Day 19- Well I’ve been Out Walking…

I don’t do that much talking these days.

My journey took a marked turn today and I felt it with every fiber of my being. Two miles into today’s walk I left the Camino Norte and started the Camino Primitivo. As you will see below, only a simple chapel marked this important intersection of two Caminos. I sat alone in the chapel for I don’t know how long praying and just letting its beautiful simplicity wash over me. It was glorious. I knew I was heading into a new and different phase. I left the chapel with a new sense of awe. I started a fairly long climb and the human footprint on the land began to fade away to one of subsistence. I felt God’s presence in a way I did not on the Norte- my problem or doing not his. El Norte teemed with locals going about their business in modern towns with all the trappings. I kind of felt I was on Spain’s version of the South Shore. I don’t mean that in a negative way, heck I live in and grew up on the South Shore. It’s more of a reflection on me and my inability to feed my soul and spirit in all types of environments. No doubt I will be staying in towns of various size and development but I sense my walks will be more spiritual. As I reached the top of today’s big climb beautiful vistas surrounded me. Tomorrow I have a short walk into the town of Oviedo, where the very first Camino started over a thousand years ago.

Last night’s lodging. Restored but maintaining much of the original character

Where the two Caminos split. The chapel inside and out

Primitivo indeed!

Totally different vibe

This guy stopped me on my way to ask where I was from, where my pilgrimage started and was I going all the way to Santiago. He lives here but he proudly told me of his own Camino walks- Frances, Norte, Primitivo and Portugal. He was impressed I had done the VLDP. We talked for some time- all in Spanish. These little encounters feed my soul.

The third of 3 houses of worship I was blessed to encounter.