Daily Archives: April 7, 2012

Back in Santiago

Posted on April 7, 2012 by Pieter Stok

Back in Santiago. Due to 3G problems I’ll write some catch up blogs later. But for the moment there is free wifi in the bus station. We have walked up hill and down rocky dale for over 120 kms with our heavy backpacks. Finally we are here and have earned our Compostellas. But I have much to say about that in the future.

We went to the Cathedral which was having a service but it was inundated with tourists. As we were leaving there was a medieval procession coming down the street. White and black hooded people in bare feet dragging chains were in front of a Pieta like statue. It was somber and bleak.

Last night we stayed in a seminary. Hetty said it was like being an orphan at St. Augustine’s. It was a large dorm with rows of beds and vey noisy plumbing.

There is much I want to reflect on. The good, the bad and some of it down right ugly. However in the meantime, I want clean clothes and my own tent with my own bride next to me.

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Camino day 2

Posted on April 7, 2012 by Pieter Stok

I have come to the conclusion that Spaniards, although lovely and friendly people, have a national sleep apnea problem. Sleeping in the same room as 30 of them is proof enough. After a sleepless night Hetty and I crept out of the Alburgue at 6:00 waking up all the dogs as we went along. Quickly we were in a forest. The sun wasn’t going to rise for anther 21/2 hours. Slowly we saw the sun rise in the west. Hey, are we going in the wrong direction? No, the km posts were winding down. It didn’t help when we saw two pilgrims heading towards us.

Soon the strange phenomena was revealed. A genuine Spanish bush fire across our path. We couldn’t travel any further. So we sat freezing in a bus shelter with growing band of pilgrims. Cars, trucks and a couple of buses had to stop as well. When the fire was reduced, we piled on the local buses to the friendly welcome of the passengers and we escorted by the police through the remnants of the fire.

We continued to Portos, a small two house town. Hetty asked in the cafe if any one had rooms for hire. Which they did. So we stayed in and old Spanish farmhouse. It also gave us an opportunity to go on a side trip (5kms) to Vilar deDonas. A place where the headstones of the local,kings were preserved in an old romanesque church. Well worth the trip.

That night we have relief from snoring Spaniards

Categories: Camino, christian, Christianity, Church, Faith | 4 Comments

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