COMPROMISE…

COMPROMISE is the key to a successful marriage- Jacob and Ella from Israel on the Camino today, married almost 50 years.

Started the morning of Day 17 in Castrojeriz with a wonderful breakfast of tortilla (egg and potato type of quiche) and cafe Americana. The stretch out of town ascended steeply to Alto de Mostelares, the highest of the peaks encountered along the meseta. At the start of the descent, I met Jacob and Ella from Israel and we had a nice conversions about Israel, politics,  family, and the Camino. They have arrows on their backs, pointing between them. I asked them about the arrows and Jacob  said, “It is all about compromise. I say go one way and she says go the other way, so we compromise and go down the middle.”

I continued on my way and after a few minutes I heard Jacob calling my name. I stopped and he approached me. He pulled out a very special rosary from his pocket and said he wanted me to have it. I was very touched. He told me it was from Israel and he gave me some small pictures relating to the crucifixion of Christ. I put on the rosary and continued on my way.

After descending, I came to a church that has been restored and is now a refuge with a small number of beds. Britta, from Australia, is staying here for the afternoon and night and told me there is no electricity and the Italians who run it practice the Christian custom of foot washing forf the pilgrims.

I am now entering the Province of Palencia. This marks the start of a region known as Tierra de Campos where the wide expanses of the maseta seem to magnify the sky here. I arrived in the small town of Itero de la Vega and ran into Mick, from the podcast, who is carrying the Australian honor roll of the 41 men who died in Afghanistan across the Camino. As I was chatting with Mick, he noticed my rosary proudly displayed around my neck. He slowly reached into his pocket and pulled out a rosary exactly like mine; a gift from Jacob and Ella! “You are not so special after all, are you”, he said to me. We had quite a laugh!

My last rest stop was Boadilla del Camino where I ran into Leonardo from Brazil and Janet from Sanibel at a really fancy alberque that had a pool and a restaurant. No matter how fancy the albergues are, they are still communal sleeping, and as I said before, half the world snores! I finally arrived into Fromista after about an 8 hour day and have checked into my modest but very comfy and clean room. Now time to go hunt down a Pilgrims’ meal or the Menu del Dia.  Buen Camino!

Ascent

Ascent

Memorial

Looking back on where I came from

Compromise!

Church converted to refuge run by Italians- no electricity and foot washing for pilgrims

Honor roll of 41 Australians

Mick’s rosary just like mine!

Boadilla del Camino

Leonardo and Janet

Snack

Fancy albergue

Canal de Castilla before Formista

 

Church in Formista

My humble abode- drying hand washed laundry