Route: Moratinos – Berecianos del Camino Real
Distance: 21 km (Total: 373 km)

Just as I mentioned yesterday we were not completly sure if we would find a place to sleep in Moratinos except the only open albergue. There was one other place bearing a mysterious name Peaceable Kingdom. When we reached the outskirts of town we went back and forth trying to locate the place. Finally we got some cues from the barking dogs.

After ringing the door bell we peered through the door window and saw three sizeable and angry looking dogs inside. Suddenly a man appeared and asked us if we had a reservation, which we did not. Anyway he took pity on us and let us inside.

The place turned out to be very climatic. It is run by a Bristih-American couple of journalists who have stayed at the place for 10 years. After entering the house we saw they had a guest room, in which they sporadically receive pilgrims. It was very nice. This is what we needed, nothing else.

To my surprise we were invited to have dinner with our hosts. We spent the evening in a very nice atmosphere conversing about different topics. Who would expect the day would end so interestingly? Besides, I do not know if I have ever slept in a house older than this, which is 500 years old.

Using the bathroom at the place I was intrigued by an inscription written on the shower curtain in what looked Korean language. It evoked one immediate association in my head of leaving plenty of water on the bathroom floor by some Korean pilgrims we have come across a few times. When I asked the owners about this they had their own, similar story to share. Thus the inscription. Apparently in Korea many people have a special water gutter in the middle of their bathrooms so they do not care so much for using shower curtain. Such a cultural difference but how polarizing emotions it can stimulate.

Leaving Moratinos this morning and admiring beautiful colors of the fields I thought about crossing the halfway of my pilgrimage today. It came a bit earlier than I expected. Just take a look below.

Crossing El Camino’s halfway. Film

Przekraczając półmetek El Camino. Film

Apart from all of that the day went by peacefully. We did not plan walking a long distance today and we stuck to the plan. Attaching ice to my swollen leg last night helped to alleviate the pain.

Since I finish today my second week, you can find below a bunch of stats for the past seven days again:

– 236 620 steps made, which brings the total above half a million now,
– 277 storeys climbed.

Meditation XIV. Do not look back.

But Jesus told him, „Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God
Lk 9, 62

The above sentence ends a conversation of Jesus with three followers who declare to join him. Despite that they seem to be distracted by some other things, for which they are a bit scolded by Christ.

Admiring the morning colors of the fields I was talking to Henry about the the ways of agriculture in the past. I thought that plowing the field then required a lot of focus to do it well. Today even tractors are GPS controlled.

How difficult it is today to be focused? So many stimuli we let to distract us. So called multitasking is overrated. Besides it is very tiring. Good focus is a foundation for everything, including meditation. Then we have a chance to experience the Peace of God.