AD venture

sorry!

havent posted since I made it.  Home safe and all is fantastically well.  Will get pics up later! Thanks for following!!

View →

camino update 10 (Leon, San Martin, Astorga, Ponferrada…and the doctor!!)

It´s been a couple days.  Heres an update with some pics coming.

First, Leon.  Second to Santiago, I was looking forward to getting to Leon more than any other city.  I had heard about it before, and seen pictures of its Cathedral in part of my research about the Camino.  But words could not express the experience of being a part of the city and standing right next to such a Church.  Just touching ancient building gave me chills.

The Cathedral of Leon is one of the most breautiful Cathedrals I have ever seen, inside and out.  This Cathedral was not turned into a Museum, thanks be to the Lord.  Inside, there was stained glass everywhere.  Bright blues and reds, purples and greens.  Images of Our Lord and Our Lady everywhere, with statues of popes all around.  Large, firm, and strong pillars hold up this Cathedral with the ceilings reaching the bottom of heaven!  It was so awesome to be able to walk in there and spend some time with the Lord.  We didnt stay too too long becasue there was Holy Mass going on when we walked in, and we didnt want to distract anyone by our walking around.  Truly this was the highlight of my time in Leon.  It was truly a blessed experience.

From Leon we moved to San Martin Del Camino.  It was quite a small town with about 2 or 3 albergues to choose from.  We chose the one right outside of the city.  It was nice and comfy, and there were not many other pilgrims that decided to stay there, which is nice when your trying to looking for a QUIET nights rest.  Many of our pilgrim friends from around the world sure do know how to SNORE very well!!!  So, having fre pilgrims in this albergue was quite nice…not only for this reason but also for another…

You see, for breakfast apparantly I had a bad tortilla (which in Spain is an omelete with potatoes and is normally quite delicious with a bit of Ketchup).  The whole walk I was fine.  Right when we arrived to our albergue for the day, my stomach began to get a little rumbly.  Next thing you know, I am in the bathroom for the next 4 hours heaving my brains out.  It was miserable.  Talk about sacrifice.  It was sooo painful.  All the food I had for the day…gone.  All the water…gone.  I was physically completely EMPTY.  Then, more time in the bathroom, even when there was nothing.  (If Alex or Joey read this, they will know exactly what I am talking about.)

But even in these small pains, God moves mountains.  Check this out.  2 beds away from me was a girl who works as a Medic and was doing the Camino with her friend who speaks Spanish and English!!  She talked to me about what was going on with my body, and he translated much of it to me, which was so helpful!  Then, the hospitalero called the doctor to see if he could see me right away and how much it would cost (which is important because I am a pilgrim with not much money!). 

The grace of God abounded!  The doctor saw me for free!  They gave me a shot to stop my getting sick too for nothing!  Then she gave me a perscription to get some meds from the pharmacy for 5 Euro!  Talk about a blessing!  I tell you, God has been doing some crazy stuff for me, always providing for His Son.  I am so thankful!!

I was told not to walk the next day.  BUMMER.

Waited for the bus to take it to the next city, Astorga.  One hour goes by, no bus.  Another hour, no bus.  You know what…FORGET THE BUS!  I went ahead and walked the 26km to Astorga even though I probably shouldnt have.  Although it was quite hard, it was soooooooooo worth it.  I wanted with everything I had to walk the ENTIRE Camino, and so I did.  I had to pray the whole time for strength to make it, and I did!  The only bad thing that happened was that I forgot to put on sunscreen.  Oh well, that is not a big deal!

Astorga.  A surprisingly huge city with another HUGE Cathedral.  I went in alone this time.  I was so ecstatic to find that the city demanded silence in its home Cathedral.  I walked in and heard nothing but the silence singing in the wind.  It was so easy to kneel infront of the gigantic Sanctuary and talk with the Lord.  2 small areas in the back of the Cathedral were my favorite, along with a side altar completely decked in gold and in honor of St. Michael with a huge statue of him in the center.  Awesome!  Those back areas were caged with small doors to go in.  On one side was our Crucified Lord with candles on either side and a couple of old pues to sit on to reflect.  On the other, a aboslutely gourgeous altar with Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception with roses everywhere.  They were fresh and brightly colored, and the whole area smelled of roses.  It was beautiful.  This city was one of my favorites.

Today, I am in Ponferrada.  The albergue here is very nice!!  It it connected to a Church where we will have benediction and a pilgrims blessing tonight at 9:30p.  And I think I will be able to attend Mass at the Bascilica here in the city at 8!  I didnt even know there was a Bascilica here, but I am stoked that there is!! I´ll be sure to get a photo or two to show you.  Other than bad sunburn, everything is great.  I am much better now after my doctor visit, and excited to be in Santiago in only EIGHT more days!!  Wow.  This time flew by.  Praying hard for you guys and gals.

View →

camino update 9

In a town called Religious.  Pretty tight.

Small town.  Yesterday was one of the bigger cities along the route.  It was named Saghun.  I had to get a new watch cause mine was destroyed…dont know how…haha.  There were several awesome things about that city.  First, it was the official halfway town along the Camino route…so, as of yesterday, I was officially half way done my pilgrimage.  Ah!!  Now, check this out…

The albergue we stayed in was an active Benedictine Monastery!! It was beautiful.  There was a small chapel where they sing vespers and laudes and celebrate mass.  Old style wooden choir lofts and pues with no kneelers at all!  Talk about sacrifice!!  the grounds, though small, were beautiful.  Bright greens and blues and well built brick all around.  Small kitchen for us to use and comfy bunks for sleeping.  I met a fellow American from Pensacola!! Talk about close to home!  He just got engaged and is doing the Camino with his fiance´.  I thought that was pretty cool. 

The hospitalero (the person who checks in all the pilgrims and assigns rooms and solves problems) was a really cool guy.  My companions told him that I loved Jesus and he went crazy!  He started talking to me endlessly about Jesus, and I didnt understand a lick of it!! It was awesome!! Then, as I was walking back from the city square from buying my new watch, I ran into him.  He stopped and pointed nearby to a group of Spanish  volunteers who were going to see an old, ancient, and abandoned Church called La Peregrina, which was devoted to Our Lady and was an old Franciscan Monastery.  I was reaaaally tired and tried to communicate that to him, but he was insistent that I go with this group of Spaniards who speak a language I dont understand very well to a place that I did not know (and I certaintly did not know how to get back to the albergue!).  Talk about an experience!!  Of course the Lord loves to throw us into some surprises every now and again..

Although I was a bit uncomfortable, the Lord introduced me to this wonderful woman named Carmen.  She was gentle and sweet, and was a volunteer hospitalero in the next town.  She spoke wonderful English and translated everything that was said to me.  It was such a cool experience.

So stoked to continue on!  I am told some hard stuff is going down back home.  I am praying hard for you guys.  Much love and be at peace.

-Lamar

View →