Today was a relatively short day for us – a gradual uphill all day, but only 24 kilometers or 15 miles. The weather continues to be perfect – sunny, temperatures in the high 60s, and a cool breeze at our backs pushing us along through postcard-worthy fields and vineyards.  So it was a relatively easy day…and we both kind of needed it.  After 8 days of walking, we are getting used to the physical grind, but we are both fighting some nagging inflammation.  I have some soreness in my left ankle/shin…and Sarah, although not suffering any muscle soreness, was bit by some type of insect near her left eye, which has caused some swelling…and a violent allergic reaction to my photo-taking.  We arrived to Santa Domingo de la Calzada (Saint Dominic of the Causeway) by 2pm, so we have been able to rest our weary muscles.   Probably only a coincidence…but we learned that besides being the patron saint of bridge builders, Saint Dominic de la Calzada is also the patron saint of senior citizens.

The city of Santo Domingo de la Calzada is over 1000 years old and was established for the express purpose of supporting travelers on the ancient pilgrimage.  We are lucky to be staying tonight at a unique hotel that was once the Monastery of San Francisco (feature photo at the top of this post shows the entrance).  The place really has a timeless atmosphere about it.

We spent some extra time visiting the Cathedral here today.  Just an amazing structure and a testament to the people who devoted their lives to creating a beautiful place to worship.  Our daily routine includes a stop by the main church/cathedral/basilica in every village we pass through.  We are usually in 2-3 churches per day and we take a moment for prayer and an expression of gratefulness.  We always leave a bit overwhelmed by the beauty of these old Spanish churches and with a more joyful spirit.  The elderly pensioners who act as guides at these churches are extremely kind and we appreciate their help as we try to understand the uniqueness of each place.  We have been asked by several friends and family members to take some prayers with us on this trip and we are doing our best every visit to offer them up, along with our prayers for our family and friends.

Have a great and grateful weekend.

***One final sports observation/comment from today…

We passed by a golf course for the first time this morning. It was the Rioja Alta Golf Club (that I later discovered is ranked in the Top 100 Courses in Spain). Got me to thinking about the great golfers from Spain. Here are my “5 Favorite Spanish Golfers” in descending order. #5 Jon Rahm – future major winner , #4 Sergio Garcia – wouldn’t have made the list 2 years ago but found some humility and won the Masters in ‘17, #3 Jose Maria Olazabal – 2 time Masters winner who made a remarkable comeback mid-career from a debilitating illness, #2 (the late, great) Seve Ballesteros…the Master of the short game. And My Favorite Spanish Golfer is…Miguel Angel Jimenez. Although not a major winner, he has won multiple PGA and European tournaments and his combination of personality, ponytail and cigar make him, in my estimation, the “coolest guy in golf”. See this great clip of his warm-up routine. I will be using this every morning to help with my ankle/shin issue.