One More Week: Santiago is at 111 Km Away!

Hello folks!

One more note before this long walk is over:

Today we made it to Sarria, the popular Galician town from which many pilgrims start walking to make the last and minimum 100 k for the Compostela ( name of the certificate ).

We had a lot of changes during this past week. We left the plains and sunny days of Leon to claim the lushly mountains of Galicia. The Atlantic weather is felt on the constant rain.  It is also a sign that we are  closer to the coast; therefore, closer to this end of the world where the Apostle James came after the Lord's command to evangelize all. I feel at last I am turning towards home.  Santiago is not far anymore. It is only 114 kilometers from here. It takes a bus about 90 minutes to get there from here. It only takes us 5 days to get there on  human speed. . 

Pilgrims we are and so used to it by now that nostalgic thoughts are on order. What a danger it is to the spiritual soul! When we reach a level of comfort in our spiritual life we may lose the whole essence of it. What I mean is that we always must strive for the next level and never be satisfied with which we have accomplished. NEVER until we meet The Lord. He is our only satisfaction! The last thing we need is aloofness built on a false sense of superiority.

I would like to invite you to continue following us during these last 5 days. Since we are one day behind according to the original itinerary and this week we almost fell one more day, the following is a rescheduled itinerary. 

We plan to arrive to Santiago next Friday October 4th and make it to the NOON Pilgrim Mass in the Cathedral (5:00 AM CST)!

MONDAY  Sep. 30 Sarria-Portomarin 22.4 Km

TUESDAY Oct. 1 Portomarin - Palas de Rei 24.8 km 

WEDNESDAY Oct. 2 Palas de Rei - Ribadiso 25.8 km

THURSDAY Oct. 3 Ribadiso - Pedrouzo 22.1 km

FRIDAY Oct. 4 Pedrouzo - SANTIAGO 20.1 km

I'm glad this is not mine

Plains are behind and mountains ahead!

The Cross

And there was the sun, then a rainbow, then ...

....RAIN

And more rain 

PD: The foolish man seeks happiness in the distance; the wise man grows it under his feet. J.R. Oppenheimer 

Blessed Pilgrims

THE PILGRIM'S BEATITUDES

1 Blessed are you, pilgrim, if  you discover that El Camino open your eyes to what is not seen.

2  Blessed are you, pilgrim, if what worries you most is not to arrive but to arrive with others.

3  Blessed are you, pilgrim, when you contemplate el camino and discovers that it is full of names and sunrises.

4  Blessed are you, pilgrim, because you have discovered that the authentic camino begins when it ends.

5  Blessed are you, pilgrim, if your rucksack is getting  empty of things  and your heart does not know where to hang so many emotions.

6  Blessed are you, pilgrim, if you discover that a step behind to help the other is more valuable than a hundred forward without looking besides you.

7  Blessed are you, pilgrim, when you lack the words to be grateful for all that surprises you at each corner of el camino 

8  Blessed are you, pilgrim, if you are in search of the Truth and makes of El Camino a life, and of your life a camino, in search of who is El Camino, the truth and the life.

9  Blessed are you, pilgrim, if in El Camino you find yourself and self-give a time without stresses so that the image of your heart is not neglected.

10  Blessed are you, pilgrim, if you discover that El Camino has a lot of silence, and a silence of prayer, and the prayer, to meet the Father that is waiting for you. 

Church in Carrion de Los Condes, where we had Sunday Mass

The endless Meseta ... It should be over by the end of this week

We walk with the moon light in one side

And the sun rising on the other

Leon's cathedral today

Diego in Leon Berrìo 

Castilla y León

The Way step by step is infinite fields with an endless blue horizon that seems to move further away in every move. It is only interrupted by sleepy towns which invite to rest from the heat. It is legs that resist to collapse and feet being sore by the Spaniard soil. Paths walked by others and still under construction. That's how the way is made by every step. 

This week we stopped in the city of Burgos. One that I have looked forward to visit. Wednesday was the day for us to be there. We did not only have the opportunity to have Mass in its magnificent gothic cathedral, but also we had great  treats  like a stage of the vuelta a España and free entries to the Human Evolution Museum.

