Walking the Camino de Santiago
As one leaves Triacastela, the pilgrim is confronted with a stark choice. To the left is the route to the Monasterio San Xulián de Samos, which will probably add a day to your Camino. To the right is the more direct route, which goes through the village of San Xil. In 2013, we took the left route. This is very […]
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Just thirty days from now, Francine and I will be boarding an airplane for Spain to begin our third Camino. While this one will be quite a bit shorter than the others – two weeks as opposed to six – that doesn’t make it any less meaningful. This is a spiritual journey, as well as a physical one, and who […]
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The next morning, April 27, this sight greeted us in the common room of the albergue. There are always those who for whatever reason send their bags ahead using one of the transfer services that have sprung up all along the Camino. Normally this happens because the pilgrim is older, injured, or just plain overpacked. This is the first time, […]
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Alas, this handsome ambo sits disused in a corner of the church. I suppose that technically, the church is small enough that the use of this ambo might be overkill in terms of sound volume. On the other hand, there was a giant microphone on the altar. Given the choice, I’d go with the ambo. Date: 26 April 2016 Place: […]
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There’s a lot going on here, little of it good. I suspect this was originally a Marian altar, but it seems to have accreted various saintly statues and images as though it were a shelf for knick-knacks. And three candles? How could you use the altar for its intended purpose with a candle in the middle? Seems strangely appropriate that […]
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The Romanesque church of Santiago de Triacastela is quite lovely – I’ll post some additional photos in the next days from the interior – but our experience there was… weird. We went to the evening Mass, and if it was valid, much less licit, I’m a salamander. The priest (I presume), dressed in an alb and a colourful Central American […]
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The walk to our final destination this evening was cool and pleasant – and mostly downhill. Although this village hasn’t had three castles in almost a thousand years, the name stuck. I had heard many things about the local village church, which dated back to the time of the town’s importance as a royal fortress. It did not disappoint, as […]
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I mentioned the “green tunnel” a couple of days ago, but here’s a pretty decent look at it. The effect is accentuated by the path being worn and rounded into the ground from the stamp of centuries of pilgrims. This particular phenomenon is called a holloway, and they are prevalent on the Galician portion of the Camino. Date: 26 April […]
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Who wins in the battle between human construction and nature? Between dressed stones and trees patient beyond understanding? Ultimately, the things of man cannot endure. Whether that lifespan is measured in decades or centuries, it will eventually be overcome, possibly by the tiniest of seeds. Date: 26 April 2016 Place: between Filloval and As Pasantes (Galicia, Spain) Today’s Map:
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Although the sign clearly said “Fillobal”, the map just as clearly said “Filloval”. In any case, this village – more of a hamlet really – consists of a few houses strung along the N. VI highway and this lovely albergue on the Camino. In 2013, this was the place that Eamon magically caught up with us. It’s on the short […]
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