Molinaseca

Thursday, June 19
We continued climbing up through the mountains, on some of the most lovely stretches of trail, as the vistas and views of the valleys all around opened up. It reminded us off Texas, or the southwest, no desert but low scrubby bushes and beautiful wildflowers.
The climb led us up to the highest point on the Camino, so I guess even higher than the Pyrenees pass, where long ago a monk placed an iron cross in a pile of stones. It became a tradition for pilgrims to add a stone from home to that pile, symbolizing having left behind your worries and burdens, so as to approach Santiago unburdened and full of joy. So Fr Paul and I both brought stones from home. I picked up a nice rock from the creek behind mom and dad's, and Paul from his garden, and we added them to the pile of stones, as have millions of pilgrims before us. (Cathy did you come this way?)
Then there was the beautiful mountain paths, and then the rather steep descent, which is harder in many ways then the climb up. But we made it fine. Except that my feet are still now developing blisters. I treated them and padded them with everything I had, and they felt fine for an hour or so, and then the treatment (bandages and moleskin and all) itself began to move and be the problem. The more I walked, the more tender they became, not exactly blisters, but hot spots about to become blisters. I need to rest them for a couple of days, but we don't have any rest days, there are only 10 days left of walking to get to Santiago. So I'll have to walk gingerly and limp into Santiago. I don't know what else to do. Indeed a perfect parable of life - sometimes we just have to limp along.
I pray your paths are smooth and your feet pain free. God bless.