Bilbao

History:

Bilbao was founded as a village by Don Diego Lopez de Haro V, Lord of Biscay, on June 15th 1300 on the opposite river bank of an existing fishing settlement (now known as Bilbao la Vieja, "Old Bilbao").In the 15th century, wars between noble families disrupted the city, which had reached a population of almost 3,000.In 1511, the Consulate of Bilbao was granted to the city by the Spanish Crown, this allowed Bilbao to be the main export port for Merino wool from Castile to northern European cities. Bilbao became the most important commercial and financial hub of the Spanish north coast during the Spanish Empire era. The swords exported from Bilbao were known in England as "bilboes", and are mentioned by name by William Shakespeare. The 19th century's industrial revolution was crucial for Bilbao, with the development of strong mining, steel and shipbuilding industries. At the beginning of the 20th century Bilbao was the wealthiest city in Spain, where the main banks and insurance companies were established. Bilbao was besieged four times during the Carlist Wars, but due to the defenders, it was never conquered.

The city's heavy industries fuelled Spain's economy and thousands of immigrants from central and southern Spain moved to Bilbao, the city and surrounding towns expanded greatly and sometimes chaotically. In 1983 heavy floods struck the city, killing many people in the province and causing great damage to the old part of the city. Since then the "Casco Viejo" (the old district) has been renewed, along with the general trend of renewal seen all around the city. The city has recently undergone major urban renewal, in order to move away from the region’s industrial history and instead focus on tourism and services. The developments are centered on the new metro system, designed by Sir Norman Foster and, most of all, the Guggenheim Bilbao Museum by Frank Gehry.

Relevance to Pilgrimage: Art Pilgrimage

Guggenheim-Voted by many as the single most impressive work of contemporary architecture in Spain, The Guggenheim is poised along the Nervion River, which runs through the city of Bilbao in the Basque Country to the Atlantic Coast. The Guggenheim is one of several museums belonging to the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation and it displays exhibits of works by Spanish and international artists. Several masterpieces exhibited here have been signed by artists such as Chillida, David Salle, Jeff Koons, Louis Bourgeois and Robert Rauschenberg. As one of the most talked-about Spanish museums, the Guggenheim stands out for the contemporary artwork it houses. The museum’s permanent collection is 20th century art—traditional paintings and sculptures. The highlight of the collection, and its only permanent exhibit, is The Matter of Time, a series of weathering steel sculptures designed by Richard Serra and housed in the 430-foot (130 m) Arcelor Gallery. Compared to other great works of architecture in the world, the building has been hailed as a “single moment in the architectural culture” because it represents “one of those rare moments when critics, academics, and the general public were all completely united about something.” The museum was the building most frequently named as one of the most important works completed since 1980 in the 2010 World Architecture Survey among architecture experts. It has over a hundred exhibitions and more than ten million visitors.

History of Guggenheim:

Well before the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao opened its doors to the public on October 19, 1997, the new museum had numerous artists, architects, journalists, politicians, filmmakers, and historians that visited the building site in the four years of its construction anticipating the success of the museum. The Guggenheim was built out of limestone, glass, and titanium. The city wanted to enhance tourism and as a plan to do so Thomas Krens, Director of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, met repeatedly with officials, signing a preliminary agreement to bring a new Guggenheim Museum to Bilbao. An architectural competition led to the selection of California-based architect Gehry, known for his use of unorthodox materials and inventive forms, and his sensitivity to the urban environment. Gehry’s proposal for the site on the Nervion River ultimately included features that embrace both the identity of the Guggenheim Museum and its new home in the Basque Country. In 1992 Juan Ignacio Vidarte, now Director General of the Guggenheim Bilbao, was formally appointed to oversee the development of the project and to supervise the construction. Groundbreaking took place in 1993 and in 1997 it was completed.

The city of Bilbao is a very large city nestled within rolling hills and alongside the Ria de Bilbao. A very bustling and busy city with many people and a lot of red and white striped flags posted everywhere we went symbolizing their loyalty to the Bilbao soccer team. As with every urban environment, you can expect high prices, traffic, and small parking spaces. The city did have an artistic feel in reference to the many art museums located within the city, specifically the world renowned Guggenheim.

