What sounds like the beginning of a bad joke ended up becoming one of the most memorable aspects of this trip for a few of us. While returning from a day of sightseeing in the city of Leon, we attracted the attention of two friends who had only just recently met: one a lady from Toronto and the other a man from Ireland, both of them pilgrims along the Camino. After explaining why we were taking the journey, they were kind enough to pass along some fun wisdom and advice. For starters, the best way to learn about the Camino is to walk the Camino. In the Irishman’s case, he had originally walked his first leg of the pilgrimage up to Burgos, then headed back to Ireland. He then picked up where he had left off this may and had every intent to complete it this time (having just a two-hour flight makes things a bit easier to divide up). However out of everything they shared with us, possibly the most resonant statement they made is that you make it your Camino. You take it in your own unique way, visit your own sights, set your own pace, meet people where your interaction will only be for a few hours but if you see them later on it’s as if reuniting with a long lost best friend. That’s the closest I’ve come to understanding what they referred to as “The Magic” of the Pilgrimage.
Now as much as we would have liked to, we could not just chat with them the entire day. We later got to visit the Basilica of San Isidoro, as well as its accompanying museum. Within the walls of this Romanesque building lie some of the most interesting and well-preserved artifacts throughout history. Specifically, the Royal Pantheon, which held the tombs of several royal descendants, contained original Romanesque murals depicting scenes from Jesus’ Birth, Death, and Resurrection. On top of that, while it is now sealed, there is also said to be a secret tunnel with which the royal family snuck their way into the church ground and Pantheon. On top of that, there’s also one of the earliest calendars to ever be found inside, with a description of what was done every month. January was a man looking forward and back, December was resting and partying for Christmas, and to quote verbatim, “In May, you go to war”. But as incredible as this all would be to see, it’s even more incredible when one considers the fact that this wonderful art had never been restored, only cleaned. We saw basically the same thing in there that people from the 12thcentury would have seen (although they probably could have seen the entirety of the Nativity scene, as the one we laid eyes upon had been mostly broken up due to the addition of a door…) Speaking of broken up, even more incredible than all of this being original is that not only has it stood the test of time, it stood the test of Napoleon “I turn your Cloister into a stable” Bonaparte.
The Camino has shown us magnificent buildings, delicious food, and delightful people so far. Each stop brings us something new to remember and take with us when we eventually return back to the U.S., and we can’t wait to share with you what happens next!
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