Nagera to Santo Domingo

Day 9

Today was such a lovely walk. Just over 20k, so a relatively light day. The weather in the morning was overcast and it sprinkled off and on. The afternoon was gorgeous.

The path led us through wheat, barley, and vineyards. And always wild flowers.

Some days are for silence and birdsong, some for music to set the pace, some for conversation. Today seemed like a day to be two steps out of earshot of three wee Italian ladies who talked nonstop. Sometimes two at a time – often all three at once. It was simply dizzying – and was motivation enough to keep up a good pace.

Cirueña, the town just before Santo Domingo, looked promising for social activity at the outset as it started with a driving range and golf course. I thought certainly that would have great options for coffee and a gathering of pilgrims. There were hundreds of apartments / town homes. But, the place was startlingly soulless. Half the places were for sale and those that weren’t were shuttered. No signs of life. No community center. No church. No cafes. It looked like it might have been tightly managed / killed by association guidelines.

Was very glad to arrive in Santo Domingo. The sign upon entry to this town said “900 years of history”.

Makes my hometown pale by comparison. I was delighted to find the Cistercian hostel – right next to the monastery. The part that holds the hostel appears to have been formerly a stable. The common kitchen area holds an inviting wood burning fireplace. And the walled courtyard is a wonderful place to gather while we wait for our laundry to dry.