The Guggenheim was an oddly shaped structure without any right angles within the structure. Twisty, turning, and rounded edges make up the entire building. The building itself is art itself! Inside, there are three levels of exhibits. The top level was comprised of photograph exhibits, architecture art exhibits, and large canvas paintings. The second floor was comprised of the works of David Hockney. I noticed he focused primarily on vivid colors and landscapes in almost all of his works; there were several depictions of the Grand Canyon in Arizona and mountains in New York. There was even an exhibit that had many screens each depicting different scenes that were similar, making them appear like they were meshed together creating a larger portrait, when in actuality the images did not carry over. The bottom floor had a lot of paintings and portraits. It also housed one of the largest exhibits in the world which consisted of trippy architectural exhibit with rounded wood slates stood up. The Guggenheim was unlike any art museum I have ever been in (not like I’ve been in a lot though) and I could definitely see how someone could spend hours examining different pieces of art.

THE END OF THE PILGRIMAGE!

SANTIAGO AT LAST!!!

 The original town of Santiago was nothing more than a monastic development that housed one dozen monks, given the role of looking over the grave of St. James after its discovery in the 9^th ce4ntury. It is the capital of the region of Galicia. Many visit the city because of the historic culture, its unique buildings and architecture; its many districts and quarters, all of which have a historical reference. It consists of the old town and new town. Within the old town there are many narrow winding streets full of historic buildings. The new town all around has less character though some of the older parts of the new town have some big apartments in them. The greater city of Santiago de Compostela has a population over 100,000 people and is regarded as the third most important place in Christendom due to it holding the resting place of the apostle Saint James.

Significance: St. James was buried here. In 813, according to medieval legend, the light of a bright star guided s shepherd who was watching his flock at night to the burial site in Santiago de Compostela. The shepherd quickly reported his discovery to the bishop of Iria, Bishop Teodomiro. The bishop declared that the remains were those of the apostle James and immediately notified king Alfonso II in Oviedo. To honor St. James, the cathedral was built on the spot where his remains were said to have been found. The legend, which included numerous miraculous events, enabled the catholic faithful to not only maintain their stronghold in northern Spain during the Christian crusades against the moors, but also led to the growth and development of the city. The cathedral is the final destination for thousands of Christian pilgrims who walk the way of St. James pilgrimage across Galicia in order to reach this impressive city and visit the tomb of the saint himself.

The city of Santiago itself was very contrasting. On one hand, it’s a city centered on the pilgrims and the importance of reaching their final destination. On the other hand, the city had its own businesses and economy it thrived on. Also, with the old town and new town being present within smaller vicinity, the contrasting features of modernization and the old style of architecture threw me for a loop.

The cathedral was a very large and beautiful structure, inside and out. It was centered in a large square and with its size, it couldn’t be missed. It was one of the largest cathedrals we’ve seen yet, that’s for sure. Inside, there were confessionals lined along the right side for any pilgrims or anyone wanting a confession before or after mass. The relics of Saint James we’re behind the alter of the church under a huge statue of Saint James. Traditionally, pilgrims are to touch or kiss the shell that is located behind the alter. Under the alter, was the crypt of saint James located at. Interestingly, when they opened the crypt of Saint James nothing was there, which sparks another controversy. Is it possible that God took the relics back up to Heaven? Is it possible the relics were stolen? Were they ever there? I have my own belief so I’ll let you decide. The pilgrim mass we went to was for all the pilgrims who had come from near and far to Santiago by the way of the Camino. Of course, others could attend as well. We ended up meeting a few pilgrims from the U.S. outside the cathedral and heard their stories of the Camino. They were a group of older couples who had come from several states and had enjoyed singing so they walked and drove the Camino, stopping in churches and various other sites to sing. At the end of the mass, there is a huge incense burner hung from the ceiling of the cathedral that is suppose to swing and bless the pilgrims with burning incense. Unfortunately, this tradition was not carried out on the particular day we attended but nonetheless, it was a very powerful mass.

Santiago as a city holds a lot of religious affiliation and symbolism. It also has its own identity aside from the relation to the pilgrimage and Saint James. Personally, I enjoyed the religious affiliation and spirituality of the city but not the city itself.  

Leon Lights

            Originally, Leon was a Roman encampment that was founded in 29 B.C.  In 910 the city became the capital of the Kingdom of Leon.  This was an important establishment in Medieval Spain.  The city was then sacked in 987 but soon after repopulated again by Alfonso V of Leon.  In this process due to the city’s size it became an important stop for pilgrims.  In 1188 the city hosted the first European Parliament demonstrating more of the importance the city had during this time. 

