Thursday 23 June 2011

A quick note from Toro


Dear Friends

Day 38 of the trip, 33 days walking - 770 kms from Valencia 

I´m writing to you from Toro just round the corner from the magnificent church (above) of the Colegiata of Santa Maria la Mayor consecrated in 1174. I´m sorry I haven´t written sooner but since Toledo I have been totally in the grip of this pilgrimage. I can´t think about anything else. Every day along the way I think of stories to tell you but they disappear as fast as they come as we walk on through magnificent countryside. Some of the walking has been tough - going over the mountains, rising up to the hilltop town of Cerebros where hang gliders jumped off the cliffs and passing the halfway mark of this trip a few days ago at some 1300 metres above sea level. It has been hot. Most days by the afternoon the temperature is in the mid 30´s. As you know that can be hell to walk in.
We were really lucky to be joined by our friend Rebekah who has written about her days with us. It was a joy to share some miles walking with her as we passed through little towns and villages - getting lost and getting found again! Rebekah and her husband Paddy provide a hugely valuable ministry to pilgrims in their home on the Camino Frances and I count myself lucky to be their friend.
Since I last wrote we walked from Toledo to the wonderful walled city of Avila where we leanrend more of the lives and works of St Teresa and St John of the Cross. We then came forward passing through Medina del Campo then on to Toro where we are going meet another friend from London who comes from this very town. We walked 34 kilometers to get here and the final climb in the searing afternoon heat was difficult. However this view from my bedroom window made it all worth it.
Along the way I´ve tried twice to write to you with pictures of the journey and twice my efforts have crashed with the antiquated computers in cyber cafe. I´m not going to try again until I get to Santiago. Tomorrow we will be in Zamora and then we will follow the Via de la Plata home.

I´ll tell you all my stories then!

Keep well.

John

6 comments:

  1. Wow, what a wonderful Adventure! Thank you for the photos!
    I loved Avila when we visited it years ago. I hope to walk into Zamora in a few months.
    Buen Camino!

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  2. Darn you! I just got home, late last night, and you've got me itching to leave again! Thanks again for all your fabulous posts, and will be thinking of you each day and each step. Buen Camino, Karin

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  3. John enjoy your camino, That looks like a view from Juan 11 in Toro,or somewhere nearby we stayed there in March and it was wonderful. Look foward to reading your full report. Liz

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  4. The pleasure was all mine, Johnnie.

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  5. Thinking of you both and loving the images of the camino that you are bringing to life for me here in south london.
    Looking forward to your next updates from your final destination.
    Buen Camino, Sharon

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  6. I hope it is okay. I linked your blog to mine as I think your blog is really beautiful. I am not a pilgrim but did just return from a visit to Santiago de Compostela. I am a newbie writing a blog so I am not quite sure how to send you the info about my blog .... here goes ...
    http://gargoylesandgraffiti.blogspot.com/2011/07/santiago-de-compostela-way-of-st-james.html

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