September 16 — Santo Domingo to Belorado
What a day. I left Santo Domingo this morning and headed toward Belorado, a 14.5-mile walk that seemed to have a little bit of everything. The morning started with a light drizzle, which meant pulling out my rain gear for the first time. The irony is that I have two ponchos, and somehow managed to leave both of them in the bag being transported to my next hotel. Thankfully, I had my raincoat, rain pants and pack cover. I just kept laughing at myself.
Later in the afternoon, the rain came down pretty hard for about an hour. I was definitely the only pilgrim who didn't have one of those really cool Camino ponchos that covers your head and backpack while leaving your arms free for your poles. Apparently, I missed that memo and another Camino lesson learned.
The landscape changed again today. I walked past enormous fields of sunflowers, all brown now with their heads hanging toward the ground. I can only imagine what these fields look like in full bloom, buf oddly found something pretty about seeing them at the end of their season, maybe it was the abundance of them as far as the eye could see.
At one point, I walked alongside a highway completely under construction. No cars, just an unfinished road stretching ahead of me. It made me think about all the roads we take in life before we know exactly where they're leading.
Today I officially crossed from La Rioja into Castilla y León and passed through five small villages along the way. I stopped in several churches, each completely different from the last. At Iglesia de San Juan, I saw a main altar surrounded by six substantial side altars, something I hadn't seen before.
I also walked a mile for Art for strength, healing and the reminder that people are walking beside him.
After arriving in Belorado, I went to the pilgrim Mass. It was in Spanish but after mass the priest did a beautiful pilgrim blessing in the chapel . Standing there with people from all over the world reminded me again that everyone is walking this road for a different reason. Some are carrying grief, some are searching for something, and some are carrying the names and intentions of people they love. I'm realizing these miles aren't really mine alone anymore.
And then came the surprise of the day. I'm sleeping in an igloo. Yes, an igloo. Apparently, I have officially become a glamping pilgrim. There's a heated pool area and three roosters outside of my igloo. So here I am, sitting in my igloo after 14.5 miles, thinking about this bizarre and wonderful day.
My Igloo Room
Rain. Sunflowers. Five villages. Churches. An unfinished road. A mile for Art. A pilgrim blessing. And an igloo.
You really couldn't make this stuff up, it’s aweosme !!
Buen Camino.