Smallest_Sparrow
Life is rarely what you expect or believe it to be
- Time of past OR future Camino
- 2012: most of some, all of a few, a bit of others
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Beautiful! Is no one allowed in the garden?Leon
Parador San Marcos
cloister garden
photo taken March 7, 2007
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Wearing pilgrim winter garb I brazenly entered the super deluxe San Marcos Parador which had been built as a pilgrim shelter/hospice 12th/16th c.
Speaking French the maitre de querried Madame? I asked if the famous cloister garden could be visited; he answered that I might faire le tour/circumnavigate that space but must not enter it. While I slowly walked the periphery arcade photographing he intently watched every footstep!!
Thus this view is proof of one peripatetic shot.
When the photo was taken in 2007 no one was allowed to enter that space.Beautiful! Is no one allowed in the garden?
@kirkie This is really cool but where exactly is it and when were you there? Fascinating.
You see even more of this on other caminos especially in Galicia. On the Francés, the camino itself keeps villages alive but Spain has seen a massive depopulation of the countryside and in Galicia, entire villages have become deserted. People in Spain are much better off than they used to be, but something has been lost as well. Ironically, remote working has seen the beginning of a move back to rural areas, but that is a long way from complete revitalisation.CF August 14, 2019 Between Arzua and Pedrouzo: When nature reclaims what was once hers.
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I once fainted in the lobby of the parador in Mérida (long story). I have to say, they were most attentive.Leon
Parador San Marcos
cloister garden
photo taken March 7, 2007
View attachment 106932
Wearing pilgrim winter garb I brazenly entered the super deluxe San Marcos Parador which had been built as a pilgrim shelter/hospice 12th/16th c.
Speaking French the maitre de querried Madame? I asked if the famous cloister garden could be visited; he answered that I might faire le tour/circumnavigate that space but must not enter it. While I slowly walked the periphery arcade photographing he intently watched every footstep!!
Thus this view is proof of one peripatetic shot.
Sadly true for under appreciated rural areas in every country. Unfortunately WFH won’t last long enough to put most of those towns back on their feet. And if it does it may destroy the towns. I’m seeing that tension in mine, where newcomers want to recreate the urban areas they left, paving over creeks and getting rid of deer to put up StarbucksYou see even more of this on other caminos especially in Galicia. On the Francés, the camino itself keeps villages alive but Spain has seen a massive depopulation of the countryside and in Galicia, entire villages have become deserted. People in Spain are much better off than they used to be, but something has been lost as well. Ironically, remote working has seen the beginning of a move back to rural areas, but that is a long way from complete revitalisation.
And it’s right on the Camino!!CF August 13, 2019 Between Palas de Ria and Arzua. Here’s a property for sale. Doesn’t look like it world take much to renovate into an alburgue.Who’s with me?
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Plus with covid we could just skip putting on roof or windows, and advertise lots of fresh air in sleeping areaAnd it’s right on the Camino!!
To steal a line from the movie The Way, “if it’s more than two euro it’s too much”
Beautiful photo of this tunnel—spring looks similar to fall. I wonder if those trees lose leaves in winter, it would be interesting to see the view in every seasonCamino Frances
east of Lorca
tunnel
photo taken October 20, 2011
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I yearned for unknown open space while walking through this confined passage.
This is a very good post.... I do believe that bacon is one of the 4 basic food groups essential to good (Camino calorie building) nutrition. Beer passes as an acceptable carb, didn't make the cut for one of the 4 basic food groups ......Not very Spanish. But after a cold, grey, foggy walk , over Alto do San Roque, I wanted a beer and a bacon sandwich. CF May 2019.
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BeautifulCamino Frances
east of Lorca
tunnel
photo taken October 20, 2011
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I yearned for unknown open space while walking through this confined passage.
The Spanish seem to have a thing about 'embellishing' road signs. I remember seeing a very rude one where a sign warning of livestock on the road, i.e. a cow, had a bull added in a highly compromising position. This is a polite one just outside Jaca.Near Lloriana on the Primitivo. Someone took the written warning on the tree seriously and added a more attention grabbing sign
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I think this may be the angels showing the three Mary’s who came to the tomb that it was empty and Christ had risenThe façade of San Miguel, Estella, 17 Aug 2021. I think this is the three magi and two angels. One thing to look at Romanesque sculpture and admire it, quite another to know what it even represents, let alone actually means. Estella was a camino town early on and benefited from both a steady stream of pilgrims, but also a a steady stream of trade along the same route in addition to some very enterprising settlers. San Miguel parish runs the donativo albergue, which is rather less historic, being located in the basement of a small apartment block owned by the parish.