Atapuerca, Burgos is an archeological treasure for the world. It teaches us that human beings are much similar to each other than different. Races, colors, languages, sizes are only variants of environmental adaptations. 

We must break into two halves el camino today with two weeks of steps towards Santiago. 

My strength comes from whom I seek. It is The Lord! He is the origin and destiny. He is higher than my strength and the owner of el camino and my steps. He never denies so much good to whom seeks him

One week down. Domingo in Santo Domingo

Today we completed one week. We have walked now almost  200 kilometers and there are 560 kms more to get to Santiago. 

Who snores? Who smells? All and no body. We live our given humanity that has been redeemed. There is a daily morning recognition that we have more in common than differences of origin, language and age.  El Camino has been about people who you don't know and who sleep next to you. People who you see today and not tomorrow, but the day after. People who you see in the hostels and then when you rest your steps. People with whom you get conversations without beginning nor end but that continue every time you see a familiar face again. 

This week we crossed the region of Navarra from east to west. We slept in Roncesvalles, in the capital city Pamplona, in Puente La Reina, Estella, Los Arcos, Viana. We started the wine country of La Rioja and without a drop of grape juice, we are almost over the whole region. We went through its capital city Logroño and we have slept in Navarrete, Najera and tonight 'Domingo' night in Santo Domingo de la Calzada, the town  where once a chicken crocked  after being roosted. This is an interesting  stop. Santo Domingo is a town of the way. It is named after Domingo, an hospitalero, who became saint by taking care of pilgrims like us one thousand years ago. 

Some cereal fields begun to take space from the vines today. It is like telling us that La Rioja is almost over and they Castilla is getting closer. This is a very slow trip. As slow as food grows in the fields with every single drop of rain and ray of sun. So patiently without knowing the World's news. 

Lesson of the day:

If leaving everything behind for you Lord means perfection , so all of this way of limitations would be my satisfaction. Not Lord, no. It is not enough to leave everything behind if I still cling to the old in me. It is not enough to leave everything behind, but also it is necessary to love you more Lord for your love. 

Cross ways: Puente La Reina

One day more! We woke up early w and had breakfast in the hostel. We left Pamplona by 7:30am. It was cool to walk through the street where he bulls run for the  Sanfermines and also to go through the University of Navarra, one that once was an option for me for Canon Law studies. 

Andrea rocked today as she reached the top of the mountain way before me. It was El Alto del Perdon, where the way of the wind crosses with the way of the stars. Know that Compostela means the field of the stars and that el Camino follows the Milky Way. So clear nights are astonishing. 

We made it early to Puente la Reina, our third day destination and we only have walked for two days! So despite our bad luck yesterday, it helped us to get ahead of the crowds. The double first journey paid its effort. We got beds for the night. Tomorrow we plan on starting even earlier. We didn't like the fact of walking past noon. The weather has been good but it is getting very hot by midday. 

El camino is a lesson in itself, no matter how much we plan it, it takes its own course. It is already time to get rid of "extras" in our packs. I think there is a post office in this town. 

Apostle James, you are the great protector of pilgrims; make us stronger in our faith and joyful in our hope, in our walking as pilgrims following the Christian way; and cheer us up so we finally reach God's glory.

The Way: The Pace of Human Speed

A trailer first night in Roncesvalles 

Dear friends! The way has began. After a couple of nice days in Lourdes, where we went to visit Our Lady and to ask for her protection, what less can we expect but to have her leading us towards her Son; goal of every spiritual enterprise! 

We started the day early in the morning at 6:30, still dark. But didn't get on time at our first stop to get room in the lodging. Well, Mary and Joseph didn't either while in Bethlehem. So we continued on from town to town with not success until we reached the city of Pamplona. So we ended up having a double journey which put us one day ahead in our itinerary. Tomorrow's destination will be Puente la Reina. This real took us by surprise. September started with a very unseasonal high number of pilgrims. There were around 400 pilgrims sleeping in Roncesvalles, our first night. 

Thank you so very much for your prayers and support. Lets continue walking together. May Santiago who accepted to drink the chalice of The Lord, intercede for us so we too may accept it and drink it for the major glory of God.