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  • Day 23

    Across The Meseta

    October 19, 2016 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C

    I've heard people say that the desert is 'a nothing kind of place.' Indigenous people anywhere would tell you otherwise- especially our First Australians. I pondered this notion as we made our way for the next 5 days across the unique and somewhat isolated landscape known as the Meseta of Northern Spain.

    This area is a series of desert mesas with long stretches of 20- 27k between villages and sometimes 10-17k with no water sources. We were warned to stock up on snacks and water on these days before we left the village or town! Amazing how far you can go on water fruit, chocolate and muesli bars!

    We followed the ascent up onto the mesas. This was the way the farmers tractors went, walked along the top for ages and then down the other side into flattened valleys of stony fields being ploughed up by farmers on tractors to be bedded down for the colder months ahead.

    This isolated landscape consists of very high plains of elevations around 900- 1000m. The land is put to use and the villages along The Way are mainly agricultural, also having developed along the ancient pilgrim route for care of pilgrims from long ago and today. We were also accompanied by wind turbines flanking us on all sides of the mesas. Spain knows how to use the wind well for alternative energy sources!!!

    The tops of the mesas were very windy and a cold northerly wind bit at our faces as we longed for the next village to come into view- with the promise of a hot chocolate and a tortilla ( Spanish omelette and bread.)

    Highlights were the beautiful ruined 12th Century monastery of St Anton- Augustinian nuns who looked after and cured sick pilgrims of a disease called 'St Anton's fire.' The Tau cross of St Anton you can see in the church window was their symbol and it means love. This cross is visible on buildings, in shops, on signs throughout the neighbouring villages and must have had a significant effect on the faith and tradition of the people here over the centuries.

    Secondly, the village of Castrojeriz, nestled between mesas, with its high ruined castle. In such an isolated landscape, elevation over the village would have been essential! Have a look at the pic and see if you can identify the mesa we climbed up out of the town. We felt higher than the castle! Hey boys notice the incredible work wind and water erosion has done in forming these valleys between the mesas themselves!

    Lastly, at the town of Carrion de Los Condes, we attended a beautiful Mass and was given a personal and communal pilgrim blessing at Our Lady del Camino Church with other pilgrims. We were the only Australians! It was very moving and I Remembered you all there at Our Lady of the Way's shrine in the Church. A few pics to follow.
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