Mud, Mud, and More Mud

A day of rain and mud. We left Puente la Reina about 8 am, and it was raining by 9.  
We walked with Emilio and Katy. Second breakfast in Mañeru, and lunch in Lorca.

Sadly, most of the churches we passed today were locked up. Between Mañeru and Ciraqui we were on and off a Roman road. Like everything else, it was drowned in mud. A quick burst of speed at the end of the day’s walk turned my legs to rubber.

 

 
Once we checked into our albergue, Katy and I ran down to the nearby Iglesia San Miguel for the Mass of the Annunciation. Following Mass, the priest gave us a pilgrims’ blessing and enjoined us to pray the pilgrim’s prayer every day. 

  
The church has a jaw-dropping collection of relics, including the True Cross (the tiniest sliver), Saint Peter, Saint Blaise, and Saint Barbara. 

  
Emilio cooked dinner – rice and chicken – and we spent a lovely evening with a great company of pilgrims from Canada, Germany, Norway, and France. Glorious!