Foncebadón: we are high…

It was a wonderful ascending to a mountaintop. I thank Marcos for he orujos that we drank last night before going to bed. These herbs drinks are magic.

From Astorga to Rabanal the scene changed. It was more green and the vegetation had more volume. I was getting bored by the dried land before.

We stopped at El Ganso for breakfast, after St. Catalina de Somoza.

We were four of us, and the conversation was animated by sins and confessions. The Church history dominated the conversation, but her sins were juicy. I listened, agreed and defended.

Arriving to Foncebadón was a shock for Marcos who has been here 4 times. The village has changed from a traditional town with old homes and stones streets to a comercial center for peregrinos, and paved streets. There is a lot of new shelters now, and the old buildings have been repaired for businesses.

We had a great lunch at a local old medieval restaurant. It was delicious. The portions were so big that we did not have dinner.

I returned to 30 km/day walk. I have plenty days to reach Compostela, but the company is priceless. Therefore, I walk with a nice group of people. I may reach Santiago de Compostela before my plans, but I need to reach Fisterra and Fatima too. I may go all around the world and come back to Santiago for my birthday.

Hospital de Orbigo, solitary beauty.

The majority of this stage is a solitary path where you enter into yourself and let God speak to you. Every thing started from La Virgen del Camino and passing by Villadangos del Páramo, where I stayed last night at the albergue located at the old school at the entrance of the village.

Only 6 of us stayed there last night. It was very quiet, therefore I decided to walk by the village which really had two streets. I run to the pharmacy to get some feet lotion and toiletries. Then I went to the local grocery store to get some lunch to eat. The owner of the groceries store was a very welcoming young man. He had done El Camino in previous years and recommended me some good small villages where the food was delicious, and I should stop by.

Today, the section was flat and easy to cover. Arriving to Hospital del Orbigo, the beauty of the historical Orbigo bridge makes you stop to enjoy the magnificent architecture of the XIII Century. I will stay here today at the Parochial albergue. Mass will be at 8pm, and the local priests has a presentation at 9pm in our place.

Now I am going to tour the village and get some lunch.

La Virgen del Camino Basilica

It was a very especial weekend in León, Spain. Gelo, Marjorie, and little Luis joined me. Gelo and Marjorie were married at St. Joseph 4 years ago. They have little Luis, who I baptized in Madrid. It was a true family reunion. We met at the Cathedral plaza, an little Luis recognized me as the day I baptized him. We walked around the city, and When Luis saw the tourist train, he wanted a ride of course! We ate in a local rest across the Cathedral and enjoyed a great conversation about married life, which is 180 degrees similar to priestly life, but 100% similar about negotiations in life. Any way, we laughed, and enjoyed our time together. At night we went for tapas. It was fun, difficult to find a place in any restaurant. The whole city came out to eat. After eating tapas, they went to their hotel, and I returned to my hostal in a different way. You know me, I wanted to see the other side! By that way, there was a great restaurant full of seniors. And I asserted, they have the best menu. I ordered callos and a drink. Three seniors next to me started a conversation with me about how good they were there, they ended ordering callos too.

I rushed to my hostal to see the video presentation that is showed on the walls of St. Isidoro Basilica, across from my hostal every Saturday at 11:30pm. There were around 500 people there. It was a colorful show of León history.

Today we met at Plaza Mayor. Gelo and little Luis were waiting for me. Marjorie stayed at hotel. Gelo brought me a little present. A little bottle of Woodford to taste on my bday the next month. We had a great time talking and drinking coffee. Luisito is an amazing smart kid. We walked from Plaza Mayor to their hotel. Then Marjorie walked with me back to have lunch with Luisito as Gelo moved their car closer to city center. We had a great lunch that went for three hours. It was almost 4pm when I started el Camino again. It was hard for me to say goodbye to them. They had to drive back 4 hours to Madrid. I just love them as part of family.

I was not sure if staying in León one more night. It was real late to start walking, but I went for 6 more km. The Sun was in front of me, and a big hill was ready to embrace me. Crossing the river, I passed three suburbs of León: the green, the blue, and the white. At the top of the hill was the village of La Virgen the Camino, where I found the first visible shelter. There I went to the Basilica and concelebrate mass at 8:30pm with a wonderful Dominican Order priest.

Returning to the albergue for peregrinos, I found a Brazilian man struggling with his feet. I offered to heal his blisters, and anoint his feet with balm. He accepted my offer, and we chat about his Brazilian City, close to Uruguay. He asked me at the end, how much was my service. I told him to go to church and give a donation in his return to Brazil. Now it is time to go to bed…

León, Spain

It was only 17 km on my plan for today, but because I finished by 9:00am I went for 20 more km. I feel good about it, because I will take three days off in Lyon to visit with Gelo, Marjorie, and Luisito. I married them at St. Joseph, and I baptized the baby in Madrid. Now they are coming from Madrid to spend the weekend with me. I am looking forward to see them tomorrow.

I had a good sleep in El Burgo Ranero, therefore I woke up by 5am. I was walking by 5:20am. There was a young man in front of me trying to get out of town, but he was going in the wrong direction. I follow the dark street. Five minutes later he found the way, and walked behind me for 10 km.

The sky was so active
that I turned my light off. It was a new night screen. Many falling stars were rushing through the sky. No cars, no people in front of me, only a train was rushing through the sunflowers fields next to me. The trail was parallel to the road. Beautiful trees have been planted next to the trail for the past 100km. They were planted 3 years ago looks like, but they are going to give a great shade to the peregrines in the future.

My plan was to stop at Mansilla de Mulas, but it was so early that after coffee and toasts, I kept going to León.

Many people has died walking el Camino. Memorial are left behind as recordatories. Before León there was a significant one. It was at the highest point Alto del Potillo. It was a woman from El Paso, TX. Because there is a long fence, the peregrinos have started the make wood crosses on it. There are hundreds of them.

As I started my descending to León, I found Nicolas, an architect from Paris, making a cross. The elements that he was using where not working together. He was frustrated. When he got all the elements: wood, plastic, fire, to work; the cross just broke. I just looked around, and saw a thin piece of chicken wire. I tided it around the cross, and it worked fine. He wanted it to hang from a pine tree over the city of León. But he was not so tall. At this time Nuria and other two pelegrinos that have been talking during el Camino arrived. One of them offered to rise him on his shoulders, and he hung the cross. I took picts.

The more powerful experience was not on making the cross, but what he revealed to me. He knew that I was a priest, and it was his third time walking el Camino. He started asking me about what I think about a person committing suicide. It was the most compassionate conversation I have had in years. When he said: the first Camino was all adventure, the second was all about friends new people, but this third one is all about silence. I have not word, I can hear the people talking to me, I have nothing to think in my head. It is all silence! I just said: and how silence speaks? Then the cross was finished.

Now I think, how many people is living in this silence? How are they taking it? I have always been afraid of silence. At the seminary they offer silence retreats at the end of the semester. It was not my thing. But walking yesterday morning under the lighted sky, in the silent trail, there was something there speaking to me. We have a sacred power to overcome fears by the attitude we bear in our hearts.

It was time to run. We 5 were going down. Nuria looked at me and said. Well padre we are going down, you love to run down the hills. I gave her a big smile, and run down the hill.

At the entrance of the suburb was a convent of nuns with St. Joseph chapel at the door. I went in and drank a beer. Nicolas bought a plate of chicken with bread and shared it with me. Nuria and the other two kept walking to León.

Nicolas left, I did not see him again till later last night walking with a bunch of people in front of the cathedral.

I reached Nuria and the other two. We had a great time greeting people by the streets: “The indifference of the city.” No one would say good afternoon to us. It was till we arrived to the city wall, when a group of young people passing by us I greeted with: afternoon jóvenes , and all of them greeted us back. I said: there is future and hope in León. Nuria and our Teo friend clapped and laughed.

We are walked together to the Benedictine Sisters albergue. Nuria stayed there. I went to eat across the street. The other two peregrinos continue their journey.

León is a magnificent city. It is full of action. People everywhere. All the business to capacity. I will stay here till Monday resting.

I went to get something to eat last night, and every establishment was full. Therefore, I went to get a baguette with ham iberico, and manchego cheese, and ate walking by the streets. I stopped at a bar for a drink across the Cathedral when!!!

Luisa arrived! From nowhere Luisa pulled a chair and said: do you think that I don’t know you? C’mon, I just arrived to town, I said. I think she was messing up with me, but when she said, are you from Puerto Rico, right? My heart started to feel a heartache! I just did not have a clue how she knew so much about me. I thought she was reading my mind.

Luisa was in her 80’s. She owns two blocks of buildings across the cathedral. Her husband owned the electric equipment store at the corner, now her son runs it. She talked to me for over two hours. She knew every secret in town. It was magical. Perfect for a Garcia Marquez’ novel.

She got the Puerto Rico from my accent, as I ordered my drink. She just love to talk to people in the square and enjoy the evenings. I was her date for the night. I had a great time.

Another peregrino from South Africa, in his second Camino this year, joined me and invited me for a drink. He is a collector of first editions books. We had a great conversation about life and joy. I was so please when he said: I enjoy to talk to people that always bring joy and happiness to others, and you have that gift. I had found everything on the way.

It was getting late and cold. I walk back to my place. I got jealous to see everyone eating ice cream so late and cold night that I bought one too. Walnuts was the flavor. In addition I bought a Saint Isidore Pastry. Yum! Yum!

