May 27, 2015

The Meseta lived up to its reputation today.  I have to say that walking the Camino was not as much fun today.  The temperatures were fine – 50s and 60s – and there was a strong wind but it was from the East meaning it was at my back pushing me along.  There was nothing but a few pilgrims for the first two hours of the walk as these pictures show.  A monument, a pile of rock with a cross, and an ocassional field of flowers among the fields of grain, were the only diversions.

I went through a little town where I took a short break before continuing on.  The landscape got a little more rugged and narrow as the sun came out but interesting scenery was certainly lacking.  Finally I came across the ruins of San Anton built in the 1300s.  There is an albergue there but it doesn’t even have electricity.

Finally, after only 12 ½ miles but what seemed like 25, I arrived in Castrojeriz.  It’s in the lower left of the picture below the hill with ruins on top.  The population is 600 and the main occupation is siesta.  They do have an awesome church and museum called Our Lady of the Apple.  Interesting name.  As I’ve seen before, the church and especially the alter is Gothic.  I took a picture of a song book on display.  Do you remember Gregorian Chant?

Finding my hotel was a challenge.  Here’s a picture of the street and the hotel sign. Look close!

The day was much more mentally fatiguing than physically so I found it difficult to make any progress on my questions lingering from yesterday.  I have some thoughts but they are certainly not breakthrough in nature.  Maybe like my walk today, there just wasn’t anything that really got me fired up.  Maybe that’s OK too. There may be a process of cleansing associated with a bit of boredom that will allow the mind to begin to fill the space with good ideas.  Let’s hope some of that happens tomorrow.  I did get a chance to pray in the traditional manor for a while so that was a good thing.

Keep me in your prayers.  You were in mine today.

Tom