Caminos – Page 69 – Linda Scandore

Phenomenal Day ~ Day 63 ~ June 8, 2014

Day 63, June 8
14 miles, 785 miles
Altitude: 2,887 feet (2,956 feet daily high)
Weather: sun with clouds 55-70F
Villar de Mazarife

As though the sky was in competition with the landscape, each tried to outdo the other.

Lyle Lovett’s Pontiac CD played on my iPod. Drank a timely cafe con leche. A shady break with boots off while sitting with friends on a park bench. Finished the last miles fueled with healthy nuts; albeit, they were tucked in a Nestle’s chocolate bar.

That’s me walking up the hill.

Night on the Town ~ Day 62 ~ June 7, 2014

Day 62, June 7
12 miles, 771 miles
Altitude: 2,690 feet (2,2920 feet daily high)
Weather: light rain, sun with clouds 55-70F
Leon

Street in Leon.
Pentecost Vespers with Benedictine nuns at Santa Maria de Carbajal Convent.
Dane’s Concert.
Tapas and two bottles of vino tinto with friends before our 10:30 curfew at the convent. (Matrimony room for two for married couples, male and female dorms for singles…oh to be married if just for the night).

Catedral Pulchra Leonina ~ Day 62 ~ June 7, 2014

Day 62, June 7
12 miles, 771 miles
Altitude: 2,690 feet (2,2920 feet daily high)
Weather: light rain, sun with clouds 55-70F
Leon

Had you been at Catedral Pulchra Leonina you would have gasped at its stunning beauty. The internal walls are composed of three tears of stained glass windows.

Makes Three ~ Day 62 ~ June 7, 2014

Day 62, June 7
12 miles, 771 miles
Altitude: 2,690 feet (2,2920 feet daily high)
Weather: light rain, sun with clouds 55-70F
Leon

Dane, his cello, and me make three for the walk to Leon. As the walk was beside the highway or urban, I did not feel guilty sharing walking time with Dane. I arrived early to join the waiting line to stay at the convent, al Monasterio de Benedictinas

Santa Mari de Carbajal

de Leon.

Parador ~ Day 62 ~ June 7, 2014

Day 62, June 7
12 miles, 771 miles
Altitude: 2,690 feet (2,2920 feet daily high)
Weather: light rain, sun with clouds 55-70F
Leon

Parador’s pilgrim rate for a room 93€.
Benedictine Convent’s pilgrim rate for a room 5€.
Where did Linda stay?

Rocky Road…Not the Ice Cream ~ Day 61 ~ June 6, 2014

Day 61, June 6
16 miles, 759 miles
Altitude: 2,624 feet (2,624 feet daily high)
Weather: sunny and windy 55-78F
Mantilla de las Mulas

Sunrise start for a day’s walk totally submerged in nature for the first the first 14 miles. Birds singing, open fields, wind at your side, and no distractions.

The last photograph shows the straight asphalt road leading into the even straighter Roman road. You’ve got to love them. The Romans left us straight rocky roads thousands of years old thought out Europe.

Will Ben and Jerry still be service Rocky Road Ice Cream in two thousand years?

Made of Stone ~ Day 60 ~ June 5, 2014

Day 60, June 5
17 miles, 743 miles
Altitude: 2,706 feet (2,890 feet daily high)
Weather: sunny 55-78F
Hermanillos de la Calzada

Made of stone. It continues to stand the test of time.

Lavender ~ Day 60 ~ June 5, 2014

Day 60, June 5
17 miles, 743 miles
Altitude: 2,706 feet (2,890 feet daily high)
Weather: sunny 55-78F
Hermanillos de la Calzada

When eye-to-eye level with buds of lavender, the fragrance delights the senses. These shade oases bring welcome on the meseta.

Sahara, Serengeti? ~ Day 59 ~ June 4, 2014

Day 59, June 4
16 miles, 726 miles
Altitude: 2,706 feet (2,950 feet daily high)
Weather: sunny 48-78F
Terradillos de los Templarios

Terradillos de los Templarios is the half-way point from Saint Jean de Pied to Santiago de Compostella which makes it about the three-fourths point for my walk. There is a real celebratory feeling.

Walking continues through the meseta. I feel as if I could be in the Saraha Desert or the Serengeti plains of Africa. Hushed landscape that speaks.

Templar’s Monument ~ Day 58 ~ June 3, 2014

Day 58, June 3
12 miles, 710 miles
Altitude: 2,725 feet (2,788 feet daily high)
Weather: sunny 48-83F
Carrion de Los Condes

The magnificent Templar Church Santa Maria la Virgen Blanca has been declared a national monument. 13th-century.

Pilgrim Dane before today’s performance. Any doubt he daily carries the cello?

Yes. The cello required its own airline seat; hence, it was entitled to one no-charge piece of flight luggage.