We are at 3,800 feet here in Rabanal del Camino, the last stop before a big climb to the highest point of the entire trip. It’s chilly — clearly autumn and some elevation, but the village is charming. It was only 21 km today, and I walked alone and with some energy made good time. It’s not a race but some days you just want to get somewhere and relax a bit, especially when you know the following day will be challenging.
I got to Santa Catalina de Somoza (from the Latin “under the mountain”) for tea and found Keith and Lynn. They had met Kim two days ago, but didn’t find the common connection until a story swap indicated as such! It is a small camino, but with so many people on different schedules it still surprises me when people I know connect. As I was leaving Astorga, I encountered Molly and her grandparents from Virginia with Dutch Bob, who’ve we’ve been intersecting with since somewhere on the path out of Leon. (Funny story though — I helped this Bob with a compeed in Navarette weeks ago when I encountered Johnny there!)
I walked the next 13 km straight through. El Ganso is an almost abandoned village that had once served as a pilgrim way station, but signs of life appear in strange places. Where else might you find a cowboy bar? Rabanal del Camino is fairly bustling as these villages go, as they care for pilgrims before they take the steep path up and over the Monte Irago. Which is tomorrow.
They say that this Camino is in three stages: The first is about the Body — can it adjust to the daily rigors and can the feet withstand the kilometers? The second is about the Mind — the long trek through the Meseta which while not challenging to the body can seem endless and perhaps boring to the mind. The third is about the Spirit, perhaps because the Body has adapted and Mind has stopped working and now the Spirit is considering the 10 days to Santiago. I do know that I’m enjoying my solitude walking.
I am not a person who subscribes to an organized religion. I happily describe myself as a secular humanist with atheist leanings. But I respect the beliefs of others, and find some of the traditions and iconography and architecture and history interesting and worthy of exploration. So I enter the churches and cathedrals and note the crosses and various bits left by pilgrims with interest, as I did today. There were crosses woven into chain link fence (as we have seen before), but this time they were decorated with ribbons and fabric and paint. Quite beautiful.
The path today
Keith and Lynn
El Ganso, crumbling
Cowboy Meson
decorated crosses
A little music to help the kms pass
You look fantastic! Thank you for all my birthday wishes and for having me in your thoughts while you are embarking on this amazing journey in Espana! When I read about the Camino’s body, mind and spirit, I was reminded of Rocky Hill’s mission statement- to educate the whole child; mind, body and spirit! When I think of spirit, I think of kindness, integrity, respect, and citizenship, not really the Holy Spirit. But, I guess it doesn’t matter if your spirit comes from religion or your character, as long as you have it! I so admire your adventurous spirit! Miss you!