            The city as we experienced is user friendly in terms of walking and being able to visit some of the more important parts.  Our group stayed in the university district which worked nicely and each of us was allotted a larger room.  The rooms we shared were large enough on both nights to grab items from the grocery store located across the street and cook in.  On the first night our professor and accompanying faculty member cooked for the group and on the second night the students cooked for the group.  Yes the students did volunteer for this job and yes both meal were as the Spanish would say, c’est delicioso.  Please do not check my grammar but roughly translated it means, it was delicious.  Given our two night stay there was enough time to see the important components of Leon in relation to the Camino as well as get a taste of the local flavor. 

            There are two major establishments that are important to the Camino.  One of them is called the Santa Maria de Leon Cathedral.  It is also known as the House of Light or Pulchra Leonina.  It was started in the 15^th century and finished in the 16^th century.  What is special about this cathedral is the over 1,800 square meters of mostly original stained glass windows.  In addition to this the cathedral houses a museum.  This museum has close to 1,500 pieces of sacred art from pre-historic times up until the 18^th century.  The outside of the cathedral is known for its French style Gothic architecture.  The region is not known for this style which makes the cathedral especially significant. 

            We visited the cathedral first and for me it was one of the moments in life that make summation difficult.  From the previous description, you know the numerical value of the stained glass windows and you know the Gothic style outside is impressive.  The difficulty lies in the description of the ineffable.  How does one accurately do that?  At this moment and forevermore perhaps I may find this task impossible.  However, I will give it the old college try.

            The outside of the cathedral is impressive with high flying buttresses and a façade that rivals the ocean.  I recall staring at the cathedral thinking that it was a joke or some type of mirage.  Alas, all the stone and the sweat put into making this structure were and is still real.  When approaching the structure your head is immediately drawn upward at the majesty of the structure and as you approach the cathedral your attention is drawn slowly down from the top to the bottom; slowly examining all the fine details of the cathedral to make sure it is in fact real.  In many ways from the outside the cathedral was one large piece of eye candy.

            If the outside was eye candy the inside was Candyland.  For me, it was a moment that took my breath away which is difficult for me because I really enjoying being able to breathe.  I walked in knowing the information about how much stained glass there is and how the outside looks.  My words fall short of being able to lay two eyes on a row of original stained glass.  For me with stained glass it is more than art in the tapestry way because light and especially light from the sun is what breathes life into the stories the glass tells.  These stories in many ways are played right in front of you.  If you let your imagination wander you can see the passion of Christ retold by the hand of someone from 4 or 5 hundred years ago.  There are also stories of kings and queens, bishops, or even of the spring harvest that during the day are laid out for all the visitors.  At this moment I revert back to the question of how does one explain the ineffable?

            Even in all the glory, there were a couple downsides.  The stained glass is so beautiful that you want to take the care and inspect every piece and yet these pieces are not in the reach of giants let alone a couple of students from Wartburg.  There is a certain desire unfulfilled like the dessert missed during the perfect dinner.  Understandably, there was construction going on to help support the walls of the cathedral which took a little away from the beauty.  This was understandable because we found out during the 19^th century the whole building almost collapsed due to structural integrity.  Overall, well worth the time of the students.  For me, the cathedral was an experience that gripped and moved you but as you walked out the large wooden doors you were set down gently back into the real world.

This is a picture from inside the cathedral that gives a small taste of the feeling the stained glass gives.  It is a good demonstration also of the variety of colors that the different windows had.  You can see some of the construction towards the top.

There is also the Basilica of San Isidoro.  This basilica is unique in that it is in an old Roman temple that was converted to Christianity when Christianity spread to the region.  Much of the architecture from the early Roman times is still present even though the walls have been painted over.  St. Isidore or Isidore the Laborer was a part of several interesting events.  On one occasion he brought back his master’s daughter to life.  He also caused a fountain to burst from the ground for his thirsty master.  One day he was late for work because he was praying and an angel was seen doing his work for him. 

The Basilica was a different and yet important place because it housed so much of the history of this region of Spain.  Leon had been home to this Roman temple and there were pieces of art, clothing, or other artifacts spanning the history of this region.  The cathedral was a glimpse into the past of Spain, to me the Basilica and the museum were an interactive timeline into the history of Spain.  While the cathedral could move one to tears, the basilica brought one to thought.  Especially seeing one right after the other, you almost imagine yourself suited up in 15^th century attire walking the streets and feeling such a different culture to what I am accustomed to.  I am left with the question of whether exploration and experiencing the world in this way is worth the time, energy, etc.  Shortly after I am answered with a resounding... Si!!!


