Ancient Church

Sent from my iPhone

San Lazaro in Sarria

On the edge of the town of Sarria, there is still a little chapel for San Lazaro and the columns from the hostel for lepers and invalids that thrived here from 9th through the 18th century.

Spain's Gardens

There are many municipal gardens in Spain, this being one of them. They are often tucked behind churches, or built on terraces with scenic views of the surrounding area. Interestingly enough, they are not at all like the parks in America, with rolling grass and relatively untamed wilderness: take Rock Creek, for example. In Spain, the parks and gardens are more carefully managed, usually paved in aesthetic stones, and trees planted with precision. I thought it was an interesting difference…

The Pilgrim's Credential.

Everywhere we stop, we get our credentials stamped. This reminds of our journey but also acts as proof that we really have doing all this walking. At this point we have filled one whole side with stamps, and we still have 112 km to go.

Blisters and Pox Are Just Mementos of the Way.

Sent from my iPhone

Walking as World-Making

Yesterday someone addressed us as "pilgrims," and it is true that we are walking this pilgrimage route. Today, as we walked through the fog with pilgrims from all over the world, I reflected on the ways in which participating in a tradition activates the ideas, values, and images associated with it. We are literally retracing the footsteps of millions of previous pilgrims--including Isabel and Ferdinand, Saint Francis of Assisi, and good number of other saints and popes. We are walking past scores of tiny churches built to mark the Way. We are discussing our journey with the other people we encounter. By making the trip and sharing stories about it, we help to make real the world of the Road of Santiago.

And this world has its consequences. At Foncebadón a few days back, a man from Madrid immediately asked why we were walking the Way. Almost before I could answer, he said with great passion, "I have walked the Road three times, and I do it because the Road gives me life."

A Jaunt Through The Clouds…

Today we left the medieval village where we spent the night and went deeper into Galicia, another region of Spain. The valley into which we descended was filled with a sea of clouds which rolled into the hollows between the forested shoulders of the mountains, leaving only the highest places visible. Shortly after beginning, we descended into the clouds as the road wound its way into the valley.