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I think this may be the angels showing the three Mary’s who came to the tomb that it was empty and Christ had risen
edit: I think a similar design is on the door of pardon at San Isidoro in Leon. I’ll see if I have a picture
edit: estella is one of my favorite stops and eventually I’ll post pictures. Loved it and the albergue.
arghh. I can't stand it. I have to post my favorite part of that door. I think these sum up how we sometimes feel on the road.top rightView attachment 107031View attachment 107032Leon, Church of San Isadoro, Door of Pardon (not counting this as my entry for today
I think this may be the angels showing the three Mary’s who came to the tomb that it was empty and Christ had risen
edit: I think a similar design is on the door of pardon at San Isidoro in Leon. I’ll see if I have a picture
edit: estella is one of my favorite stops and eventually I’ll post pictures. Loved it and the albergue.
I'll go with that. I was going on the fact that the three standing figures were holding what I thought were their three gifts, your explanation makes a lot more sense. We were hospis there in August 2018 so have very fond memories of the place. Unfortunately, we were so busy, we barely had time to grab a coffee and pan con tomate let alone explore the town.I think this may be the angels showing the three Mary’s who came to the tomb that it was empty and Christ had risen
edit: I think a similar design is on the door of pardon at San Isidoro in Leon. I’ll see if I have a picture
edit: estella is one of my favorite stops and eventually I’ll post pictures. Loved it and the albergue.
Also super jealous, my pictures didn’t turn out well in estella, I really like the clear detailThe façade of San Miguel, Estella, 17 Aug 2021. I think this is the three magi and two angels. One thing to look at Romanesque sculpture and admire it, quite another to know what it even represents, let alone actually means. Estella was a camino town early on and benefited from both a steady stream of pilgrims, but also a a steady stream of trade along the same route in addition to some very enterprising settlers. San Miguel parish runs the donativo albergue, which is rather less historic, being located in the basement of a small apartment block owned by the parish.
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Whoa, symmetry and symbolism I hadn’t seen before—the angel and three men bearing gifts at birth, angels and three women bringing perfumed oils and spices at death.I'll go with that. I was going on the fact that the three standing figures were holding what I thought were their three gifts,
You seem to have a collection of poets from your Camino…Cheating, posting two today. Have many more of this spot...
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"In the end is my beginning" If you are that wide awake, have a look at Eliot's 'The Journey of the Magi'. For me, the poem says a lot about the camino.Whoa, symmetry and symbolism I hadn’t seen before—the angel and three men bearing gifts at birth, angels and three women bringing perfumed oils and spices at death.
I’m supposed to be asleep but I don’t think my mind is going to shut off anytime soon.
thank you!!
Eliot was one of my father’s favorite poets; he read poetry to me when I was very little, then we read together as I grew. I agree with what it says about the Camino, and about our lives in general"In the end is my beginning" If you are that wide awake, have a look at Eliot's 'The Journey of the Magi'. For me, the poem says a lot about the camino.
So pretty. I’d just want to sit there all morning
And the Norte in Portugalete and Santander!That doesn't make it a moving staircase.
Theatregal,An enchanted forest path between San Vicente do Borgo and Bacurin on the Primitivo.
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In the spring of 2012, on a day just like this in the photo, and on this part of the trail, I had a brief 'visitation' by a friend who had died four years earlier; he had walked the CF in 2004. The experience was very strange, but reassuring.A glorious day and a favourite stretch through the beautiful open countryside between Oncina de la Valdocina and Villar de Mazarife.
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Uncertain if my response should beEstella. The steps down from the albergue to town. No idea who did this, or when, or why. I just found it very moving. That doesn't make it a moving staircase.
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That’s part of the Camino magic the late risers never see.Cizur Menor
dawn
photo taken October 21, 2012
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This photo captures a view of Cizur Menor during the magical moments just before sunrise.