Sam Hutchins

Villafranca del Bierzo

Villafranca del Bierzo is a town located in the province of León in the Castile-León region in Spain. It is situated between two rivers, the Burbia and the Valcarce, and is on the west end of the Bierzo basin. By the 12 century, because of its location, Villafranca attracted many merchants and pilgrims from France, Italy, England, and Germany as well as Catalán, Jewish, Flemish, Portuguese, and Scandinavian people. In the 15^th century, documents from that time period say that Villafranca became a very urban area. These documents say that there were urban related problems such as crime and that there were also many poor people living on the streets. Everyone was considered a peasant and as such, they sold their wares in doorways of their houses because of the lack of money. Between the 12^th-15^th centuries, the Osorio family ruled Villafranca. In 1486, the Catholic Monarchs put in place the Marquesado de Villafranca. The second Marqués, Pedro Alvarez de Toledo who had served Spain many years as viceroy, built a castle in Villafranca. The development of the town had many setbacks such as the Plaque in 1589, floods in 1715, and warring nations using Villafranca during warring times in the early 1800s. Villafranca at one time was the capital of the province of Bierzo for two years. Today, Villafranca still holds its late medieval and Renaissance or “old town” feel especially along the Calle de Agua and the narrow streets that run parallel to the river.

The importance of Villafranca del Bierzo in relation to the pilgrimage is that it is a resting place for pilgrims. Pilgrims who have fallen ill or are injured are able to stay at Villafranca at hospices to get treatment and to rest themselves. One of the major places in Villafranca is Iglesia de Santiago. Iglesia de Santiago is a church that allows pilgrims who are unable to continue to Santiago de Compestela to go through the rituals and ceremonies that would have been performed at Santiago had they made it there. In other words, these pilgrims are able to be in the same ceremonies as the pilgrims who make it all the way to Santiago without actually having to journey to Santiago because of their illness or disability.

Important monuments in Villafranca del Bierzo include the Iglesia de Santiago as mentioned earlier, Iglesia de San Francisco, Iglesia de San Nicolás, Igelsia de Santa María de Cluniaco, Convento de las Franicanas reformadas, Calle de Agua, and Castillo. Because Villafranca is served as a resting area, there are many hospices located throughout the town. Some were for specific pilgrims only such the San Lázaro of the 11^th century which was used for pilgrims with leprosy while some were for everyone such as Colegio de la Divina Pastora. 

~ * ~

 This is the cathedral of San Nicolas in Villafranca del Bierzo. 

This is the church of Santiago in Villafranca. The Camino goes literally right by the church on its way through town.

This is the church of San Francisco which was located about two or three blocks away from our hotel.

For more pictures and info about Villafranca del Bierzo, check out this virtual tour and website.

http://www.villafrancadelbierzo.org/hosteleria/virtual_english/
This virtual tour actually goes inside the churches and the castle. Check it out!
http://www.villafrancadelbierzo.org/

~ * ~

Relection by Ashley 

                 Although we stayed in Villafranca, one of the down falls was the fact that all of the churches were closed and shut down. For some reason, all of the churches except for one during Mass are closed for the time being. It's sad because then we don't get to see what the pilgrims before us get to see and it kind of takes away from the pilgrimage a little bit. Granted, there are many churches along the route that pilgrims get to go to, however, by missing out on these churches, pilgrims might not see a need to go this route and eventually leads to other towns as well as this one being wiped off the map of travel.
                 This town is one of my personal favorite towns because it provides a warm comfortable community. The atmosphere of the town is one of welcome. Even waitresses can be extremely welcoming. Our waitress that night was very kind to us. She treated us like we were family and I think that was why I liked this town so much because it is like a family in a sense. Everyone helps everyone else and they look out for each other. Plus, how many waitresses do you know who would invite you back into their home to cook for you? Yeah, she was great.
                 Anyways, like I said, this town is one of my favorites and I hope that you get that feeling of homeliness too.