El Burgo Ranero? A bourgeoise man that likes frogs…

It sounds more fun than what this village looks. After arriving to the village Maria handled me a copy of the history of the village which did not include why was the village called that way. Just it is public knowledge, We are El Burgo Ranero! I never saw a frog…

Maria worked at the local restaurant on the main street of the village, the real Camino. It is getting boring how comercial local fights are changing the yellow arrows in all this tiny villages.

At Bercianos, there were yellow arrows in all directions. I just follow the street without arrows and got out of town in a second. Restaurant, albergue, and grocery store owners want to make business with the peregrinos. They just paint a yellow arrow on their direction. It is no fun when you passing for the villages when the sun has not come out yet.

Maria was a jovial young women with a great welcoming spirit. Emi, at the kitchen, prepared for me the first American breakfast in 42 days. It was delicious. My first fried eggs with bacon and toasts. I returned there for dinner.

All the albergues were on the north side of the village. I stayed at Domenico Laffi albergue. Domenico was an Italian priest in the XVII Century that wrote about his adventures in El Camino. When he arrived to El Burgo Ranero, he slept on the floor because the people was so poor that they did not have a place for him to sleep. The village built this albergue in 1990 and honored Dominico with his name.

I am experiencing the solitude of the walkers. Today someone apologized to me, because he was walking 50 meters behind me.

Now El Camino is flat and as other peregrinos say: it is boring. I don’t find it boring, but a mental challenge, therefore I have fun with it. I sing, I count trees, I think about all of you, which I laugh, in a good sense. I run with my backpack. Mentally I know how many km I have walked, I am certainly sure how many km are left. When I see church steeples, I think about St. Joseph, and it is an average of 5 to 6 km to reach the next town.

Today I finished by 9:40am. I felt so good. Pablo texted me that he landed in Madrid, and was going to take the train to Pamplona. By the evening he was at St. Jean De Port. Tomorrow he will start walking toward Santiago. Buen Camino, Pablo!

It has become a normality now that in every village the children come out to play by the village streets after 10pm. During the day you cannot hear a pin hitting the floor in any village. But late at night, it is school yard central! We are all in bed and we can hear the kids playing late at night.

I like to sit at the entrance of the villages to see the peregrinos that walk 30-40 km a day. They always pass by the villages around 5:30pm. I know, because I experienced it myself in France. It is so cool to see yourself in their efforts.

Sahagún a village dedicated to Saint Facundo.

The main plaza was full for lunch and dinner. It looks like the villagers like to eat. There were people of all ages, which is always a healthy sign for a small village.

It is always hard for me to order from a menu, because I may called it different in Puerto Rico. Like today I ordered pig hands, and I received a plate of delicious pig feet.

I was looking forward for this day, because I will see the second Templar Church, and first in the León region. It was disappointing that it was closed.

There were many places to eat breakfast during the long walk. It was comforting for all the walkers.

I will spend the night a the Cluny albergue. It has good facilities for 5 Euros.

I don’t post about my religious experience during this walk. I am taking it very personal. Every day I read the readings of the day from the lectionary, and meditate along the way, but today it was different. I would like to share the first reading with you:

EZ 34:1-11

The word of the Lord came to me:
Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel,
in these words prophesy to them to the shepherds:
Thus says the Lord GOD: Woe to the shepherds of Israel
who have been pasturing themselves!
Should not shepherds, rather, pasture sheep?
You have fed off their milk, worn their wool,
and slaughtered the fatlings,
but the sheep you have not pastured.
You did not strengthen the weak nor heal the sick
nor bind up the injured.
You did not bring back the strayed nor seek the lost,
but you lorded it over them harshly and brutally.
So they were scattered for the lack of a shepherd,
and became food for all the wild beasts.
My sheep were scattered
and wandered over all the mountains and high hills;
my sheep were scattered over the whole earth,
with no one to look after them or to search for them.

Therefore, shepherds, hear the word of the LORD:
As I live, says the Lord GOD,
because my sheep have been given over to pillage,
and because my sheep have become food for every wild beast,
for lack of a shepherd;
because my shepherds did not look after my sheep,
but pastured themselves and did not pasture my sheep;
because of this, shepherds, hear the word of the LORD:
Thus says the Lord GOD:
I swear I am coming against these shepherds.
I will claim my sheep from them
and put a stop to their shepherding my sheep
so that they may no longer pasture themselves.
I will save my sheep,
that they may no longer be food for their mouths.

For thus says the Lord GOD:
I myself will look after and tend my sheep.

This reading today address very well what is happening over there. I have been reading several letters that the bishops are sending to their local churches, but no one has voiced the failures committed by themselves (the shepherds). I think this reading should resound in their ears today. They should take responsibility of their actions.

Any way, I just must keep massaging my feet for tomorrow. It will be a hot day to El Burgo Ranero.

Calzadilla de la Cueza

It was a desert in all the senses. Not even water to drink. Dust, and sun hit you in all directions. The only comfort you will have was to find another human being to talk to you. I was lucky, but in the last 500 meters. There was nothing here.

Walking from Villalcázar de Sierga and passing by Carrión de los Condes were the party was last night, you will enter into yourself. Carrión de los Condes was a small villages with a strong past. Today the past was all in ruins. Only the Convent of the Carmelites discalced was alive. I don’t know how many nuns they have, but there was a lot of people outside talking behind the old Benedictine Monastery that now the village uses as a hotel. From there you will see nothing.

You will have to know yourself to handle 17 km of dust, sun and solitude. Your feet will be hitting the hard gravel and you will not see where are you going at the distance because of the heat.

Arriving to Calzadilla was glory. I walk faster to pay 5 Euros to have a bed for the night. There was a pool in the shelter. It was to capacity. I just relaxed in the shade after daily ritual of showering and laundry. The owner of the bar-groceries next door was one of the most welcoming people I have met on El Camino. He was a gentle man running his business, but took care of everyone like one of his kids.

I ate at the other side of town and the fish was delicious. Then I talked to couple of peregrinos and I went to bed.

Villalcázar de Sirga,
Villarmentero de Campos,
Revenga de Campos,
Población de Campos,
big names for tiny villages…

After Frómista, it was all Campos (fields). As the tiny villages added to their names. If I saw 25 people in the villages, I am exaggerating.

It was nice to stay at the albergue of the Order of Malta in Villalcázar de Sirga . They only have three albergue in Spain. I said mass in the first one at Cizur Menor, after Pamplona. Today I cooked for Moira in the second one. It is interesting that we met at the first one, many km ago. We are the only two peregrinos here. Everyone went to Carrión de los Condes, 5 km up the road, because there was a big party there tonight.

I received many invitations to go to the party by others peregrinos, but it was leisure day for me. I just did nothing. It is a good thing for the soul. Just let your mind enter in a “blank” stage. It can be difficult to reach, but I just enjoyed thinking on nothing. Thinking in nothing may exhaust you, therefore I am going to bed early. Good night!

Frómista from the Latin frumentum=cereal

Arriving to Frómista was all an alchemist journey of water, air, earth and fire. Passing the town of Boadilla started the Castille Water Channel. It was a piece of human art next to the dusty Camino. The winds were strong today, and the Sun rays were warm enough to have a pleasant walk. It is at the top of my list scenes on El Camino. I took several pictures that you can see on my Instagram account.

The Castille Water Channel provides water to the valley under it. A channel system that was built in the XVIII Century that helped the agricultural region, and still today in use.

Last night at the Itero De la Vega, we were only three peregrinos there. Two Korean young students and me. They started to walk before me this morning, but I reached them at the Water Channel in Boadilla. There were few people walking today. It looked that everyone started late, because the cold temperatures in the morning. The Frómista municipal shelter was full in the afternoon.

Passing the water channel, I entered a bakery. Faces again looked familiar. Two young women were running it. They were from Cuba. They knew the name of every single person in the village that entered the bakery of all ages. I sat at the counter, and ate a delicious crab meat sandwich with two glasses of fresh orange juice. It was around 10am, when Pilar arrived. OMG! It was comedy time. One Cuban lady greeted Pilar with the question? Pilar are you going to read in Church today? The other asked: Pilar have you seen Father today? Pilar answered cannot be posted here. I almost felt of my sit. It was so bad and so funny that I kept myself as an incognito priest. I was sure that I would see her in church later today . Pilar is in war with the local priest. She made, created and invented so many funny stories of the local priest that I had to jump into the conversation. I just follow the lines. I could not stop laughing. It was hilarious. She will talk about his vacations in the Canary Islands. What he will wear at the beach, and so many funny things. I did not want to be the town priest in her mouth. She was so beautiful dressed with a Sunday Church dress. She had the look of my Tia Minga. I was enchanted by her sarcastic humor. There was something in her that caused me to embraced her with love.

The village shelter would open at 2pm and mass was at 1:00. What to do???

I toured the Romanesque church of St. Martin in the center of town, and sit in a manor plaza across the street. An Italian man that was walking the past 10 days around me came to me and said good bye. A taxi was waiting for me across the plaza. The first day we met. He will not talk to any one. He would not have his backpack on el Camino. He was always well dressed, and wore a Panamanian hat. Two days ago, he needed to open himself. It was not a confession, but he trusted me all his life. I think he saw me at one of the churches and he knew then that I was a priest. Life surprises me…

Then, Maina showed up with two lambs. Maina has been walking El Camino for almost 2 years, back and forward. She was a teacher in Marsella, France. She was a woman of deep faith. We had an amazing conversation about God, life, and the lambs of course. We talked for almost two hours. She was so full of love for the world. When she left she kissed me on the forehead, and thanked me for all my answers to all her questions. She works in a village 3 hours on El Camino that I will pass tomorrow.

