DAY 11 : SPAIN : NAJERA to SANTO DOMINGO DE LA CALZADA - 21 kms - 5 hours

Distance walked in France and Spain so far : 972.6 kms

Weather : cool, hazy : 20o

Our destination today Santo Domingo de la Calzada

 

Leaving at daybreak - lovely light over the plain

 

Korean fashions on the Camino

 

Warming up in a cafe in Azofra

 

Walking to San Domingo - the only thing on the horizon
no rain in Spain falling mainly on the plain....

 

We passed through Ciruena, like a ghost town - a town with infrastructure
but no people, due to the economic crisis

 

We still have Santo Domingo in our sights

 

Santo Domingo was a town created by
Dominic Garci, a native of Burgos, in the
11th century. He became a hermit in the
forest and began assisting pilgrims. He
felled the forest, built a bridge over the
river Oja, a hospital and a town developed.
He became Santo Domingo.

 

One of the miracles attributed to Santo Domingo has
become a defining legend of the town. A German family
on pilgrimage to Santiago stayed in Santo Domingo. The
innkeeper's daughter was attracted to the son but he did
not return her attention. To spite him, she put a silver cup
in his luggage and alerted authorities to the alleged theft.
He was arrested and sentenced to death. Meanwhile his
parents walked to Santiago.... On their return they went to
visit his grave but instead found him hanging in the gallows,
still alive. Quickly, they approached the Mayor, about to eat a
meal, to tell him their son was still alive to which the Mayor replied
"The boy is as alive as these two chickens I'm about to eat."
Suddenly the chickens came to life and began to crow.
To this day, the town has celebrated this miracle and
keeps a live rooster and hen in a special hutch in the church.
 

 

A very informative exhibition in the church and cloisters,
with interactive support in English and Spanish.

 

And relics! This is a bone of St Sebastian.

 

We walked up the clock tower. A major
feat after 5 hours walking. The largest
working clock tower in the Rioja region.

 

A spectacular view..to comtemplate while
we gather our strength to struggle down
the 132 stairs.

 

Albergue is run by the Spanish Confraternity.
162 beds in 9 dormitories. Donation.
Excellent facilities

 

Garden, washing area, outdoor eating area,
chook coop, where more roosters and hens
are kept for the pivotal part in the
cathedral myth.

 

 

It is certainly getting colder. We are wearing extra layers while walking and when relaxing. We are still able to wash our clothes every day and get them dry. Most places seem to have washers and dryers which is so helpful. We have devised a system where we put our clothes in a zipped net bag (size of a pillowcase) so we can wash and dry our clothes without worry of losing the odd sock.

We are meeting some very interesting people. A South African lady, 75, was telling us that she and her friend, stayed out one night as they crossed the Pyrenees to look at the stars. They brought foil blankets with them. Unfortunately they couldn't find a flat area and kept sliding down the mountain. Having wedged themselves near some trees a herd of cows wandered their way with barking dogs, bailing them up. A formidable lady!

 

An Austrian fellow, about 40, was telling yesterday about the nursing agency he has set up in Vienna for patients who need 24 hour care. He liaises with Red Cross and Caritas and now has 30,000 nurses from Eastern block countries (who speak German) who care for 10,000 Austrian and German patients. Their visas are only for 2 weeks, so they must return home and  have their visas renewed. He has been so successful that he has put regular leave stipulations in his work contract as he realises the importance of taking time out and has found walking the camino a good way to recharge his batteries.

 

A fellow from Utah, is going to work on a desert horticultural project on the Moroccan/ Algerian border, when he completes the camino - an area he has learnt much about in the Utah desert. He is a couch surfer and has been able to use the network to meet locals during this trip.

 

I wonder who we'll meet tomorrow.

 

M&M

17/10/12