Divine Mercy Sunday

07 April 2013

Having been to Mass in Los Arcos, today a rather large group of us set out first thing in the morning. We walked 28 km.

From Los Arcos it was a delightfully easy 7 km to Sansol. Onward, we wlked over easy roads through olive groves and vinyards, culminating in a steep, undulating descent into our lunchtime village.

Mostly walked with Patrick from Florida. He only has two weeks in Spain this year, but he plans to come back each of the next two years to complete his Camino.

Our little group – little? as much as eight, I think – strung out across the long, hilly road to Viana, with Kristof, Allie, Patrick, and I pulling up the rear.

Kristof checked into the first albergue in Viana. With Allie fallen far behind, Patrick and I entered central Viana just as the enormous Iglesia de Santa Maria had thrown open its doors to release hundreds of Mass-goers into the square.

After waiting for the crowd to thin, I prepared to enter the church, which is the final resting place of Cesare Borgia.

Instead, an angry looking gentleman shouted something at me and wagged his finger at me. As I stood there, astonished, he slammed the great door in my face.

I can´t help contrasting this with another walk, with Francine in Tacoma on the Feast of the Assumption, 2004. Had the church doors been slammed on my face then, my history would have been very different indeed!

We found the rest of our group ensconced in the square, eating a picnic lunch. We joined them and pressed on to Logrono.

We have now left the charming Kingdom of Navarre and entered Spain´s premiere wine region, La Rioja.

At least 24 people gathered for dinner for the birthday of one of our pilgrims, Carlos from Brazil. Riotous good fun, with raucous singing from the Irish contingent, and one Bavarian primary school teacher.

Met many, many more pilgrims, too numerous to count.