I went to church, and waited for the priest to arrive. He was running late. He has 10 parishes to care for, 10! There was another priest from France waiting. We both concelebrated with him.

After mass I went to the municipal shelter. After doing my daily rituals, I went out for lunch. I returned to the shelter And took a nap. It is around 6pm when I heard people talking in the shelter patio. They were having a good time. I heard a women say something about her son coming to visit her this week. He is living in a special home and they were going to bring him to visit her. Then, I heard someone say something about the priest that was in church today… Oh no, it was me. From my bed I said: hey I am here, no one talk about me with out my permission. They started laughing. I went to look from the second floor balcony. It was Pilar and her two friends. We talked about why she did not read in Church today. The other two friends laugh. They invited me to go down. We talked, we laugh, we cry. Pilar had three boys. Two of them with physical problem. The third died at a local fair. She needed a life. She needed love. It is how I can put her life. I knew from my visit with her at the bakery that she is just holding there. And she holds strong. Just thinking about all her pain, made me cry.

After chatting with them I went for dinner at El Chiringuito. It has the best ribs. It is run by a young man from Burgos, and a young women from Bolivia, SA. She knows how to season the meat, he knows how to treat the guests. It is interesting that the locals don’t go there to eat, because they are outsiders. Their place was full, because peregrines have heard about how good is their food.

A young man from the albergue joined me at the table. He was an architect from Paris. Interesting enough to discover that he wants to be a priest. Now you know what our conversation was about.

It was close to 9:30pm and we needed to make it back to the albergue. I took my cloth from the patio, and put it on my backpack. It was time to go to bed.

Itero de la Vega: turn off the lights and look at the stars.

It is very difficult to enjoy the stars when the shelters close the doors at 10:00pm. Because of that missed the Tears of St. Lawrence from August 9-12. It is a display of falling stars close to the Feast day of the Saint. This years astronomers expected 100 stars per hour. Wow!

This morning leaving the shelter was like snow was falling. Temperatures were closed to 40’s. I was not sure if it was dust on the air or the air was frozen. I just walked fast to keep myself warm.

When I reached the ruins of St. Michael, I turned my lights off. It was in the middle of nowhere. Wow! It was a spectacular show on the sky. Every star was so bright like someone polished them. I wanted to stay there, but the temperature kept me moving.

At the distance, I started to listen music in the dark. A prominent building was in the rising. It was the Abbey of San Antón (see Instagram account: wherespadre). It was a magical place.

I went to breakfast across of the church dedicated to the Virgin of the Manzanos. It was a lovely time talking to the locals early in the morning. There was there a woman in her 60’s that loved Ricky Martin and Cheyenne. She made me laugh so loud when she told me yo say hi to them in my next visit to Puerto Rico.

Passing the town was a big cliff to hike. It was easy for me. Going down, I just run it. Several km later, I turned my cell on music of Ruben Blades. The first song that came up was “Pedro Navajas.” It finished with the phrase: “life give you surprises, there are always surprises in life.” Then I passed by the old St. Nicholas” hospital. It has been renovated by an Italian group. They do not have power, but offer shelter and food to the pelegrinos. They want to offer an original experience. What original? I am not sure. I read that they have a ceremony before meal of the washing of the feet. I walked in to see the place. It was beautiful, but I passed the river next to it, and entered the Palencia region. I found a place at the municipal albergue of Itero de la Vega. It was only 5 Euros, but it had everything I needed. I took a nap. By 1pm I was woke up by all the little children of the village that were playing all kind of games at the church patio across the street. There were 20 of them. The town came to life. They played there for 3 hours. I stopped at the grocery store for some toiletries and cookies of course. Later I returned to a local bar to eat dinner. It was not till 7:00 pm, when women from all the village started to showed up at the bar. I though, well maybe it is bingo night. No, no, it was card games night. They take it seriously here. And please do not look at them when they are playing, it is a business. I decided to have a short walk and went to the bar located at the entrance of town. To my surprise, all the men were playing cards there too. I stopped and chatted with the observers. I made a comment that the women where faster moving the cards at the other bar and they laugh. Players commented that thinking always take time, and women don’t think! Well, it was their opinion of small town. I went to the bar and ordered a beer. I went outside to listen to my music, when a group of women passed by me walking by the streets. One of the went to a tree and picked up something to eat. After the walked away, I went to the tree to see what she was eating. OMG!!! It was the same fruits I loved to eat in France. I ate like 20 of them. Here they produced more. All the branches were full of them. I have saved some seeds. I hope they can make it home. I still don’ know what it is. Returning to the shelters the teens were walking and talking by the streets. There were like 20 of them too. It looks like a healthy town and every one is connected.

There were only two more pelegrinos from Korea with me. I chatted with them returning to the shelter, and we went to bed.

Before Hontanas: reflection on temptations.

Walking days are now shorter. I would start at 5:30am, but by 10am I have already finished . It is not a physical task any more, but the last month of reflections.

I thought that it will take me 78 days to walk from LePuy to Santiago. Now I only have 450 km to reach the end of the road. My goal is to reach Santiago on my 50th birthday. Therefore, I have around 33-34 days to get there, an avarage of 15km/day.

There are to many things to think on this journey. The solitude of the morning flashes ideas, thoughts, fears, and adventure in my mind. What to do next?

Leaving Rabé this morning was troubled. No because the roads signs, but the mistrust I sensed in the neighborhood. They don’t trust each other. Walking in the village and talking to them. Every one had a different version of their reality. They don’t talk to each other, therefore they live together in insolation. Even their church was closed to visitors.

As I ascended the first hill, I was covered of fears. Fears that the world would come like them. I just prayed for them as I passed a small chapel at the exit of the village. I also pray that you will not become like them too.

When I reached the plateau, a strong cold wind covered me. It was so strong that I had to use my walking sticks and press then to the ground. It was coming from the northeast. Suddenly, I started thinking about human temptations. Why there? I do not have a clue. It was just the wind and me. Something that I had experienced during the past 35 days is that there is not time for temptations when your mind is focused in a good cause. The daily exercise and prayers on El Camino has created in me a very healthy path physical and mental.

As a priest, we are like sheep among wolves. I remember that Gospel from my ordination’s mass. In 16 years, no bishop has sat down with me more that a minute to know who I am as a human being. My joys, my struggles, my strengths, my limitations. Some times I ask my self is if the Archbishop knows who am I am, or if he has an opinion created by others. Who others? We priests have to battle “alone” in our careers. I say careers, because to say vocation is just half of the reality of who we are. Vocation to be priests in the sacramental ontological reality, and the career to be parish administrator, with no degree in business and management. It was the reason I just finished the masters degree from Catholic U on Ecclesial Administration and Management.

There the temptations make us humans! We battle “alone”! We are humans, we need everything that another human need. The church structure does not know how to deal with this reality. Reading the daily news about the church scandals maybe reflect on these temptations. How to develop healthy priest to serve the twofold vocation- career. First, start listening to the priests. Second, humanize the church. Third, have educated priest in charge to listen and to take immediate action on the clergy reality. This three topics will be a great topic for a philosophical essay. I am sure it is written in some old book, but no one has had time to put in practice.

When we are tempted, there is a reality in place: we have failed before. It is how we know that something must be done. Many people that come to confession, only confess the symptoms, the effects of, the visible reality. But how difficult is the confess the “prime cause” that lead us to sin. I called it: the trigger. What causes you to sin? Solitude, abandonment, social or family pressure, indifference, responsibilities, stress situations, etc, etc. The reality is that it can be anything, even a little drop of rain falling on your hands.

Last night I heard a person said that El Camino is a penitential act. I totally disagree. El Camino is a joyful encounter with God in you! Blisters on your feet, knees’ pain, heat strokes are not penance. There are physical symptom of physical changes that your body is experiencing. What is happening inside you? the attitude, the call to action make you see how powerful is God who created you. That is what El Camino creates and develops.

The worst temptation that we can have is laziness. The addiction to personal pity. I have seen it on the road from day one. It is different to have depression, the addiction to personal insecurities. I make this distinction, because I have seen a lot of that here too, but they walk fast in all directions! Ha! ha!

A young woman asked me the other day: how I know is God who speaks to me? I just responded: if God invites you to act on a decision, and it does not hurt you, and does not hurt others around you, you know it is God. I think it is common sense or better common good.

The same happen when we are tempted. Act always on goodness. Therefore, you will not fail.

The plateau was not large enough to keep thinking about temptations. I ascended to Hornillos. It was a small dusty village lost in time. The coffee shop was opened, and the owner was sitting by the window waiting for the costumer. I was just 9 km from my destination, and passed quietly.

After Hornillos, I started to pass the walkers that stayed at that village last night. There was a large hill to ascend. After that we all walked on a new plateau till Hontanas.

You knew that you arrived to Hontanas because of the church’s steeple cross. Hontanas is in a hole literally, around maintains. The quality of life here is amazing. All the shelters are beautiful. Tomorrow I will not be ascending the mountains. It looks like there is a passage among them for 10 km to the next village.

Burgos, a Cathedral in Renaissance

It was a very difficult path: physical and mental. We started walking at 5:30am. We have a lot to cover. I felt back in the Podonis Walk in France. We walked it high Speed (6 km/ hour)till San Juan de Ortega.

We reached 1,120 m up at the Alto pick. Before it was the monument to “los caidos”, those who died during the Spaniard Civil War. It is not a monument, but a graves mark for those executed in the silence of the night. It was so painful to hear Pedro about how many men were taking from their homes and taken to this hill and others remote areas. They found so many common “fosas.” No one has ever explained this genocide. There was a death silence on this hill. Listening Pedro, I could hear the voice of the men-begging for pardon. He lost his grandfather, and other members of his family this way. Today, Franco is a killer, for his followers a saint. The fascist Spain wounds still have not been healed.

