California to Jerusalem |
Walk gentle and tender. |
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Petra rejoined me in Santo Domingo de la Calzada. I walked some 384 miles (622 kilometers) while Petra stayed in Germany for a fast and rest and to visit friends.  We are back together. But in the time I was alone, I chose not to shave resulting in the beard on the left. We are happy to see each other. But there is work to be done. Find a barber. In an hour I was clean faced and ready to walk with my lady. (14 Apr 10)  As we left Santo Domingo the next day the road was heavy with westward walking pilgrims as Petra walks east pushing our cart. (15 Apr 10)  Petra stops to check out the tree blossoms at a pilgrim cross in along the road. (15 Apr 10)  The next day I took a closer look myself as we passed a tree. (16 Apr 10)  Azofra has a new alberge. It's well constructed and comfortable with many two-person room-ettes. I slept under the roof of the church arcade the first time I passed through here. (16 Apr 10)  Ventosa's church stands alone on a hill. (16 Apr 10)  This day we met Cuno, a pilgrim on the road for most of the last 17 years (that's right 17 years). He's on his way to Jerusalem just now. We walked together for half of a couple days and camped together this night. His dog is Noodle because he likes spaghetti but Cuno didn't think Spaghetti was a good name for a dog. Noodle helps soften those passing by when Cuno plays his flute for money along the Camino. (19 Apr 10)  A view west of Villamajor. (20 Apr 10)  This mixed group camped together at an old well near Villamajor the night before we stood for this picture. (21 Apr 10)  The detail of a gate we walked past this morning. (21 Apr 10)  Petra stands on the center of the Queen's bridge in Puente de la Reina. (24 Apr 10)  The octagonal Templar church at Eunate standing along the Camino. (24 Apr 10)  The stone walkway around the Eunate church. Tradition says you are to walk around the place three times without your shoes, walk into the center of the church, and wait for some insight to come to you. I had a couple powerful ones as I did the exercise in the past. For me the walk is anything but comfortable. My feet do not like pointy stones. (24 Apr 10)  We took an alternate route of the Camino and stayed in Lumbier the night before. In the morning our path took us along an old railway bed through the Foz (Canyon) of the Lumbier River. It was only a mile or so long but a pleasant change from the mountain sides and valleys we had been walking. We walked through a tunnel and were in it and at the other end walked through another and were out. It was like we had entered another world we had to be born into and born out of.(27 Apr 10)  Hundreds of vultures sat on and flew between the canyon walls. These are only a very few. (27 Apr 10)  After that short mile we could see the canyon end. We entered a tunnel to the left and after a period of almost total darkness, we came out in another world much more flat, a world with no hint of the one we had left on the other end of the tunnel.(27 Apr 10) Copyright © 2010-2012 Mike Metras, www.PilgrimageCreations.com | |