One of my favourites...Say this beautiful saying on the pavement in Santiago waiting for the bus to the airport.
It is repeated in several languages.
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VN,
That time it was full of teenagers. So I stayed at the albergue just a little farther along instead.Did you stay in the Ribadiso albergue by the river Iso?
Haha! That just goes to show de gustibus non disputandem est. When I started seeing these guys, I got massively irritated about disneyification.I liked the jaunty character in this poster...
Kirkie, That "jaunty figure" I believe is or was the symbol for Holy Year 1999.I liked the jaunty character in this poster...
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Passing Boo was when I began to question my decision to walk a “double” that day from Guemes to Santillana, thoughts not helped with intermittent rainWalking between Boo de Pielagos and Santillana del Mar with the snow covered Picos de Europa in the distance! May, 2018.
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I was a hospitalera at San Miguel in Estella in June 2015. The priest came every few days to count the donations, and your money-counting routine sounds familiar. It was a nice Albergue in an interesting town. I am sorry that I never met Fernando.Me and Fernando. Fernando and Sabino were the representatives of the parish, and they were fantastic. They gave us all the support we needed; if the boiler started gushing water or the washing machine packed up, no matter what the time, they'd come and fix it or get the plumber (we were on first name terms before we left), took us shopping and regularly visited to make sure everything was OK, usually with a gift of fresh vegetables or home made cakes. Fernando was a real character and a part-time clown. One of his jobs was to count the money in the donativo box. This was a lengthy process involving counting how much there was of each denomination of notes and coins, twice each, then calculating the average paid by each pilgrim over the previous week. He lent me the self-published autobiography of his father who had been first a volunteer in the navy. Parts of it are very funny. When the Civil War broke out, he supported the Republican side and became a fighter pilot. After the war, he returned to Spain under the terms of the 'amnesty' and would almost certainly have been shot if a neighbour hadn't spoken up for him. Instead he was sentenced to a term in prison. From memory, the last sentence of his book read 'Mi unico crimen fue luchar contra ellos que usuparon la libertad de un pueblo soberano' - 'My only crime was to fight against those who took away the freedom of a sovereign people'. If anyone passes through Estella and stays at the San Miguel Paroquial, we'd love to hear any news of them.
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God bless all the hospitaleros, and especially those at San Miguel in Estella and Domus Dei in Foncebadon —I could spend all week talking about the kindness I saw in one evening with the hospitaleras in San Miguel (with comic interludes courtesy of us pilgrims). Those two, and the monks at ziotza were the three best nights of my Camino, followed closely by the private albergues Bodenaya and Villares di Orbigo. Thank you and @dick bird and all who care for us along the wayI was a hospitalera at San Miguel in Estella in June 2015. The priest came every few days to count the donations, and your money-counting routine sounds familiar. It was a nice Albergue in an interesting town. I am sorry that I never met Fernando.
A lion!
Well we would agree re your decisionPassing Boo was when I began to question my decision to walk a “double” that day from Guemes to Santillana, thoughts not helped with intermittent rainI think it was the dumbest decision of my three months
I walked several doubles in those three months but regret this one—I did it because I didn’t enjoy guemes (yes, I know, the only pilgrim in the world who says that) and wanted to get away from some overly friendly pilgrims who all seemed to think solo women were there to hook up. So I was tired and still upset by santillana, slept, got up early and left to make sure I kept at least a day ahead—I should have stayed to enjoy santillana more, such a pretty town. You were MUCH wiser.Well we would agree re your decision50kms would have killed me (Anne)! We walked from Guemes to Santander via the ferry, it rained most of that day, had a rest day in Santander exploring, then walked to Boo and stopped for a night, then on to Santillana for another night! Much better decision!
We met the priest only once. He came round because the burglar alarm had gone off. Otherwise he never came near the place. Probably a different priest. Was there a massive contraption for making coffee and hot water that sat on the table? We called it 'the beast'. And did an elderly Roma lady came round every few days for food? Her name was Esmerelda.I was a hospitalera at San Miguel in Estella in June 2015. The priest came every few days to count the donations, and your money-counting routine sounds familiar. It was a nice Albergue in an interesting town. I am sorry that I never met Fernando.
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