My eyes and soul appreciate that we are back in the mountains--my muscles maybe not quite as much. Do you know that "snap" you feel when you put on 3D glasses? Everything today felt super 3D, but perhaps it is just the huge contrast from days on the Meseta. However, that wasn't even the coolest thing. This honestly happened--we were walking along the path and their was a guy dressed in complete knight-gear offering to let you hold his trained hawk and stamping credentials. You had to wear a giant glove, but of course I did it & of course I got another stamp! And, of course, I have a couple of pilgrim stories for you--one even features Dad and me (along with a fellow pilgrim):
• From the river valley you climb through a woodland to a high point somewhat before Astorga. He calls his "happening place" The House of the Gods. His name is David--he is somewhat of a legend. Tie-dyed hammocks, a meditation circle, and a place to smell the roses. Yes, I mean literally smell the roses--he nurtures beautiful fragrant bushes in the hot rocky climate. Tamed birds and pilgrims alike are snacking from the same plates of fruit scattered around the compound. Whole grain cakes, rice cakes, and peanut butter! We choose smelling the roses along with cake and peanut butter. As we leave I thank him in Spanish--he sends us off with a gesture somewhat between the sign of the cross and a peace symbol (or maybe that is just my imagination). "Love Life", he says. And we keep walking... • We are three pilgrims. We sit on a bench in Astorga between the Cathedral and Gaudi's Castle. Our bare and bandaged feet rest on our backpacks--walking poles cast to the side. We have given up seriously combing our hair a week ago. We spread soft cheese on our bread using our fingers. Bread crumbs start to gather at our feet as we dig in. While we start to Vaseline our feet for the afternoon one pilgrim passes around a sleeve of cookies clearly marked 1€. In struts a well dressed tourist group. They have their ear plugs in and are listening intently to their guide. Suddenly, we hear the word peregrino. Guess what? We are the tourist attraction. One smirking tourist, clearly appalled, stops just shy of taking a picture. Get back in your air-conditioned tour bus Sunshine....because we are going to just keep walking... Fourteen people in my dorm tonight, but I'm pretty excited that we have cots rather than bunks. You are Always in My Prayers. Love Mom. Dear HS Friends, Sorry, I had to take this for she-walks so I didn't manage to get in the picture. Did you know they really did hunt with Trained Falcons during Medieval times. What do you think they hunted? Sincerely, Flat L
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I will praise You with all of my heart.
I will praise You with all of my hope. With all of my life, and all of my strength. All of my hope is in You. |
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Ray & Diane HomewoodSharing the Blessing of Travel Archives
January 2018
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