GETTING IN THE RHYTHM

I WALK SLOWLY, BUT NEVER BACKWARDS

Abraham Lincoln 

I took a day off in Santo Domingo de la Calzada not because I actually needed to, but because I figured I deserved it.  Well, truth be told my feet did need a rest and what better place to do it, in a town where there is not one, but two Paradores.  For those of you who don’t know about the Paradores, they are a Spanish government owned chain of hotels in the 4 and 5 star realm.  Some are new resort type establishments, but many are hotels placed inside of existing historic buildings.  And that is the case in Santo Domingo.

From the hotel website:

The hotel occupies a former 12th-century hospital near the cathedral, erected by St. Dominic to take in pilgrims traveling on the Way of St. James. It has a regal, elegant style, with majestic function rooms and a lobby filled with Gothic arches and wood coffered ceilings. Fine materials and eye-catching colors—whites and blues—give way to comfortable guest rooms decorated with exquisite taste.

I figured that since this place took in pilgrims in the 12th century there was no reason they couldn’t do so today.  I didn’t eat there as their 45€ fixed price menu was a little steep for a pilgrim’s meal.

I managed to do my laundry, make an adjustment on my trekking poles, enjoy walking about the town and basically being lazy.  But after two nights of luxury, it was time to hit the trail and rejoin my fellow pilgrims.

On the way to my next stop, I walked for a while with several pilgrims for a short time.  Remember most are walking faster than me, in fact today I don’t think I passed anyone.  I did  manage to meet pilgrims from Brazil, Latvia, New Zealand, Hungry, Korea, Tennessee and California.  It was a 14 mile day, but I stopped at just about every town and took a break to air out my feet.

I stopped for the night at Belorado, where in 2015 I was kept awake all night by a snoring English woman.  Not wanting to repeat the experience, I reserved a private room in the local albergue, where, by the way, the Pilgrim’s menu is only 10€.

Walking slowly has it’s advantages.  First of all, I see more.  Knowing I have reserved a room ahead allows me to go slow and not worry about where I’m going to sleep.  I get to think about things in general and for the future.

Walking between Belorado and my next stop in Villafranca Montes de Oca, I actually was walking the same speed as Julia, from Germany.  She is just walking for a week after leaving her job.  Many Europeans walk short portions of the Camino, taking a week or two off to walk.  Later they return and walk the next section, arriving in Santiago after several years.

As I write this, I am in another old pilgrim hospital converted to a hotel.  Built in 1377 by Queen of Castile Doña Juana Manuel, wife of King Enrique II for taking care of the poor and the people who passed through Villafranca Montes de Oca.  The property for a time was abandoned and it fell into complete disrepair.  It is now a three star hotel.  What better place to stop for the night.