We flew into Asturias yesterday late afternoon and were immediately taken with the natural beauty surrounding the airport; the gentle waves crawling onto the beach (Bay of Biscay), the cliffs rising off the sea and the green jagged hills rolling away into the Cantabrian mountains……. reminding us that the Camino Primitivo is challenging. The mountain tops are still gleaming with snow.
Our hotel (Longoria Plaza) is modest and comfortable and directly on The Way. We enjoyed a few beers with our tapas supper followed by a welcome long sleep (by now 36 hours since I had left home) and breakfast.
Oviedo was still awakening slowly when we went out at about nine this morning (nothing opens before 10) and after wandering around the old city we ended up on a bench in the park where the spring flowers happily welcomed the morning sunshine and we reviewed the various documents and info we have on the journey ahead…… we continued this review over a couple cups of espresso in a delightful little cafe.
Mass at the cathedral was at noon and we got there earlier to get our first pilgrim stamp in our Credencial Del Peregrino. The cathedral was founded by the king in 781AD and enlarged by his son Alfonso (that’s his statue we’re standing in front of) who was the first pilgrim to walk the Camino to the tomb of St James. The present building dates back to the 12th century with significant additions made over the following 4 centuries.
Wandering into the cathedral we climbed a short flight of stairs into the Holy Chamber (about which I knew zilch). Confronted by a display of an ancient piece of stained fabric titled ‘Holy Shroud’ and an explanation that “This is the cloth that covered the face of Jesus after his death on the Cross and which appeared in The Empty Tomb” …. I burst into tears at the very thought of it. I found comfort only after Mass.
We walked the first km or so of the route we’ll take out of the city tomorrow and after a light lunch retired for the afternoon. I’ll bless the shells (insignia of pilgrims) we’ve bought in the Basilica of St John this evening.
The pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela has begun.
Recent Comments