Passing Thoughts

Palas de Rei, Spain
Leaving before daybreak has its advantages. The stillness of the morning followed by the sounds of the earth coming to life is the most wonderful music to the ears. Watching mist rising in the fields is an experience to savor. Our path through the forest gave way to meadows and little clusters of buildings that pass for towns. While it is easy to zone out with your own thoughts, observing the surroundings provides delightful surprises when you take the time to notice. Passing through a small farming community, I had to pass around a tractor parked beside a barn. As I passed, I just happened to notice the make. No John Deere tractor here, it was a Lamborghini! Can't begin to imagine what it sounds like when fired up by no doubt a gentleman farmer. More commonly though, are all the different plants growing wild by the side of the trail. Interspersed with weeds has been a plethora of herbs. Dill, rosemary and lavender were common to start. Now they've been joined by thyme, oregano and mint. Today we had a new addition to the forest of chestnut and oak. Copses of eucalyptus trees added perfume to the air. As we passed through Ventas de Naron, we spied Capela a Magdalena, a small chapel built with stones from a collapsed 13th century Templar hospital and dedicated to Mary Magdalene. Curious, I poked my nose in briefly. No pictures allowed and they'd stamp your pilgrim credencial for a fee. Note that everywhere else is happy to stamp your credencial for free. Sounds to me like an attempt to perpetuate her reputation as a member of the world's oldest profession by charging for something others offer for free. Hmmm. Mike pointed out today that we're 90% of the way through our journey. Good thing because the tread on our shoes is getting very worn. That prompted discussion of what we were looking forward to at home and various plans. We both agreed that our shoes and hats would not make the trip home. Perhaps we should have an adios sombreros and zapatos ceremony in Madrid our last night. After 48 days of washing clothes in the sink every night, we'll practically kiss the washer and dryer when we get home. Mike promised he'd only wake me up early 4 more times. On that note, we finished the last of our really long days (25.4 kilometers) in Palas de Rei.Read more