this journey was the value of the way signs. These are the identifying markers that mark the way and point you in the direction should go. It is important to recognize and watch for them as they will lead you out of one country and across another.

Traditionally, it is a yellow arrow that points you into the direction you need to be going. In the countryside you can find these on everything from trees to rocks and sometimes even on the earthen walls. In some places rocks are arranged in the shape of an arrow and we must follow these. These markers lead us into the small villages along the way where we find food, shelter, rest, drink, and whatever else we may need to sustain us. When it is time to move forward they lead us onward.
In the bigger cities we look for both the yellow arrows and the symbolic conch shell. These shells are often brass and are universally recognized as a directional marker. Each of the bigger cities have some variation on how the shell is displayed (on the walls or on the road) but the symbol is recognizable to all.

When we leave early in the mornings it is often dark. In those early mornings and through out my days I find myself praying to see those signs so I will not lose my way. I watch for them and am quick to heed the directions they have for me. I have come to depend on them and trust that they will take me exactly where I need to be. I am becoming attuned to the direction they are leading me and can, at times, sense if I am off track.

I have hours each day to think of this and know who truly is My Way, My Truth, and My Light. I am thankful for this time.

Buen Camino.

I've Had a Change of Heart

I've Had a Change of Heart

For those of you who know me well, you may find what I am about to say hard to believe. There are not many things that are hard for me to live with but I do have a slight aversion to a couple of things. Namely, snails and slugs. I am here to say that Spain has the most beautiful snails I have ever seen.

I began to notice beautiful, small, white shelled and body snails as we left France. They looked like small pearls as they clung to the branches of the plants along the way. I tried to ignore them as there were hundreds of them and I don't (ever) want a snail to dominate my thoughts. But as we meandered into Spain I accidentally noticed they were changing and becoming colorful. I even stopped to take a picture of one which for me is a first. I have since become fascinated by these beautiful creatures. I have even stopped cringing when I walk past them.

Not all snails will look like these I know. They don't have too. The thing that has changed is my perception of snails. It reminded me of how a change in perception can change almost anything. For the most part, our day to day lives don't change much. What changes is the way we look at things. Sometimes the change in our perception can change the course of our lives. I am thankful a small snail reminded me of this.

Now slugs...that's a different matter! Still working on that.

 Buen Camino.

Villacazar de Sirga and (Until Recently) Other Unknown Places

Villacazar de Sirga and (Until Recently) Other Unknown Places

One of the things that happens daily is the coming together of our fellow travelers. We may stay in different places along the way but we eventually catch up with each other at a meal or break time. Here we catch up with each others travels, any interesting places to see or things to do, or just how everyone is faring. It is quite lovely and feels like family coming together.

Until yesterday we had never heard of Villacazar de Sirga. Over coffee in the morning we heard about the Templar Church that was in this small village that we would be walking through later in the day. We made plans to stop and check it out. Villacaza de Sirga is a small town with a population of 216 and is well known for its hospitality having welcomed pilgrims since the 12th century when it became the commandry of the Knights Templar. The town is home to the Templar Church of Santa Maria la Virgen Blanca and houses the tombs of nobles and royalty. It was phenomenal to walk through this place.

We passed through the Canal de Castillo which is a canal system with 50 locks. During the 18th century it was exclusively designed for irrigation purposes and for the transportation of crops. Later, it was used to power the corn mills in this area. It was beautiful to see as we walk by.

After Carrion we walked along the original road to Santiago which was used nearly 2000 years ago. This road was built by the Romans and over 10,000 tons of rock were used to lift the road above flood levels. Our feet touched the ground of those who have walked along this way for over two millennium. It was beautiful and humbling.

We have come to appreciate the beauty of the history around us. Places we had never heard of are now known to us and of great interest. We are walking on sacred grounds...this thought takes our breath away.

Buen Camino.

Castrojeriz to Fromista

Castrojeriz to Fromista

We had just left Hornillos en route to Castrojeriz when the winds began to pick up. It was blustery and cloudy and on those rare moments when the sun peeked around the clouds we were not sure if we should take off our coats or not. We would no sooner make a decision and the weather would turn and we would have to switch everything around. This area is stunning and we were enthralled by its beauty. We weren't sure how we missed the first signs but when the rainclouds gathered and we heard the first rumbles of thunder we knew we were in for a storm.

It was sensational. Hail and winds so fierce we had to take cover behind a tree. We were soaked! We haven't seen rain like this in...well years. We waited a few moments and then just decided to proceed. We were already wet. We had about four miles left to go before we reached our destination for the night. We found a lovely albergue and warmed ourselves with a hot shower and dry clothes. We had a lovely dinner and went to bed with extra blankets.

We heard there was a 70% chance of rain for our walk to Fromista. We began to prepare for the day. It never appeared. It was one of the most beautiful days we have experienced. The weather was cool, the sun was shining, clouds were moving quickly over us and we covered nearly eighteen miles without a drop of rain. Fromista is a lovely place and we have enjoyed our time here.

We have come to realize we need not fret over anything. At the end of the day we will be good...sometimes dry, sometimes wet...but always good.

  Buen Camino.

The Beauty of the Meseta

The Beauty of the Meseta

It is as if we went to bed one night in a familiar Spain and woke up in a different country. As we enter the meseta everything feels and looks different. The rich, fertile farmlands are replaced with a pale soil which seems only to be able to nourish the basic of crops...wheat, hay, and an occasional oat. Our weather has changed as if someone had flipped a switch. We have blustery winds and copious rain. We are happy...

I think the thing that surprises me the most is that out in the middle of nowhere there are these oasis of places that harbor the kindest people and lovely communities. We are cared for by all we come in contact with...as if the only reason they are along this way is to help us in some way. We met a woman along the road who offered us fresh fruit and chocolate. No cost...leave what we can. We hugged each other as if we had known each other for ever and then we were on our way.

 We stayed in a lovely farmhouse in Hornillos and the owner gave us fresh fruit and vegetables from his garden. It was a most beautiful gift.

We will continue in this area until we reach Leon. We could be there in a week or so. Until then we are savoring the the beauty that is this area. Hours to think of you...Buen Camino.