Oia

Nothing better than waking up before daybreak, grabbing your backpack and jumping into a taxi with a speeding driver who is listening to thumping Calvin Harris techno music as he careens down small streets to deposit you at the marina- we’re awake now! Obrigato senhor! Our boat captain was jolly and happy but the young guys that were with us were very concerned that we get in and out of the small skiff without falling in the water 😂 We arrived to the beach (and Spain!) and started hiking. The early morning sandy paths we were walking on were through a pine forest and then out again to the seaside. As waves crashed we could smell the sea salt and feel the spray- invigorating! We marched ahead until the first café and stopped for tea and coffee, banana toasts and empanadas. After refreshments we headed to the town of A Guarda and the beautiful 16th century church of Santa Maria- we arrived just as Mass was finishing but went in for prayers and blessings. The church is filled with paintings, statues, stained glasses and painted wood icon altar pieces- lovely!! So easy to be reverent in these holy places full of beauty. We next passed the chapel of the Virgin de Guia with the Way of the Cross outside complete with tall granite crosses. Now that we are in Spain we also see more granite in the fixed Camino markers that give the exact mileage to Santiago de Compostella- it’s great to see those numbers dwindling ( slowly ) and we sisters are all so determined to keep walking. We encourage each other and laugh and chat. And we pray together and we even have been singing religious hymns from our childhood along the way. I’m sure the Sisters of Mercy from St. Mary’s school in tiny Rockledge, Florida would be proud. We, on the other hand, are grateful for our Catholic upbringing and school and the selflessness of the nuns who taught us. And we keep walking! Some of the paths are rocky and some areas of them are muddy and treacherous from last week’s rains. After 14 miles of glorious weather we entered the tiny hamlet of Oia, a beachside gem. The Monastery of Santa Maria La Réal stands majestically directly on the beachfront. It is Romanesque in design and from 1137- it has been used as a monastery, a place for prayer and a defensive site against attacks from pirates. Tonight as we entered the village, the townspeople were gathered around the town square talking and laughing and enjoying the evening- we did laundry hurriedly and had a delicious seafood dinner with fresh scallops and shrimp and watched the sun set- tomorrow will come early and we must be prepared to keep heading north!Read more