Route: Carrión de los Condes – Moratinos
Distance: 31 km (Total: 352 km)

After yesterday being full of pain mixed with some pleasure I could not wait to lie down in bed. Doing this at Espirito Santo albergue in Carrion de los Conde with my legs up I noticed quite a swelling on my left leg. This was caused by my unbalanced walk due to the blister on the right foot.

The albergue itself was pretty tidy. However, a relatively large number of pilgrims there posed the risk of another „night concert”.

Among 9 men sleeping there that night about 5 of them were snoring. One of them generated such a level of decibels that Henry and his neighbor, Damian, took their matresses and went sleeping elsewhere, one to a hallway and the other one to a female restroom. There were no female pilgrims that night staying at the albergue.

I think I am going to make a suggestion to the albergue operators to add another instruction to their already full information walls, on the best sleeping position. Be it not on the back cause this is what it may cause …

The weather has been generally quite good for us recenetly with highly fluctuating temperatures.

Morning in Carrion. Film

The morning was pretty chilly. Then, as the march progressed, it got warmer and warmer.

Today’s route was very monotonous and flat, which helps me in my meditation. Endless stretches of meseta reminded me of God’s infinity. After 10 km I made a pitstop to dress my wound again and massage the swollen leg. Thank God today our walk is flat and you can choose to walk on the asphalt sometimes instead of stony trails.

After a three-hour walk it was time to have lunch somewhere. We ended up having it in a restaurant full of men who came to hunt for wild boar in the area. I guess we will need to step up our pace a bit to dodge the flying bullets in the afternoon. Luckliy, I have an orange cover on my backpack. It is too dangerous to carry around the bulls but might be useful in a hunting ground.

After a long walk, as for my current abilities, we reach Moratinos. According to the guide two albergues were supposed to be open there. The question we were asking ourselves was: where is Domingo? Passing the first albergue we see his face through the window and at that very instant we know we do not want to spend the night there. Two snoring nights in a row? Noooo….

Unfortunately the second albergue is closed. The only hope we have is the information on the door about a third option in town. To be continued tomorrow …

Meditation XIII. Temptetion.

And lead us not into temptation

Mt 6,13; Lk 11,4

I got inspiration for my meditation from today’s gospel about the temptation of Christ in the desert.

The first thought that came on the subject was about this a bit weird sounding passage from „Our Father”. After all, it is satan, not God, that leads us into temptation.

It sounds equally strange in Polish as well. In the Spanish version of Lord’s Prayer it makes more sense: do not let us fall into temptation.

It looks like some Bible experts and Pope Francis are pushing to correct this wrong translation in many languages.

Back to the temptation itself, I have a feeling, I experience less of it during this Camino. I am not sure if it is the question of fewer occassions, more frequent prayers, or my companionship? Perhaps a bit of everything.

With temptation is like with eating. The worst thing is to start/engage with it. Then it sucks you like a riptide. So I try to observe those whispers from the bad guy and not engage in a dialogue with them.