Buen Camino, Amigos!
Ashley

Astorga a.k.a. "Chocolate City"

Astorga

                Astorga was once a Roman city in Spain. Because of its location, at the intersection of the east-west Via Traiana and north-south Via de la Platta from Andalucía, it was a perfect town for Romans to guard the mountain roads that led into the mines. Because Romans had control of the city, Christianity became very popular in this area during the early church. There is a legend that Santiago and St. Paul both preached in Astorga and there is proof that there was a bishopric around the 3^rd century. Germanic tribes, the Visigoths, took control over Astorga and destroyed the Roman city. However, it prospered with the help of Saints Toribio, Fructuoso, and Valerio. In 714, Muslim invaders destroyed the city again. When it was won back, it became a center Christain town again. In the 11^th century, Astorga thrived because of the pilgrimages to Santiago de Compestela. Merchants came from León, Castilla, and France to set up shops. There were also many Jewish people who were welcomed into the city despite their beliefs. They participated in every aspect of the city life until 1492 when they were driven out.

              
                Because of its location, Astorga was a place for pilgrims to rest and get ready to climb the mountains in the west or to rejuvenate after climbing east. Astorga had 21 hospices. Today, there is the Hospital de las Hermana de la Caridad which is a medical facility in front of the cathedral that was built after the destruction of the 12^th century hospital that was consequently destroyed in 1756.

              
                Important monuments include the Catedral and Museum, Iglesias de Santa Marta and San Estban, Bishops’ Palace and Museum, the walls around the city, Chocolate Museum, Ayuntamiento, Iglesia de San Bartolomé, Roman ruins, “Synagogue,” Iglesia de San Andrés, Santuario de Fátima, convent del Sancti Spiritus, Aljibe, Monasterio de San Francisco, and the Convento de Santa Clara.

             
                Astorga, to me, is a place that promotes community. By having the cathedral, the museum, and of course, the chocolate museum, the community that lives there seems welcoming to pilgrims and visitors. I felt like anyone could walk into a shop and they would be welcoming. Even thought Astorga is fairly large, it still has the sense of community and closeness that one would get in a small town.

                The cathedral is beautiful. Architectural style similar is Leon, this cathedral brings 12th century Gothic to an otherwise fairly modern town. One of the pieces that I personally enjoyed most was the stained glass window of Jesus at the rear of the church because it made me think about the fact that He was there and was watching over the people of that church and also us as we travel.

                The museum, I think, becomes a key component of the pilgrimage because it brings to life the people that had passed through or the culture of the people that lived there when the cathedral was built. Think of it as a time machine where you can go back into time and see what living there was like or if you are a pilgrim, what the people that you met were like. I think it adds to the pilgrimage because not all places have museums and if they do, some do not have the amount of things to show. Obviously, in bigger cities, you can expect more things, but this museum really captured the feel of the town back in the 12th century and through to the present.

This is one of the books that are found in the museum. 

This is the chapel of Santiago in the cathedral in Astorga. 

This is the chapel in honor of Mary inside the cathedral.

This is a stained glass window that is located above the chapel of Mary.

This is a symbol found on the pews of the cathedral.

Being the music major that I am, this is the organ of the cathedral that is inside the choir in the middle of the church.

 ~ * ~

               The one place that probably does not technically count as part of the Camino de Santiago but is a must to go see is the chocolate museum. I am a lover of chocolate so naturally you can understand why I would love to go there. However, candy and chocolate are major industries in this region of Spain. So naturally, we had to go there. It was wonderful. Not only was the chocolate delicious, if I do say so myself, but the history that is stored there provides a little detour from the hard labor of walking or biking and lets pilgrims and/or visitors to enjoy themselves even for a little while.

               

...And We Carry On...in Carrion de Los Condes

This is the ancient city of Castille, in the province of Palencia, dwelled in by mostly Jews who surrendered to King Alphonso VI in 1126.  It is also the birthplace of the first recognized Spanish-Jewish poet, Don Santob de Carrion. 

           

            This town is home to various sights that are important for the traveling pilgrim.  Among these are the Church of Santa Maria (12th cen.), Santiago (13th cen.), the monateries of Santa Clara and San Zoilo (12-16th cen), Romanesque tombs and the churches of Belen, San Andres, and San Julian, all similarly dated.  Also noteworthy is the ancient Roman City gate which still stands today.

We ended up in Carrion de Los Condes during Siesta, so we were not able to see several churches from the inside.  We sure made it around town though!  I was impressed by the simplicity of it, not to mention how well they have preserved their historical sites.
As with any Roman-era remains, I am definitely taken by the wall that used to surround the city.  To think that the Visigoths were where I stood completely fascinates me (what can I say!)