Arriving to San Juan de Ortega, the temperature dropped 20 degrees. It was cold, and the bikers were complaining.

We asked the owner of the coffee shop to sale us bread, but he said no. Therefore we ate our lunch without bread.

For many the church in this village has many magical powers. Queen Isabel of Castile, was a barren woman, after she visited the church in 1477 she conceived a child.

We passed Atapuerca. It is official site of the earliest human remains ever discovered in Europe. We ascended to Cruz de Matagrande, where pelegrinos have started to build an amazing maze of stones. I added mine.

From here we had the best view of Burgos. We passed Villalval, but did not entered, over the village. Arriving to Cardeñuela Riopico, there was something not right. The shelters were very commercially advertised. The town had celebrated its festivities last week, and they had kept all the banners and flags hanging on Main Street and homes.

Two more km on the road was Orbaneja, where Mariano and Simona’s house was, Pedro’s parents. The house was on El Camino. They invited me to stay for the night. Simona prepared lunch and dinner for us.

After lunch, Pedro gave me a tour to the Carthusian Monastery of Miraflores. It was a gorgeous place well preserved. The place had a rose fragrance. The monks prepare a rare incense that is preserved under ground for three years. It was for sale, but it was very expensive.

We toured the Real Monastery of Las Huelgas, but the nuns closed the public access today on the Feast Day.

Now was the time to visit the Burgos Cathedral of St. Mary. It is a jewel! They really invested a lot of money to restored it. They charge 4.50 Euros to have a audio tour. It is a place to go and see. It is a medieval Cathedral with a Renaissance spirit. I asked Peter if he knew a small chapel to attend mass in town. He took me to the chapel of Mary, the Divine Shepherdess. Really? Mary was wearing a shepherdess dress and hat, baby Jesus in her arms is playing with a sheep.

It was a very joyful mass. Fr. Javier must be a composer and singer. He was amazing, and at the end of mass he passed a copy of a song that we all sang with his name on.

After mass we went for a city walk, and I saw a familiar face at the distance. He was a French young man that started with me in LePuy, France. We had been together in so many “gites” of France. It is a small world! We sat across the city shelter, and we talk for hours.

Returning to Pedro parent’s house, dinner was ready for us. It was like eating at home. There house was like the house I grew up. It was a very special time.

I woke up at 7am, Pedro was ready. The night before Pedro’s Dad, Mariano, told me that from Orbaneja to Burgos was the most dangerous road of El Camino. Therefore, Pedro wanted to take me to Burgos. I appreciated that, but it was my Camino. He understood. I walked from his home to Burgos. It was 9 km in hell road. Pelegrinos are pushed to walk directly on the road passing the Burgos airport, crossing heavy car intersections, and am industrial avenue. It ends in the neighborhood of Villafría (the cold village, literary translated).

Coming from Burgos last night, Pedro made me aware of two business men that change the arrows markers on the road every day. When we passed last night, one of them painted it black over the yellow arrow that guide the Pelegrinos. By this morning the sign has two arrows pointing left or right. Pedro recommend me to take the road, but I took the left to discover that some one had pulled out all the signs. It was terrible. I had to go on the road all the way to Burgos with only God.

On the way I entered a Fruits Store. A very rude man scream to me that I should not touch the fruits, and made a very vulgar comment. I asked him to apologize to the women in the store. It was so bad. I don’t understand why I paid him. I should abandon the store immediately.

Later I entered a cafeteria for coffee down the street. It was so different. Very nice people.

The city of Burgos has been well planned for people to live in downtown. All the building 5-10 stories with the first level of commercial property. Every thing is on one block to reach: grocery stores, bakeries, restaurants, hair dressers, cloth stores, clinics, laboratories. It is amazing to see all of them full, and people walking on the street.

I walked 21 km today, and ended at Rabé de las Calzadas. In the middle of town there is a restaurant: Las Fuentes. I walked in and the faces looked so familiar. I asked them: are you from the Caribbean?They answered: yes! OMG! When I saw the tapas on display, I knew that they will taste like home, because the color and presentation. I was right! It was delicious. How in the world, I would find a Family from the Dominican Republic in the middle of nowhere. I was back in the afternoon for dinner. And believe it or not, they knew what a Monaco was! I had my first Monaco in Spain after France.

I must confess that their is a commercial war in every village I have entered in Spain. It is very sad. People wants to sell you an experience that only you can have for free. You make the Camino. Many shelters want to jailed you and put you in bed by time. I never saw that in France. The French shelters are more concerned of healthy issues. Backpacks stays out of bedrooms, because bug’s contamination. Only today, the lady of my shelter asked me to put my backpack on a plastic bag. I applauded that. I had been attacked by bugs in Spain several times. France also has better roads marks for el Camino than Spain. I really don’t know what is the official road mark since I entered Spain. I pray every day for whoever took a can of yellow spray paint and decided to make the marks that I follow.

After showering, I decided to walk the streets of the village. A woman was walking her neighbor dog talked to me for half hour about all the dogs of the neighborhood for half hour. I walk down the street to a local bar and ordered a lemon beer. The owner encouraged me to go outside and enjoy the great weather. It was really gorgeous.

From nowhere a women showed up and asked me permission to sit at my table. She immediately started touching my bracelets. I was very uncomfortable. She did not look right. She said that she was a “hospitalaria.” I don’t know what that mean. She was wearing a yellow pin in an arrow form, which she wanted me to wear. I was getting a headache by listening to her. Something was not right! I went to the bar and asked the owner who she was. He told me that she was not from town, but that she was “muy pesada”. He really apologized. I told him that it was not his fault. As I leave the bar, the woman was waiting for me and wanted the pin back. It has been the weirdest experience of the Camino. I really felt to wash myself in Holy Water!

Belorado

We were woke up by the bikers style and fashion insecurity. It was 5am when the first biker woke up to decide what he was going to wear today. By 7am, he was not ready yet. It was a 2 hours torture.

Pedro was so made that he flashed him with his cellphone several times. Pedro left the abbey, and wait for me on the road.

I always prepare my backpack before going to bed. I only have to put my socks and go.

In Grañon a very young man from the village was making good money with his food truck. We passed it, because the line was long. Then we saw a bakery sign. No one was there. I looked through the door, and the old baker invited me to enter. He had the more traditional beautiful pastries of the village. He was so hospitable to us. His son was not so friendly like him. The son closed abruptly the door that separated the reception from the ovens.

Walking 25 meters was a sign for coffee. We entered into an albergue, and the host served us two big cup of coffee. He did not charged us. It was a “donativo” (free will). Donativos are the heart of El Camino, but others have made it a business.

Entering to Castilla y León region we visited the Village of Viloria de la Rioja, the birth place of St. Dominic. I was shocked by the simplicity of the village, and the abandonment of St. Dominic’s home. It was in ruins. I said: OMG, what the Dominican Order of Preachers (OP) Priests have done! They have forgotten their founder roots. It was not Assisi for St. Francis or Norcia for St. Benedict. Some one had put a powerful sign over the ruins reclaiming action. We have OP at St. Louis Bertrand in Louisville.

I need to confess that I took a little rock from the ground. I don’t know why, but I was touched.

Mayor del Rio was an abandoned village in time, but they had a fancy restaurant across the highway. Pedro and me bought a beer, and eat our lunch outside. Pedro had bought some lunch last night.

It was time to hit to Belorado, a small village with 2,000 people. Pedro had heard that there was a shelter with a pool. We find it and stayed there. I just socked my feet in the pool. The shelter was well run. They had an amazing restaurant too. We did not ate there, but we went to the grocery store and bought some cuts, bread, peaches, crab legs, nuts, and cheese. We ate in a bench on the main plaza. We invite every resident that passed by to eat with us, but no one accepted the invitation.

Early after our arrival, Pedro and me walked the village and we met David Herrera. He was a beautiful man in his 80’s. Just like Segundo the other day. We invited him for a glass of wine, but he said that he does not drink. At the end, he invited us to the bar and paid for our wine, and he drank one too. We tasted there the best “morcillas de Burgos.”

In the evening I went to the pool to watch a free Yoga class. All the young people was there showing their abilities. I sat to watch and call my dad and sister.

Pedro invited to give the last round to the village, we had couple glasses of Spaniard red wine. We returned to the shelter, and I was tempted to go up to the restaurant. Pedro went to bed, but I must try something there. I went up and order “cayos and champiñones”. There were delicious!!!

There is something that is biting me and causing me and allergic reaction. I have to put ammoniac and mosquito spray every 4 hours to stop the reaction. It has been my only uncomfortable situation during the walk in Spain.

Going to Santo Domingo de la Calzada

Leaving early is always a good choice for a hot day. Two hours later I was passing through a false option of El Camino. It read: “one km of art.” I was ready to turned, when a voice from behind me said: “Petre” keep straight, there is nothing there . It was Pedro who has reached me. The people from Ventosa wants to do business with the pelegrinos by taking them out of the path 2 kms.

We just kept walking to see many people getting out of the tramp. It is always good to read the maps before you start walking. Many people change the markers to take advantage of pelegrinos.

We reached Nájera, a cemetery place for Kings and Queens of the Navarra Kingdom. That was all! I did not have time to give my respects, I focus on the big hill leaving this town.

