Speaking with the ancient ones

I´ve finally got the chance here to tell you alittle bit about an incredible couple of places I´ve visited.

San Anton.  The words will always have a very special ring for me.  Nearly magical.  There was an order that at one time, took care of pilgrims and those suffering from St. Vitus, which is a result of wheat with a certain fungus.  They were once a huge order with an amazing location along the pilgrimage route.  The road today actually passes thru the ancient arch.  The rest of the place has gone to complete rack and ruin.

A few years back, someone began to make an Alburge there. It has no electricity. Only cold water.  There are only 12 beds.  It is wonderful.  The hospitelero, Alicia, plays incredible guitar, has a wonderful voice and took the most amazing care of us.  We felt so blessed to be there. 

After a huge thunderstorm blew thru and also blew a frozen pilgrim to our door, the sky cleared.  We shared a wonderful dinner, more music (Alicia writes her own too!)  We had a brief prayer service of sorts.  There were prayers and wishes from the pilgrims the previous evening.  We each had the opportunity to take one of the written prayer requests with us to Santiago. So I now carry with me as a special mission, a prayer from a pilgrim I don´t know, who was only one day ahead of me, and may even be near me tonight.  I feel especially privileged.  Someone else is now carrying my prayer forward.

During the night I had the, I hesitate here to use this term, opportunity to go take a pee.  I say opportunity, because to walk out the doors to go down  the hall, all outside mind you, meant I got to look up.  I saw the stars so clearly.  And the ancient walls of a church nearly gone.  It was cool, not too cold, so I stood a while longer than needed, just thinking of all the other pilgrims, who´ve stayed in the lovely place being loved, cared for, fed and sent forward with a prayer.  One of the most moving nights ever.

San Bol.  Just past Castjeriz, is a tiny Alburgue called San Bol.  There is a spring in this location that is reputed to have a special healing effect on the feet of pilgrims who immerse their feet.  Rosalie and I decided to take that .5km walk off the main path just to have another look see.

The hospitelero must have heard us coming, as it´s that quiet in this lovely grove.  She meet us at the door and offered us bread, butter, quince jam and herbal tea.  There was a sign saying this was a special refuge and too please respect the silence.  Easy to do as the breeze, the birds just captivated us.  As did the spring.  We took enough time to soak our feet, and doubter that I am, I was amazed that every one of my old blisters were dried up by evening.  I truly wasn´t expecting anything, just happy to have been able to visit and enjoy the silence.  Left the place wondering how many other feet had bathed in that water, enjoyed that silence and come away ready to do the road.