I was most affected by the moastery of San Zoilo, though.  This place, as you can see by some of the pictures I have posted, really stood the test of time.  After much traveling and weariness, I found it to have a much neede affect on my nerves.  The peace and solitude that I felt was deeply appreciated, and much needed.  

                                      An emblem on the ceiling of the Royal Monastery of Saint Zoilo

                        Outside - aren't the arches awesome?  Wish we had more architecture like this back home.

                                                        The ceiling artwork here is fabulous.

                                                                Outside the monastery

                                                        Outdoor archway of the monastery

                              The center, or "garden" of the cloister (representative of the garden of Eden)

                                          A picture I took from the side of the cloister looking outward

                             If I posted all the pics I took of the artwork in this place, this blog would never end!

                                                Isn't this a neat door? (also part of the monastery)

                                              I thought you might like to see the clouds in Carrion!

                               Emily K. ("Kemily") taking a moment to journal while we peruse the cloister

                                                Crossing the river on the way to the Roman wall.

Sorry this is sideways; I tried my best!  A lovely shell I found on the side of one of the buildings in Carrion.

And, we Carrion..!

Castrojeriz, Spain

History

            Castrojeriz started out as a place for the Roman soldiers to guard the Galician gold mines.  In the 9^th and 10^th centuries, the town was caught between two cultures at war.  The town changed hands many times, but eventually was reconquered for the Christians by Nuño Núñez in 912.  For four centuries, the town prospered as a fortified weigh station and a commercial center for the Camino.  There were many French merchants and Jews that were attracted to the town.  An interesting fact about this is that the town’s fuero, or code of laws, said that anyone that killed a Jew would be treated just as if they had killed a Christian.  The town was home to the counts of Castro in the middle ages.  It began to decline in 1521 when it chose the losing side for the Comunidades War.

            The main street of Castrojeriz is the pilgrimage Road.  In its heyday, the Road connected 5 churches and 7 pilgrim hospices.  Some of the findings of history in the town can show just how dangerous the pilgrimage can be for some pilgrims.  The stretch of the pilgrimage Road in Castrojeriz is one of the longest urban routes on the Camino, running almost a mile long. 

Important Monuments

            The Ex-colegiata de Santa María del Manzano is one of the major monuments and attractions for the town.  The founding of the church can be attributed to a miracle that happened on the Camino.

As Santiago (St. James) was passing by, he saw a vision of the Virgin in an apple tree, and he was so excited that he leaped heavily onto his horse.

The hoofprints can be seen in the rock outside the south door of the church.  There are many pieces of art that are found in the church that are of great importance.

The exterior of the church of Santa Maria.  It was closed when we went there, and we also couldn’t find the rock with the hoof-prints.

            Another of the important monuments is the castle.  The origins of the castle are pre-Roman times, but it is said in legend that it was built by Julius Caesar or Pompey.  The Muslims and Christians fought over the hill for centuries, but eventually the Christians won the hill.  The castle was rebuilt in the middle ages by the Condes de Castro and was later the home of the Díaz de Mendoza family.

The picture on the left is what is left of the ruins of the castle.  While we were there, there was an archeologist that was working on stabilizing the castle so that it would be there for people to enjoy.  The picture on the right is the view of the castle from the ground.  

And yes, we DID climb that whole hill!

The photo on the left was me getting a little artsy-fartsy with one of the windows of the castle.  This actually looks out to the area where we had our picnic lunch.  Who can say that they’ve ever had a picnic in castle ruins?!?!  The photo on the right is the entrance to the castle that looks out over the Camino.  Sam is playing a little hide and seek there!

More information can be found at:

http://www.castrojeriz.com/en/historia/castrojeriz

My thoughts…

            Castrojeriz is a pretty interesting town.  Half of the town looks as if it is in ruins.  We climbed the hill to the castle and it was a whole different view than it was on the ground.  We were able to see the whole city.  It was really cool to somewhat get a sense of what it’s like to travel a bit to get somewhere that you want to be, like what pilgrims do on the Camino.  By the time we got up to the castle, I know that I was exhausted, but the trek was totally worth the view and the history that we were seeing.

            We also got to talk to a pilgrim while we were in the castle ruins.  He was from Australia and had started his Camino in St. Jean Pied de Port.  He has been on his journey for 14 days.  He was traveling alone, but he talked about how when you get to meals, you find yourself among a group of people.  It was neat to talk to someone who was actually walking the Camino and going through the experience that we are learning about.


Until next time....
~Emily K. :)