After Nájera, we entered Azofra, a farming village. We entered a coffee shop. We drank coffee and had something to eat, when the action begun! OMG! This women came from the back of the coffee shop so high on the clouds that we thought that she was passed. Pedro and me got so scared that we leave the village as faster as we entered it. It was so sad, because the residents of the village knew was going on, and they were embarrassed. At one point I said to her: It think is better for you to start El Camino to find peace… I was not sure that she understood what I said.

From there we walked one of the most painteresque-views in La Rioja, Spain. It was the wine country. I cannot describe it. See pictures on Instagram.

Santo Domingo de Guzman was our final destination. We arrived singing songs of Mercedes Sosa helped by the cell phones. We stopped at the first grocery store to get some lunch and arrived to the Abbey of the Cistercians Sisters. They have good old fashion rooms, but very comfortable. I went to the vespers, and concelebrate at the 7pm mass.

Pedro and me went to the Cathedral to see St. Dominic and the living rooster and hen. To our surprise, the charge 3 Euros to walk into the Cathedral. I gave an about face immediately. How can you charge to enter into the House of the People of God??? Ridiculous!

We stopped and at fruit store and got our dinner: pears, cheese, chorizo, octopus in Gallega sauce, and wine. Delicious!!! Then we walk the village to discover the main action on the new district where everyone was having tapas and wine.

Viana and the Borgias

I am so sorry that I had so much fun in Viana. Well, I could not post in the blog how fun is Viana, Spain last night. It was like living during the Borgias, but without Church and scandals. Well, let me clarify, I went to Church. Cesare Cardinal Borgia, son of Pope Alexander VI built a gorgeous church for the village. It is important to know that to be a Cardinal, you do not need to be ordained. It is a tittle given by the Pope. It is a scandal now, but during the Borgias, you paid for it or you were part of the boys club of the Pope.

As soon as I arrived to Viana, I knew that it was a vibrant joyful city. I arrived during lunch time 1pm to 3:30. The streets were full of people, and every table at restaurants and bars were full to capacity. I had to walk by the walls to reach my shelter. There were people of all ages. Every one was so happy that they made you part of the family immediately. A group of young people invited me to their bar, and literally it was like I was part of the family. They invited me for dinner too. I could not say , no. It was an amazing experience of welcoming the stranger in our mist. I never was a stranger!

The Church was full for mass. The choir was out of tone, but we all sang, and we could not hear the difference. I read the Gospel, and the parish priest preached.

We talked about the Borgias all evening. The young people was so proud of their history. They would live here, but worked in Logroño. What a great life!

I wake up late. Jonathan and Hollie called me from Louisville at 7:30 am (1:30am Louisville time). I should be walking, but it was the last walking day for Miriam, and we wanted to have lunch with her in Logroño.

Logroño was an amazing city. City of paseos and parks. We had to walk all of them. Hundreds of people were walking, running, and biking. I greeted each one of them, and 99%, greeted me back, wow! I was in Spain!!! It was the first time I saw the Spaniard flag. As you know there is this crazy movement in northern Spain about independence in Basque Country and Cataluña. It is all guided by financial powers. If we divided them, we may conquer them!

Pedro and me walked to Navarrete. It was a hot hot hot walk. The town was taking the siesta. We were accommodated in our shelter, and after showering, we took a long nap too.

Around 6:30, we walked to the center of the village. When all the seniors over 90 started filling the plaza. They all have a housekeeper with them. Oh yeah, I had a great time talking to them. Luisa and Bernardo, were so beautiful. She would talk more. He was a former “sastre “ in town. He would look at his watch constantly. Luisa was like my grandma. I asked them about what kind of music they would like to hear. I turned my cell with Lola Flores music, and Luisa sang along. Bernardo was very uncomfortable , but he waved his hands with the music. I asked Luisa if she would like an olives plates. She said: yes! I run to the bar, and when I said it was for Luisa, they did not charged me. She ate all of them. Bernardo did not touched them. Who will change a bended old tree at 95?

When they went home, we ordered our dinner: paella and ribs. Everything was delicious. Markis and his wife joined us. They spoke Italian, but we talked for three hours like we knew each other for life.

For pictures go to Instagram: wherespadre.

Segundo is the heart of Villamayor de Monjardin

This morning, I did not have direction. I literarily walked around the village two times until I find my way. I turned my gps and took the secondary road toward Lorca. It was not after two km that I saw El Camino sign, and I took the dusty path.

Arriving to Lorca gave me a sense of hope. It was 6:30am, an hour later. There was a young man running on the Main Street putting signs that his coffee shop was opened. He was so excited, and gave me a great greeting and welcome me to his village, but I did not stopped. It was too early for me to eat.

Going through the fields, a police patrol with three police officers passed by me. They stopped and walked an area. I greet them. I said: working early today officers?One of them, with a welcoming attitude, responded: protecting all of you! It is the first time, I saw an officer on the Camino in 30 days.

Five kms later I stopped at Villatuerta. I stopped in a small shop. I ordered tortilla Española and coffee. There were 3 women at the bar. They knew everything that was going on in the village. Three more arrived, and they completed the stories. It was just fun to watch!

David and Laura passed by me. I run outside and told them to slow down. They told me that they will see me at Estella 8 km later. They were waiting for me there, and David offered me a “zumo de naranja.” I was very thirsty. We walked together till Ayegui. There we tasted the free wine by the old monastery that closed in 1985. And of course, we drank the wine from our Camino shells that each pelegrino has to carry on the way.

Here the Camino is divided in two. (David and Laura are from Madrid. They were a lovely couple. I hope to see them again on the way. ) They were going to Los Arcos, I was going to stay in a village before it . Therefore, they went to the left (express), I took the right.

I hit the village of Irache. It is better known as the city of vacations by all the signs on the road. I called it the littered village. There was garbage everywhere. I was so disappointed! Passing by a sport complex with every sport included, I entered a forest. Thanks God, it was cleaned.

I passed Azqueta, and started the ascending to Villamayor by noon. A young athletic man from Palencia passed me fast, and sat at the bus stop. I stoped a the tiny little market for a drink, but no one was in it. I scream: “se llevan todo!” ( hurry, they are taking everything!). A women running down the stairs from the second build showed up with a big smile. I paid the drink, and sat down with the young man that was preparing a cigarette. The young people don’t buy cigarettes in France or Spain. They rolled them themselves, because it is cheaper. We talk for several minutes. When a man approached me to asked me if he has seen 5 bikers on el Camino. They arrived 10 minutes later.

I proceed to the shelter, but it was closed till 2pm. I just followed the instructions on the wall. There were 10 more backpacks before mine, but only one woman was there. We chatted for a while, but I felt asleep. More people started arriving. They opened the shelter on time. It is run by a group of volunteers of a Christian sect. They spoke many languages. The place was clean, they had good food, and it was cheap. After dinner, they invited all to “Jesús Meditation.”

Dinner was delicious and the company was great. We introduced each other. We shared stories, and talk about life. How beautiful is when parents love their children! How scary can be when they need to fly for themselves! At the end parents need to trust God!!!Everything will be simply ok!

Segundo arrived to the shelter earlier. He is a local in his 80’s. He loves to talk with the pelegrinos. What a a beautiful human being. What great stories he told us about the village, his family, his life. Pedro, Miriam, and me heard his stories for hours. He went home, and promised us that he would be back after dinner. We were ready for his second round. He was late, and we decided to go to the market, when he turned on the street before us. We did not recognized him. He was a new Segundo. He was well dressed, shaved, wearing new shoes. Pedro started picking on him, and he would respond with a great humor. I just loved it. It has been one of the highest point of the trip. We laughed, we cried, we celebrated life with him. He was younger again. His face was full of joy. He talked about everything that make a human being great. Love to his roots, love to his family, love to his country. We tested him in every matter. He was a doctor in everyone of them. He is the heart of the village. He never believed that I was a priest, but a loved his humor in responding why I was not a priest. He made me feel so thankful of my life. Real life…

I could not abandoned Segundo to go to “Jesús Meditation,” when Jesús just had arrived. I had to go to bed by 9:30pm. It was hard to leave. Pedro and Miriam stayed with him. I could hear them from my bed.

Cirauqui: a small village with a smiling heart…

When you stay in small villages during El Camino, you know that you will have a better flavor of the peoples’ hearts. Yesterday I stayed at a small village, and today I passed Puente de la Reina to stay in Cirauqui. Wow! It is a cute village. As you approach it, you know that it is a very special village. When Miriam, Pedro, and me arrived in company of another pelegrino, we said from the distance, in one voice: it is a beautiful place!

But this morning was different. It was raining all night at Cizur Maior. When I opened the door of my room, it looked like a tornado was passing through. The temperature dropped 20 degrees. It was cold. I put on my warm sport jacket, and the rain top. The sky was cloudy, and strong winds were coming from all directions. I just put myself in God’s hands. When I arrived to the village of Zariquiegui, three women were leaving their shelters 50 meters in front of me. From there on, was the beginning of Altos del Perdon. According to locals the hardest ascending point. It was very easy for me, after surely training 26 days in France. Reaching the highest point was the famous monument of the pelegrinos. The winds were so strong that I thought that I would fly to Santiago without walking. I ascended running it to Uterga. It was time for breakfast. Ana was putting her business signs out. I asked her: is the coffee ready? She said: coffee and more. She has a great personality. Her daughter Ana S. was behind the counter on the phone. I asked for a cup of coffee, and bread with tomato spread and ham. It was so yum! Ana S. had great music going on. We talked about their trip to the USA west coast coming on.

