Carlos has been our energetic host these past 2 nights, with his partner serving tasty and simple local cuisine, largely sourced from the district. Many of us had rabbit in a rich wine sauce last night!
We farewell San Miguel hosteria and Carlos.
Our faithful bus driver (born in Mongolia) awaits us for our transfer to where we finished yesterday. Jan reckons he's alright!
Our prayer theme for the day and a song sends us off on another of our desert experiences in Los Monegros. As our travel guide comments:
" Los Monegros are the closest thing to desert landscape to be found anywhere in Europe. The region is scorching hot during the summer and subject to brutal windstorms during the winter. There is little shade from trees here, though the landscape possesses its own barren and rugged beauty."
"We are in the 3rd week of our Spiritual Exercises. Ignatius invites us to become aware of the growing hardships Jesus encounters in His own ’life pilgrimage’". In the arid desert, "our hearts become sad as we walk with Jesus towards Jerusalem for the last time."
The now familiar 'orange arrow' tells us we are on track.
In the hot sun Jesus meets the Samaritan woman and being thirsty, asks her for a drink. Therein follows a conversation leading to a transformative experience for the woman, as she longs for the water he gives whereby one never thirsts again: "The water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life."
A true personal encounter with Jesus is life transforming! I along with my fellow pilgrims, seek this same transformation anew.
In the middle of nowhere are these young olive trees, seemingly uncared for.
Larry and Michael, along with Peter, are our true shepherds guiding the way, making choices as to which pathway to take, consulting their GPSs and detailed Google maps!
Each day we pass small hermitages, places of pray both for pilgrims and locals. They are immaculately kept.
Jan and Kaye find an umbrella shields from the hot midday sun!
Desert creatures abound.
It's been a shorter walk today, but the truck stop/hostel is a most welcome sight.
Our 'rear guard' for today, Tracy, hands over the mantel for Patrick tomorrow.
A refreshing drink and a debrief on the day!
The local church is of 12th C Romanesque architecture. A large congregation was farewelling their Columbian priest and welcoming their new Polish pastor. We met a pilgrim outside the church who was from Manressa and doing the Camino Ignaciano the opposite way to us.
The greatest surprise of the day was that in this truckies stop the smorgasbord provided was beyond belief in the quality and quantity. Michael might be slow by foot at present but not re the food!
Tracy can't believe her eyes!
It's Michael's birthday - what a fiesta!
The local staff sang in Spanish!
A speech is fitting!
Check out Fr Michael Smith's blog: ignatiancamino.com
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