Pictures alone do not capture the incredible diversity among the sites visited across the past few days. Awakening early last Thursday (Day 5), I sat outdoors along a small bubbling river that graces Parador Congas de Onis where I chose, like the brethren who cloistered there, to open my day with meditation, reflection, and prayer. By mid-day, we were at the old City in Oviedo touring historical sites. Just up the road from Oviedo was the port city Gijon, a town about the size of Fort Wayne but possessing a much more attractive waterfront. We spent a lot of time wandering the mile long waterfront way.
On Day Six we traded waterfront and other coastal treasures for historic sites along the route to Santiago. We stopped in small mountain town and visited the walled city in Lugos before heading on to Santiago. I took no pictures in Santiago on Day Seven even though it is the ending site for the Camino de Santiago (more later). I didn't care much for this city.
From Santiago, we headed east through the Galacian countryside on Day Eight. Traveling along two way highways, we ventured up and down and around mountains on paths that would make a James Bond car chase seem tame. At every hairpin curve (and there were many) we looked down gorges that dropped more than a 1000 feet. I’ll confess that my nerves were rattled and my stomach churned some.
Day Eight offered up many quaint villages, historical sites, and a bewildering array of small (very old) churches. When we could speak (without losing our breakfast), Jan and I pulled together some thoughts about our travels thus far, especially those things that we found consistent across the many different terrains. They include:
1. GRACE: Spanish folks seem to be a gracious lot. We have traveled in Spain without knowing the languages, yet everyone we met tried to be helpful in spite of this arrogance. I cannot with confidence claim that travels in America would result in a comparable level of grace for someone who did not speak the language.
2. LITTER: Streets, alleys, and sidewalks have been almost completely litter-free. Even though Spain hosts a hearty crop of smokers, you don’t see cigarette butts tossed casually on lawns or at entry ways. While there’s some chance that publicly paid workers attend vigorously to outdoor care, I haven’t noticed people tossing things on the public or private ways with callously similar to that which I see at home. What is it that compels an American cigarette smoker to litter every space they enter? Why don’t people in our country take better care of properties that belong to others? It sure would be nice if we could teach the folks who visit our Magnavox Way and Lynn Street offices to refrain from such piggish behavior.
3. RELIGION: Spain’s religious roots run deep. Christian witness has been present in various Spanish communities since the first century. With little exception, this witness has been carried by the Roman Catholic church. While its influence has declined in recent years, the Roman Catholic church carried a 
message to the people in communities both large and small. Spain’s countryside is dotted with ancient church buildings, some of which date back more than 800 years. Within its larger church buildings, an effort has been made to make the biblical story come alive through pictures, sculpture, and other artifacts. We were struck by the vivid depictions of events related to Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. Though I tried to explain the argument made by my Protestant forebears in favor of bland architecture, I found myself less convinced that the argument had merit. White walls and “modern” styling avoid confronting the average church goer with the fundamental stories and myths associated with our religious faith. I wonder if that’s such a good idea. Maybe our worship experience would be more intense if surrounded by reminders of the lengths to which our predecessors in faith were willing to go.
Day Eight ended in Leon, site of Spain’s third largest cathedral housed within a walled city that dates to the mid first century. We plan to explore it tomorrow before heading off the Burgos. From this point in our journey we will be backwalking (via car) the “Camino de Santiago,” an ancient pilgrimage route that begins just in France near the Spanish border and travels (by foot originally) through the countryside to the city of Santiago. I will try to offer a thought or two about that experience over the next few days.
Meanwhile, to view the pictures for the last few days, check out:
Day Five:
www.flickr.com/photos/42254846@N00/sets/72157601101288430/
Day Six:
www.flickr.com/photos/42254846@N00/sets/72157601104489785/
Day Eight:
www.flickr.com/photos/42254846@N00/sets/72157601104704057/
Enjoy!