It was amazing to see how many snails were on the path after this village. They were everywhere! A new smell was in the air. Something that woke up my childhood memories. It was like Christmas. I started touching all the plants. When I discovered that some one has been taken all the flowers of a particular plant. I had to reach one out of the path, because all have been taken. It was Anise. What great stories came to my memory for over 10kms. It grows everywhere in this area. I continued to Muruzábal, but I did a 2.4 km turn toward Eunate, out of El Camino, to see the Templars Church of Santa Maria. It is a place to go and see. It is a magical site. A octagonal Church with a sacred history. It was closed, but the tradition says that you must walk around it three times, and ask for the impossible. I did!

From there, I walk 2.5 km to go back to El Camino in the town of Obanos were St. Felicity suffered her martyrdom, and St. William was converted. By now I was in Puente de la Reina. There I found Pedro drinking a beer outside a bar. We bought some tomatoes, mushrooms, cheese, and bread for lunch. I visited the church, where I found a great statue of St. Sebastián.

Now, I must be honest. After this town there was a very hard hill to hike. Pedro and me hiked it at high speed.

We finished it thirsty, and stopped at Mañeru, another cute village. The town workers were outside the bar having some beers. We had a great joyful conversation there. A city worker without know me brought me a drink. A young women passed walking her dog and join us. The dog was a Portugal water dog. It was chocolate color. Smartest could not be! Until he discover the sausages in my backpack. He did all kind of tricks to win a pice it.

Miriam and another Pelegrino joined us there to walk to Cirauqui. When we arrived to town, the town was desolated. When we did the turn by the church, there was a child playing soccer by himself. We arrived to the shelter and Serena, an Italian woman, received us with a big smile. It is a lovely place.

I went for groceries at Teofilo’s market. It was so charm. They told me that the mass was in 10 minutes. I was without shoes. Pedro took his sandals off,and let me wear them to church. I arrived and they were praying the rosary. Oh, my… it was like to be in my home town. They were reciting the litanies of the Blessed Virgin Mary as we do. It was a special time. I concelebrate in mass with Father Rafael. A lovely community. After mass I returned to the shelter but every one was gone. I walked down to the base of the village and all the action was there. When I arrived, they all new that I was the priest at the church. We all had a god time with the locals. We ate pizza, and we cut it with scissors. It is a village to come back!

Passing Pamplona, staying at Cizur Menor

Fabio and Miguel were getting ready in the kitchen. I was the third to wake up, but the first one to leave. Only Miguel and me had night lights. It slowed down Miguel who was behind Fabio until the sunrise. They made fun of me in the afternoon, about how fast I was.

I remember to hear two rivers that I could not see. The vegetation on the path was very low that would reach my head. I cannot imagine those who do the Camino in their bikes going through it.

People in Spain is very poor business people. Over 180 walkers leave their shelters before 8am, but there is not a place to buy coffee or a pastry on the way. France was very good with it. We were lucky to find a man from Idaho, USA with coffee, bananas, boiled eggs, pastry , and other goodies. He was not selling them, but he was asking for a donation for the down syndrome foundation. I took a banana and a boiled egg. As I was eating them we talk about Puerto Rican Boxers through history. He knew all of them better than me. It was so refreshing. Now, I don’t know how in the world he carried all these items to the area where he was. It was like sent by God. There was not a close road any where, and there he was…

I entered Pamplona by the eastern suburbs. Pamplona is a very developed city. All the buildings are average 10 stories high. The first floors are all businesses. You want to bring people to live in downtown Louisville, we need to learn from Pamplona.

El Camino take you through the old city wall. It is just like St. Felipe del Morro in Puerto Rico. I would say the same architect. It was just a copy. I would have to investigate which one is older.

The people in Pamplona dress very well to go to work. It was like a fashion show going through the streets. In all sense!

I only struggled with their indifference. I said good morning in Spanish to every person I encountered. Only a hand account answered back. Therefore, I started having fun with it. If they did not answered, and they were orders, I would said: Gracias jovenes! Thank you young people! If they were younger, I just would repeat two more times good morning, good morning.

I visited St. Fermin Church. We have a great debate at the restaurant where we have lunch. Is St. Fermin, St. Lawrence? It was a chaos! In reality he is St. Lawrence, but they call him St. Fermin in this area of Spain. It is like St. James, in Spanish Santiago or San Diego or Tiago or Jacobi or Jacubus. It is a total mess. Just a private devotion of saints called different with the same political cloths.

I leave the city by the University of Navarra, and started the ascension to Cizur Menor a little village with two beautiful churches of the XII Century. Because there are two, you can imaging the fights for the power. I had to deal with it in the afternoon. Where to go for mass? Any way, I celebrated the mass for 20 pelegrinos at the Order of Malta XII Century Church.

I arrived to Cizur Manor by 10am. The shelter was not opened, but Maribel, the owner opened it for me. A very sweet women. She talked to me for 2 hours. She has a great jovial personality that you would stay talking with her the whole day. She stopped talking, because she must open the shelter.

To eat lunch in Spain you must wait till 1pm. Omg! And for dinner till 7pm. Omg! I ate so much at lunch that I did not eat dinner tonight. After mass, I ate bread and cheese with Fabio, and Pedro offered me a beer.

The 99% of the walkers are from Spain. And they are fun, fun!

It started raining tonight. We had a hail storm, and it was very cold water. Tomorrow I have to cross El Alto del Perdon (The Hill of Forgiveness). The name says it all!

Larrasoaña, España

To walk in the darkness can bring light to your life. It may be difficult, but at the end you will find yourself in a great spot in life.

This morning my light nights started to fail. I needed to charge them. I was a little concerned, because it was very dark. Miguel, from Barcelona, was leaving at the same time. He was a little disoriented, but he has new lights. I have never walked with some one, but today it was very important to have a partnership. I was a little concerned, I am not a fast walker, but good with with direction. I started fast, and Miguel followed me for three kilometers 20 meters behind.

Arriving to Burguete, I stopped at the ATM machine for cash. Miguel arrived after me, and we talk about where was a place for breakfast or a bakery. No in Spain. In France, the bakeries will open at 6am for the walkers.

From there we walk together and we chatted about our careers. The only place opened was Cafe Juan in Viscarret. Paquita, the attendant, had cooked a great Tortilla Española without onion. She just looked like my mom, but she was a cold lady. Miguel and me sat outside to eat, and other pelegrinos arrived after us. There was a long ascension in Linzoain. I just did it without difficulties. Miguel could not keep with me. After it there was a long descending. I run it as normal. I forgot to tell Miguel that I run going down the hill. I felt so bad. I waited for him at the bottom of the hill, and I explained to him. He did not have a problem with that. he understood that everyone has a walking style in the Camino.

Arriving to Zabiri at 10:30am, we had walked 22km. They had finished the town fest, and the stage still standing at the entrance of town passing El Puente de la Rabia. We decided to go 5.3 km more to Larrasoaña. Miguel stayed behind at Illaratz. I was the first to arrive at the town albergue, but it was closed. After asking some street workers the country code of Spain, I called e number at the door. The lady on be phone told me that it will be opened at 1pm.

An Italian man with a horse company arrived, and Pedro and Fabio. Miguel was the fourth to arrive.

A couple minutes later Camino crosses the street to talk with us. She was the old mayor’s sister. She was so proud of her brother. mayor Santiago was the founder of the shelter were I was going to sleep tonight. He is 85 years old, and has Elzheimer. She was a lovely lady. Now it is important to know, Camino in Spanish means The Way, and Santiago is St. James. It was unbelievable. After getting accommodated at the shelter, we went to a local restaurant as a group. The owners were not the most friendly people. There were young, and lacked of business skills. After couple drinks, one the young women of the group paid her bills, and told the table that the owner said that some of us has not paid our bills. Pedro who paid my beer told me, Itvis not you padre, you paid the first, and I paid you the second. Well I went in, and tell the owner what the young woman had said. She told me that I had not paid my first drink. I knew I did, but I just put 10 euros on the bar, and I said: it is for the drinks that I will not drink here! The group of 10 of us left the place and went to the grocery store. I was going to cook for all of us. The owner of the grocery store was a character. He was an eccentric man, and after you pay for the groceries, he will offer you a glass of wine. He is very popular in town for the visitors, but not locals. The place was pack. All the pelegrinos love to go there to chat and eat.

I started cooking at 6:30pm. By 7pm we were all eating. I cooked for 10 of us, and around 20 ate. It was so fun. All the cats of the village formed a improvised choir at the fence celebrating the good smell of the “mar y Tierra pasta.”

I was so tired, that I just went to bed, and started typing this blog to go to bed. There were so others stories outside on the street that deserve to be here, but I am just tired to type more. Like why the police outside taking pictures. The Id’s request at the registration, the mayor and sister for ice cream, and others.

Love you all!

The Pyrenees…

It was very dark this morning. It was good, because I cannot see the challenges in front of me. The ascension from Honto is known to be the Spaniard test to the mountains. After 26 days walking in all kind of terrain in France, I was prepared.

Two Italians left the gite 5 minutes before me, I found them later arguing what path to take , when the road divided. I just let them know that I was going to the left, and kept walking. What if it was not, just start again! No judge yourself for the mistakes in life, there are just lessons. A kilometer up, I found myself in the same situation, left of right? I was so secured that I went back to the left. I kept going. I could not see the mountains.

Three kilometers later, a herd of cows was laid down in the middle of path. In Aubrac, France, I went up the hill around them. Today, I walked direct through them. Wow! That was so cool.

The sun started rising slowly. There were three young men sleeping by the road on their sleeping bags. I am sure there were like Kings.

As I was ascending the Pyrenees, five small trucks were going up very fast. Each one of them has a dog in the back. Later I discovered, they were the shepherds. It was a majestic show of shepherds and flocks running on the hills from all the directions over my head. On one point the sheep were so close to me. See pictures on Instagram: wherespadre.

