Author: Thom

Remember yesterday when I mentioned that we prevailed upon a couple taking a nearby photo to shoot the first photo I have of Francine and I together on Camino? Well, here they are: Smith and Tara from Indiana, just starting out their Camino like Francine. We would spend much of the day with them and walk on and off together […]

Somewhere near the village of Santibáñez de Valdeiglesias, we came upon this odd bit of pilgrim art. We prevailed upon a couple taking a nearby photo to shoot this, the first photo I have of Francine and I together on Camino. Later, on our 2016 Camino, we would take a “couple selfie” every day. More on that other couple tomorrow. […]

We stopped for lunch in the parroquial albergue in the village of Santibáñez de Valdeiglesias. There’s a lovely tree-shaded courtyard, where here we see Francine, probably singing. Coca cola with lunch! Date: 20 April 2013Place: Santibáñez de Valdeiglesias (Province of León, Castilla y León, Spain)Today started: León → Hospital de Órbigo (Province of León, Castilla y León, Spain)

Once more proving the adage that the smallest towns have the longest names, the village of Santibáñez de Valdeiglesias boasts a population of 150 on a good day. Much of the building work in town is either red brick or adobe. Date: 20 April 2013Place: entering Santibáñez de Valdeiglesias (Province of León, Castilla y León, Spain)Today started: León → Hospital […]

In 2013, something like 80% of the folks on Camino walked. Another 18% or so were on bicycle. That last two percent? Well, here are some of those folks now. And they are, can I just say, absolutely adorable. Date: 20 April 2013Place: between Villares de Órbigo and Santibáñez de Valdeiglesias (Province of León, Castilla y León, Spain)Today started: León […]

The next village after Hospital de Órbigo is Villares de Órbigo, the name of which literally means something like “little town near the Órbigo”. While there are pieces of public art all along the Camino, this one is something else. It’s not religious, it’s not pilgrim-related, and it seems quite out of place in this tiny courtyard buried in the […]

The flag of the Knights of Malta hangs over an albergue in Hospital de Órbigo. Do they actually operate this hostal, as they did here seven hundred years ago? Or is it just hung in homage to the town’s history? Some day I will drop in and find out. Date: 20 April 2013Place: Hospital de Órbigo (Province of León, Castilla […]

This is the high altar reredos of the Iglesia de San Juan Bautista in Hospital de Órbigo. The photo is a little grainy, but you can clearly see the exuberance of the almost architectural structure. For me, there’s something that just feels right about Spanish church design. The interiors tend to be mostly undecorated, except for the sanctuary and the […]

After the bus dropped us off in Hospital de Órbigo, we had to walk a bit to find the Camino. Eventually, we arrived at this magnificent bridge, upon which the Camino crosses the Rio Órbigo and its wide floodplain. To the right, you see a jousting field, where jousts are still held annually to celebrate a most peculiar incident in […]