Started the 13-mile day at 8:20 AM.
Nothin' but sun and feeling great!
Beans, beans, and a few more beans!
581 kilometers to Santiago de Compostela.
That's about 360 miles, friends. Almost there!
Small town of Azafra, passed along our way.
Miles behind and miles in front of us.
Beautiful day with mild weather.
Dave's lovely butterfly shot.
Mike's close-up. (Such artistry!)
In Azafra, close to a bar.
Moab, baby! On a stick.
Can you see the Camino stretching out into the distance?
(Can you see Dave's stubble stretching out across his face?)
"I love this," says Mike. (It's his "found art" capture.)
Snack shack, at the top of a long, hard climb.
Fresh-cut watermelon from a trailside stand
never tasted so good!
Jane, from the UK, has an Atari bar,
working the accessories counter.
(a flash from Mike's past)
Dave, about halfway to Santo Domingo.
Catching sight of Santo Domingo de la Calzada.
And now we are blessed to see the marvelous
Catedral de Santo Domingo de la Calzada.
Do you believe in miracles? Because the
the people of Santo Domingo clearly do.
Here is the evidence of that, depicted in a mural
that hangs below the chicken cage.
Yes, we did say chicken cage, and if you find a
feather on the ground, you will have good fortune,
on the Camino and otherwise. Who knew?
As you can see, the Cathedral de Santo Domingo
de la Calzada is gorgeous, even awe-inspiring.
(Here's a closer look.)
It has everything a Camino cathedral should have
plus a bit more...so suspend belief and click here
to read a particularly well-told version of the tale.
Chicken legends aside, there is plenty of
room for reverence here. Beautiful piece.
Here's a figure Dave liked in the museum.
(Kinda looks like folk art.)
A view of the cathedral from the top.
Large window, taken from the same vantage point.
The church courtyard collects water
into a cistern below the church.
Mike, in honor of all chickens, is eating
one for dinner. How fitting a tribute!
Or maybe he's just in a fowl mood.
P.S. Why no weight loss, you may ask?
Exhibit A
Story from Dave:
Left, right, left, right. Mike is three inches taller than I am, but as we walk along the Camino, we seem to adjust to each other's stride. I suspect Mike shortens his and I lengthen mine. Even as one of us has to step over a rock or start up a hill, we quickly adjust our stride to match the other person's without any thought. Left, right, left, right.
Mike's personality is bigger than mine, but we have the same pace to our lives, because we have the same things that influence our stride: family and faith. Dos Amigos on the Camino.
A condensed version of the Santo Domingo Cathedral "chicken miracle" story:
Legend tells of a German pilgrim named Hugonell, who was walking to Santiago with his parents when they decided to rest at an inn in Santo Domingo de la Calzada. The owner of the inn's daughter immediately fell in love with him; however, her feelings were not reciprocated. Angered, the girl placed a silver cup into his luggage and accused the boy of theft. Thieves at that time were punished by hanging, and this was the fate of Hugonell. His parents, saddened by such grievous loss, continued the pilgrimage. After arriving in Santiago to Compostela, they began their return journey to visit the grave of their dead son. When they got to Santo Domingo, they found their son still hanging in the gallows. Miraculously, he was alive! Hugonell, excited, said to them, "Santo Domingo brought me back to life; please go to the mayor's house and ask him to take me down." Quickly, the parents complied, telling the mayor of the miracle. The incredulous man, preparing to have dinner with friends, responded: "That boy is as alive as these two roast chickens we are about to eat!" Suddenly, the chickens came to life, sprouted feathers and beaks, and began to crow. To this day, there is a saying about the town that goes, "Santo Domingo of the Way, where the roosters crow after being roasted."
Now you can better understand the significance of the caged hen and rooster in the sanctuary of the Cathedral. The guys didn't find any lucky feathers, but I'm thinking maybe they should go back and take a second look! (Sue)
Click below to support mental health services
and read more about the cause Mike and Dave
are supporting with their walk.
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