And the light of God came, my eyes were in wonder to see the Pyrenees all its splendor. I had to cross them in ascending position. There was a point that I thought that my backpack gain 30 more pounds. I even felt that my pants where falling down. I stopped for a minute. I never took my backpack down. I just enjoyed the moment. A moment! It was to stay there for ever. Today in the feast of the Transfiguration in Spain. But as Jesús said to Peter, we need to go down, forget the three tents.

There were marks of WWII on the mountains. There were bunkers, and memorials. I knew I was in Spain, when I saw the Navarra’s land mark. Then, there are beautiful woods on the Spain side.

Now, there was a sense of holiness up there. I was walking alone. The strong winds hit me from the south. I loved it! It was like to be Moses and receiving the Ten Commandments. A great time for me to reflect on them. It was so powerful. God bless our Holy Father Francis, as he started revising the position of the Church on Death Penalty.

By crossing the Pyrenees, I only regret that it only took me 5 hours to cross over them. It should be longer.

Many people has died up there. Families and friends have put memorial. I pray on one of them, a young man from Brazil. The anniversary of his death was 3 days, five years ago.

Reaching the height point of the mountains is the beginning to start descending, but not as you ascend. It is a brutal descending. My both knees tested the pain. I just run down, best strategy against the pain.

The first gite communal in Spain is like a five stars hotel for Pelerins. When I arrived, it still closed. I sat on a bench, and eat my breakfast. An hour later there were opened. The stamped my credential, gave me a bed number, and a dinner ticket.

Cecile arrived, and called me at that time, and Clement was arriving by the back door. We three celebrated the achievement, and we went lunch together. It was the last good bye. Cecile will go to the Alpes to walk with her boyfriend, and Clement was going back to Geneva.

I went back to the gite at 2pm and get cleaned. After massaging my feet, I took a long nap. I went to dinner at 7pm with Mercedes, from France, Cristina, from Portugal, and Juan, the “pebe “ from Tucuman, Argentina. Cristina has been sick for three days, Fest problems.

I went to mass at 8pm. It was beautiful. Nine priests were at mass, and the church was full. They has a great liturgy in Spanish.

I have promised Cristina that I would stop by to see her after mass. I have good feet lotion that would help her feet.

Now, the plan is easy 33 more days of adventure to Compostela. I would take a break in between. I am walking to fast. Please remember the cause of this peregrination: St. Joseph Steeples.

I was thinking today, if all the people that follow me on the blog invite 10 friends home for coffe, tea, and beer. Please do not forget Fomage!!! And tell our need to save the Steeples to their friends. Maybe they can help us too.

I want to thanks all of you who write to me on the blog. I love to hear from you. I always respond. Please do not stop doing so. My respond is short, but from my heart.

Paz,

Padre

St. Jean Pied de Port

It is the village to start the French Way to Compostela. The St. James door is always opened, and receiving pelerins from all around the world. There are many pelerins as intentions to finish the way.

The past 25 days have gave me a flavor of this. Adventure, spiritual needs, depression, solitude, identity, saving the Steeples of a church, the list is infinite, but the souls can be counted. Growing in the journey is a risk for many of the walkers marching east to Compostela. And, yes, life is a risk that we need to learn to be trained. For me the best training is your intention to adjust and change. I have not fear a second on this journey. I just move forward. I am in charge of my life. God as companion, direct me always toward good. I can be lost for 1 km, but accepting the lesson, and coming back to the road marks has thought me that there are not mistakes in life. We just learn, and get prepared for future personal insights.

After Ieft Astabat, I put my night lights on. It was very dark. But there was so much action in nature. The reflector of the lights will bring a lot of insects in front of me, and with insects, a team of bats playing pelota Basque in front of me. Cats will sit at the roof of the houses looking for anything that move. There eyes will shine from the distance, because of my lights. Owls will flight from tree to trees, as they were swimming in the air. The cows started to wake up.

I arrived to Latceveau, the markers were no clear. I did a right turned that took me 1km away. Well, I just turned back. The sun rose, and the markers took me to a private house. As soon as I passed the house, a farmer was moving his sheep to a different field. He said to me: avance, avance. I walked faster, and all the sheep passed to the other field. It was like church on Sunday, all the flock in. I kept walking on the path. Around 200 meters, a strong smell took the air. There was a death sheep. It has strangulated itself in the fence. I was touched by the situation. Many thoughts about death came into my mind. I just kept walking, as life continues.

The paths started to embrace my presence. I just walked as if there were waiting for me without restrictions. Just walk!

When I reached the Croix de Galtzetaburua, I paused to look at the ancient cross that has watched so many people passing by, but has never judged anyone. I interesting will be for us to do the same. And here were are walking on earth, but we are not free, until we embrace our cross.

After Gamarthe, I started to see signs for sheep Fomage. I did not stopped to buy, but look very popular in the region.

In the middle of a hill, there was a man preparing coffee and other items for the walkers. He has a big sign saying: stop for a coffee. Can you imagine doing that in front of your house, and welcoming strangers into your house? That is true charity!

There was a problem with the street signs today. The miles account was going up instead of going down. I wanted to reach St. Jean Pied de Port by 10am for mass. It looked like I will not make it.

I reached St. Jean Le Vieux by 10. The Catholic Church was opened. I went in, a woman speaking Basque greeted me with a joyful smile. I told her that I only spoke English and Spanish. She called her friend, and senior lady. She spoke perfect Spanish. She was so sweet. I asked her the mass time. She told me 10:30am. Wala! I had time for juice and a chocolatinne before mass. There was a grocery store, and a bakery next to the church. I returned to church by 10:15. The senior lady asked me if I would like to concelebrate. She sent me to the priest. I asked her: Does he speak Spanish? She said: He speaks everything!

I introduced myself, and he invited me to the sacristy to get dressed. The priest was so happy. He thought me how to read Basque in 1 minute. He was a good teacher, I sang during all the mass.

We processed from the sacristy to kiss the altar. As we walk out, the whole congregation starters singing. Where in the world has you seen this? I mean, every person was singing on Basque, male and female, old and young. I was in tears. You can feel the love of this people for their faith. The whole mass was like this. It was not France, it was a new country, Pays Basque!

All the seats were full. The three level balconies, where all the men sat were filled. And let me tell you, these men were great singers. There was a joy here that I have not seen in a while. I was refreshed! I walk to St. Jean Pied de Port in the clouds!

I crossed St. James’ door. It was the end of LePuy Way, and the beginning of the French Way. I had lunch in the village with Clement. A great young man from Geneva. After lunch we sat at the side walk, I turned my Pandora on Latin Music to celebrate the achievement. I got the stamp at the welcoming center, and returned to the sidewalk. Many people shaked as they listen to my music.

I did not stay at the village. I kept walking, visited the church, as I have been doing every time, I see a church. I took many pictures, and kept walking to the next village of Honto.

I just begun the ascension of the Pyrenees. It was a great gite with an amazing view. Tomorrow I will walk 200 meters up in 75 meters. Please do not calculate the adjacent, I just gave you the hypotenuse and the opposite! Ha ha!!!

Ostabat: the real Basque Pays.

Leaving Navarrenx by the old city doors was like leaving old San Juan by the old doors. Two cities with great walls as fortifications.

We did not sleep last night. The Antilles party went all night at the plaza. The heat wave helped with the ambiance to be in the Caribbean. Many of the musicians were from Guadalupe.

I went to the church concert. The theme was Alleluia. The choral sang over ten Alleluias. The second one was from an American Composer, Randall Thompson. I invite you all to listen to this piece.
I leave the concert earlier. Well concert started at 9:15pm. French people eat at 7pm. I like to be in bed by 10:30pm.

I started walking today at 5:30am. I have 43km in the agenda. It was very dark, but the night lights on my forehead helped me to navigate very well.

Navarrenx was very illuminated, until I hit the village of Castetnau-Camblong. It was very dark there, but beautiful paths.
Have you heard barking deers? I heard them all morning. I have like 15 in the fields. They barked. I have never heard that before.

The sun came up at Charre, when I saw the first tobacco plantation. From there on, there was absolutely nothing. No food, no water! If I move to France, I know where to open my restaurant.

I reached the village of Aroue/Arue by 11:30am, but did not entered. Something good about turning on this road at this point was the gentle breeze. There were so many ups and downs on the hills. At Benta, I started to get thirsty. I had eaten fomage and an apple from a tree that was planted by the French pelerin commission. Without water, it was a torture. I had to eat my lunch at the shade of a house by Casabonne. When I was eating, the post arrived.

400 meters before Larribar, I called in a house, and the women refilled my bottle of water twice. There was a water station at Larribar too.

Passing by Larribar was interesting. An old man ,with dementia, had came out of the house, and had took his cloths out. Oh my! I just kept walking.

Passing Etxartea, a man passed by me very fast. But because I like to run the ascendings, I passed him. He never saw me again.

It was graduation day. The test of the Le Puy Way was in front of me. Today was the last day of the French tour for me. There was in-front of me, the tallest test of the Pyrenees with all the possible challenges in front of me. I just said, after 24 days, it is nothing. I took it as a champion, and forgive my humility. I was light speed! The experience was amazing! Then of course, if you go up, you must come down! A dog came from no where and starting barking to me. It was frightening, but I just kept walking.

I arrived to an old church, the chapel of St. Nicolas at Harambeltz. There was water there.

