Camino, Day 13: a singing day

We did a little over 23 km today. My feet and knees feel shattered. I am literally hobbling aroud in flip flops.

We started out of Santo Domingo this morning with a 6.7 km walk to the next town. Cool and perfect for walking. I got a smooth and steady  pace going and enjoyed the walk. Once my feet settled into the boots, it was just a matter of when to stop to take a photo. Fields of grain all the way with a welcoming church steeple every now and then.

When I got to the next village, Carey was filling her water bottle at the fuente. We chatted and walked into the village. The church door was open, and we stepped inside. A couple who are pilgrims were sitting in the front pew in silence. We had talked about singing "Amazing Grace" but didn't want to disturb that couple.

I said, "Should we?" She said, "maybe softly." Well, Susie, you were with me there, just like in Italy. And you know, I had to do the Negro spiritual version and Carey singing harmony. It was special, and the couple later thanked us.

Monica caught up, and in limped Diane, from Ireland, and Uli, from Germany. We stopped at each village and walked the distances between. And we sang. Hymns, West Side Story, Jolene by Dolley Parton, The Streets of Baltimore, The Eagles, but the highlight for me was singing songs from Jesus Christ Superstar.

Here we are on the Camino pilgrimage route, Monica and Carey saying they love that show. I look up and see this ridge and think of Carl Anderson in the start of the movie, playing Judas, and I start to sing, "My mind is clearer now, at last all to well I can see where we all soon will be. And they join in, "if you strip away, the myth from the man, you will see where we all soon wll be ". . . We continue to build in lyrics and volume until we, well me for sure, looking at that ridge and feeling in the moment at the top of my lungs sings out, "JESUUUUUUS! you've started to believe the things they say of you, you've started to believe this talk of God is true. . . "

It was a moment of power and energy and got us through so many kilometers without feeling the feet at every step! Monica knows every word to the entire rock opera, and though we didn't sing the whole thing, we sang several.

Next to last town, we lost Diane. She was just too tired to go on. We wanted a bathroom and a lady took us into her house, let us use the facilitues, watered us, gave us fresh cherries, and talked our ears off in Spanush, and between us all, we could understand quite a bit of what she said.

Such a great day. The end of our road came in the form of an all servives hostel for €5. Swimming pool. Carey n Monica went in the cold water. My feet went it.

We walked out of Rioja today and into Castillo. Uli and Diane checking out there feet. A 12th century font. And the church where Carey and I sang.