a few words about humility

On Friday, I took another taxi while the rest of the Anti Belgian Pilgrim League made their way by foot from Comillas -- a very charming seaside town with many huge medieval and gothic monuments as well as a tower by Gaudi -- to another resort and fishing town called San Vicented de la Barquera. The plan was that we would meet at the "Albergue de Peregrinos" (pilgrim´s hostel). I made my way ahead to drop off my pack and found the place closed until one in the afternoon. The entrance, through a construction site and around some large boulders strewn with garbage outside a garage did not make a promising impression but not wanting to be one of "those" pilgrims who complain and fail to show gratitude, I elected to hope for the best. When my companeras finally arrived, we were informed by the host (a small older guy who appeared in each of about 300 photos of him with happy groups of pilgrims lining the wall of the reception hall) that we had to leave our shoes outside, could not take food inside in our packs, not put our packs on the beds, and that dinner was served at 8:00. Since Karoline was leaving for home on Saturday morning we had planned a special dinner and explained that we would be going to a restaurant. This invited a lecture about the art of pilgrimage, eating and singing together, and accepting the gifts that are offered along the way. We thanked the man for the kind offer and again explained that we had made this plan with our friends. The next morning as we sat down to the breakfast of coffee and bread with jam, the host kept pressing more and more food upon us (which we declined), objected when I went to wash the dishes, and then was heard complaining that he would have to eat out since we ate all the bread. As a final parting gift as we left to walk Karoline to the bus station, we were treated to a lecture on American lack of humility, parallels with the Roman Empire and proper pilgrimage. Since we have now encountered 2 days of nasty wet weather, it is clear that Sr Padre Peregrino was right and we -- (along with the rest of Spain, I am sorry to say!) -- are being punished with a week of grey, rain, and wind. Today we are all taking rest day in Llanes, our first big town in Asturias. I imagine that yesterday´s walk would have been quite spectacular in clearer weather. We are just north of the Picos de Europa, Spain´s highest mountain range with snow covered peaks that a currently covered by clouds. The coast is much wilder and rockier that what we have seen before. Much of yesterday´s hike was on bluffs above the sea cliffs that were lined with natural rock chimneys that spewed forceful plumes of water powered by the force of the surf. The sound was unearthly. We arrived in Llanes totally wet and very happy to find a nice little pension (with a heater!!). Tomorrow (Tuesday), Uta and Monica leave for Germany so it will just be Laurie and me with the crappy guide book I bought in England. Ooops... I mean we will depart with gratitude for the guidance of pilgrims who have gone before us and and written so... uh... creatively about the directions to Santiago. (And thanks also to the editors who were clearly able to relax during their duties.)

And now, some more random photos.

In the old town of Llanes

"Memory Cubes" an art installation along the harbor wall at Llanes.