Arriving to Ostabat was impressive. The path took me to an old walk. It was full of Sheep. The temperature was so high that there were all looking for the coldest place. I have the opportunity to touch them. The lower part of the village was covered of manure. The first gite on the road did not look like a gite, but a barn for cows. I follow the path and took the to uptown. There were so many pelerins buying groceries for tomorrow. I asked the lady at the grocery store for a place to stay, and she sent me next to the church. The gite was full, but there was a bed for me. The roommates told me that I had to call the restaurant by 5pm , if I wanted to eat. Mercedes offered to call the restaurant.

At 7pm we went to the restaurant and had a great soup. It tasted like Puerto Rico. After the soup we had pasta with some meet, that tasted like Puerto Rico. What is happening here? I think I am Basque.

After dinner I went to the other restaurant to have a drink with Cecile and Clement. It was interesting. They eat the same. The family at this restaurant was so nice: Daniel, Marianela, and grandma. I told them that I was from Puerto Rico, when Daniel said: everyone from this village moved to Puerto Rico.

This is a precious beautiful region of France. It is forgotten in time. There are few residents and they have mass every month and a half. One priest, nine parishes. The owner of the gite told me that the next time I pass by I should tell them that the church should be opened for mass. That was sweet!

Navarrenx: the French Basque Country

There is not a better smell in France that the French mint in the fields. I like to put some leaves in my mouth late in the walk. It is refreshing!

Leaving Arthez de Béarn was lovely. The path was quiet and serine. Arriving to Argagnon gave me a pick of the Pyrénées in the distance, and the Gave the the Pau river was clear blue.

Passing Maslacq, I entered a massive corn field. It was like a maze with not end. There was a fresh flowers smell in the air. A sunflower field covered the last kilometer. Walkers has been making faces on the flowers. They made me laugh with their creativity. I started listening a strong current of water for 300 meters. I thought that a water splinter has broken, when the river itself revealed to me. The currents where strong. I passed an abandoned house. I dreamed to repair it!

Passing the house was the test of the day, a big hill in rocks. I took it as normal, and kept going to discovered that there were 5 more hills after that.

I was thirsty. It has been three hours, and I like to drink after 4 hours walk. You know I like to have coffee and a chocolatinne by the third hour. At 9:30am, I arrived to the old abbey of Sauvelade, after running down the hill for one kilometer. The abbey has been abandoned. The chapel was beautiful. 300 meters pass the abbey was a restaurant, but the chef said that he would not serve coffee. I just kept walking up the hill, and more up the hill.

Something smelly came to the scene between Beduque and Boussaque, all the duck farms of France. The smell was strong, when I took the shower today, I just smell like a duck.

I stopped after the farms for lunch in a high point. A young man was running up the hill by me and stopped. I told him: common keep going. He laughed and walked. He came back, and o I said to him: keep running down, which he did. I did not know how deep this hill was until I run it down with my backpack. In the middle of the hill there was a spring of fresh water. An old man was filling several gallons. I wait for him to finish. The water was cold and refreshing. I drank a bottle on the spot, and refilled it.

Now I entered the village of Méritein, a lovely place to live. The houses are more modern here. There are 2.4 km now to Navarrenx. It is a fortified village with a wall. Therefore, it is very hot here. The wall covered the city, and the breeze that comes from the river Gave d’Oloron. France is very rich in water resources. Every path that I have walked has fresh water springs, and they are very strong.

Arriving to Navarrenx, I stopped at the first restaurant for a drink. When I went to pay, they did not speak French, but Basque. What? I though it was in Spain. But here in southern France border with Spain, they consider themselves Pays Basque too. It was very natural in me. I just gave the waitress the right amount of money, like I knew the language. Mmmmm.

I went to pay my gite for the night at a local bar, then I went to the gite and did the normal stuff: shower, laundry, and nap.

A family: a mom and two adolescents children will be my roommates tonight. They are from north west France. We had a great chat before dinner. There were very curious about Puerto Rico. I showed them the bioluminescent bay, and they were fascinated.

Around 4pm, I went out around the village to take photos, but the temperatures were so high that walking by the side walk you may get melted.

I bought so groceries and went to the gite to cook. I think I got cooked myself. It was hot!

After dinner, I came down to the patio. There is a big West Indies party tonight. It is Friday, who is going to sleep tonight? There is a big choral concert at the Church at 9pm. I think I am going to it, then I will be back to the street party. Just three days, and I will be in the Pyrenees…

Arthez-de-Bèarn

It was dark this morning. I put my night lights on my forehead, and hit to Arthez. I passed my first turn. It was not the street, but a hidden small alley. It took me to a beautiful lake. The moon shone on it that I could see the fish jumping in the water. The path took all around the lake. Then I started ascending to the top of a hill in the wood. An hour later I was out of the woods, and the sun was up. I put my light in the front pocket of my backpack, and continue. There was a field with a new crop. I could not determined what has been planted, but the sprinklers were on. It look like a green ocean in front of me.

I was expecting a easy trail today, but it was not there were hill 80 degrees up. I just applied my turbo speed. I finished 30 km in 5 hours. Now that my feet are back to normal the walls are more fun.

The first small town I passed by was Louvigny. I think it is Louisville in French, haha! They had a beautiful community center and church. There was a young women cleaning the flower baskets from the Mairie office.

A Walker passed me by this point, I saw him leaving a Gitè 30 minutes from the village I had started. He looked a little disturbed. He was walking holding hands like in prayer, and will speak to himself. A young German man came out from another gitè, two km forward. He was a fast walker. He passed us both. At one point the man introduced himself as Manuel, I told my name, and he said: are you the one that walked more that 50 km in one day? Gossip run on the way! I asked how did he know. He told me that everyone was talking about me. I just walked from Decazeville to Cajarc in one day, and please don’t asked how. Cecile is my witness, she was lost all morning, and was coming behind me from Figeac.

The man started walking very fast and disappeared. I am more in peace walking by myself. I like to take time to pray in solitude, think about the church, my parishioners, my issues, and the world.

In between, Uzan and Pomps, France there was a large corn field. It was so peaceful. When from the middle of nowhere the man jumped in front of me. OMG, I gave the biggest jump of my life, and said couple good words. He did not apologize of all. He just said that he was meditating in the corn field, and when we arrive to the next village he will offer me the best cup of tea that I would have. He said: it was high tea. Really? I think he was high, high! Now that I remember, I saw him three days ago sitting under a tree in John meditation position, but I am kind of custom to see this on the way.

It was very kind today passing by a village, where a resident put a tent, and offered coffee, tea and cake to the pelerins. It was my breakfast. The cake was corn cake with chocolate. It was divine.

Arriving to Arthez, I could see a large chemical plant in The Valley, miles away. I look in my google map. It is the city of Lacq. It goes for kms, and take the whole valley.

I have a nice view from my bed tonight, the steeple of the Church. Which remind me why I am here!

I went to the local pub to have a flavor of this village. I can tell you everyone is so happy. I am sure everyone is related. They kiss each other in every cheek, very normal in France. Well, I have to go to cook my dinner now. I think I am 4 day from Spain now.

Arzacq-Arraziguet

It was the first morning that I had to use my night lights on my forehead. Mornings are getting darker, coming out from town was hard because of the hill. After the hill, I entered a great park with a lake. It was so calm that I can hear the fish jumping in the water.

Passing the park, I hit to a tunnel, where I did not see my marker. I continue for 500 meters and hit a duck farm. There were all ducklings. Beautiful golden color. I proceed on the road for one km, and the “toros” where waiting for me. This area of France is passionate about bulls. It is not only Spain. Every village has a bull arena.

I stopped at a cross roads to look at my map, when a farmer was passing in his car and helped me to get oriented. I was just 100 feet out of track.

I walked for four hours until arrived to Miramont-Sensacq. I immediately look for a bakery for breakfast. The first one was so charming. I said : bonjour, but it was empty. After couple minutes a wonderful old lady came out. I asked if she had coffee, but she said no. I said thank you, and continue. At the end of town there was a more modern bakery with everything. I bought a chocolatinne, expresó, bread, and an orange for lunch. I had my cured salami. I sat for fifteen minutes and ate my chocolatinne, and drank my coffee. There was a short cut from this village to the next. I read my map, and went by the short way.

The next town was Pimbo. It is a shining little village. When I arrived a young man was cleaning street, mowing the grass, cleaning everything to perfection. There is a nice restaurant, coffee house with everything here. In the middle of the plaza, there were two picnic tables for the Pelerins. I ate my lunch here: bread , salami, orange , and two pellegrino waters that I bought at the cafe. The tree canopy was well trim and human designed.

The church entrance arch was unique. It has three small figures at the top. A couple hugging, a couple looking forward, and a couple back to back. I called it: the marriage! Ha!ha!

I went back to the restaurant, and asked the chef the meaning of the figures, but he didn’t know. He started asking three other residents, but no one new the meaning. One of them called the historian of the village to discovered that they were three of the seven capital sins: lust, glutton, and wrath. Any way, there was something about marriage there!

From Pimbo, there was a deep inclination. It is better to run them. When you walk them, it is very painful. From there was all flat by corn fields. I tried to get close to the water sprinklers on the fields to get wet.

Today the sun was visible at 11:30am. The morning was cloudy and great to walk, but when the sun comes up, I put sun block immediately. The water from sprinklers was cold. I enjoyed it several times.

Now to arrive to Arzacq-Arraziguet, I gave all my lungs. It is in the top of a hill. Arriving, I went to the bank, and stopped at the first restaurant for a Monaco. It is so refreshing.

The gité was next door. It has great accommodations, and the food was delicious, and the company superb! I have started to love southern France duck.