The Rev. Dr. John Toles
It is no longer the Camino de Santiago, but it is the way I am going now.
The foot is doing better, although I would not set out on an 18 mile walk. It is going to take a bit more time to get back to that. For now, I am mostly content to rest it, though I feel like I’m “wasting” my sabbatical. We will see what the days ahead bring.
The sun is rising on a new day here in Ireland. Keep you posted.
Today has been a day of travel. I went from Los Arcos to Logroño. My bus was late so I missed my second bus to Madrid. There was another one at 12:45 PM and I got that one. Four hours later I arrived in Madrid. I went and found a new suitcase because I had been carrying my possessions in a bag that I found in the back room of the hotel. I gave away my hiking shoes in Los Arcos because the hikers I had were murder on my foot. The walking I did in my sandals hurt like the dickens at the beginning, but settled in after a bit. I somehow suspect that a little bit later tonight I will regret that walking. I have found some new shoes! Skechers. There were several other brands, but these are recognized. Soft on the bottom, and more importantly, soft on the top.
I have stayed in some very nice places the last several nights. However, the hotel I’m staying at in Madrid is a paradise. I’m sitting down, waiting on my octopus to be delivered for my supper. I’m thinking it’s going to be delicious although you who have issues with my mackrel during the week may not find it so appetizing.
I continue to think about many things. We really don’t change. We are who we are and we fight the battles. It doesn’t matter where you are, your demons will follow you. If you pray that those demons might release you and they remain, does that mean that you are a complete loss and destined for level nine? Or does that mean that Saint Paul heard correctly, “My grace is sufficient for thee.” Do we continue to fight against the demons? I look at the person that I am, and I wonder, is this really who God wants me to be? I can’t imagine the person that I am is satisfying to Him. We desire to be more but… all that remains is who we are…. hold that thought, supper has arrived…
I absolutely complained to the management. It was a terrible supper. The baby octopus was two days too old. Horrible. I ate it so that I would not embarrass the chef. For those of you who know that I eat mackerel out of a can, please know that this was even better, and if I could get it in a can, I would be eating it every day! Just for the record.
I see that I have mentioned this earlier, so I am just rambling now… Before I arrived at my hotel, I purchased a new suitcase and a new pair of sneakers. My foot is very appreciative of the new sneakers. The suitcase actually contains everything after the great purge. I got rid of my backpack and many of the items that I needed for the long walk. However, I was left with a small day pack, and it was bursting at the seams. It made it this far, but I think it had just about met its maker.
When I walked into the luggage store and the shoe store, they both looked at me as though I did not belong. That is something worth preaching on. However, when they realized that I could actually pay… do you remember that scene from Pretty Woman, apparently they did… they helped me out.
I have been rambling all day long. My apologies. Not great writing. However, I’ve been struggling from one place to the next and I’m just about to the place where I can stop. I need a haircut. I need a shower. I need somebody to trim my eyebrows (I can’t be that shaggy English guy!) I need about a 12 hour nap. Who doesn’t? We go too hard. We must learn to find peace and rest…………
I do not believe that we know how to breathe. I think we try so hard to prove to the world and to ourselves… What?… Something.… That we are… Important? Have relevance? Deserve to be heard?…
… Maybe we just want the world to know that we exist or existed? Maybe we are all the good thief who cries out in all desperation, “Remember me.” …… I’m talking to myself now…..
Wait! I forgot about my white crane this morning. She/he was sitting on their nest at the top of the bell tower in Los Arcos. A beautiful bird, and so very peaceful to watch. So high up that she/he did not care that we were down below observing them.
If you do not hear from me in the next six months, start searching for my body in this area of Ireland. I’ll be headed there tomorrow.
Sleep well. know that God loves you.
My scars hurt. 
It only looks like I need to wash my feet, but it is actually a bruise on my right foot brought on by a stress fracture. The swelling was enough this morning that I could barely get my sandal on. I did not try my shoes.
And, yes, I am aware that I have finger toes, and that there is a massive gap where another toe could fit in.
What does this all mean? I am seeking further advice from a podiatrist. I have to be out of this hotel by noon tomorrow so things could happen quickly.
“Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” – Ferris Bueller.
Stick with me my blog reading friends, we have a change of plans. Two to four weeks of little walking or it will be a couple of months in a boot. I choose to rest, and what better place to rest than the Irish countryside. I’ll be there for three to four weeks, then we’ll see what’s next. Heck, I already have an invitation from friends to meet them in Vienna and I’m definitely still planning on Norway. Regardless of the aches and pains, life is very good. Love living it.
Tomorrow is mostly travel: hotel to bus stop (car), Los Arcos to Logroño (bus), Logroño to Madrid (bus… about 4.5 hours), and Uber to hotel. The flight to Dublin leaves Saturday morning.
Dora sent me this one…
I do believe that I will. Can’t wait!
What will it take?
The last five miles of the walk for today comes with a warning on the map: From here to Los Arcos there is hardly any shade. Remember this especially in summertime. No water fountains or any other service available. The high for today is only supposed to be 49 with a 70% chance of rain. As long as the blister doesn’t give me fits, it should be fine.
I don’t think I got one drop of rain today. It was a beautiful day and was able to take my jacket off for a while. The wind kick back up again and it got cool though. I’m now in Los Arcos.
I looked at that pointy little mountain way off in the distance, and thought to myself, “Self, I bet they make you climb it.” Well, we did not have to climb it, but it was close. 
The road was beautiful today.
I’m not sure what the crop is, but there are fields of these yellow flowers. They’re beautiful.
And then I came across these purple trees. They were only in one spot.
My feet need to rest, so I will be taking tomorrow off. I’ve got in around 54 miles in three days so I’m feeling pretty good about that. I actually built in two days off each week and I’m ready. This is a physically challenging experience.
Onacompletely different subject, I’ve been thinking about “want.” Actually, it was focused and intense thinking as I walked this morning. It seems that want is at the heart of so much sin and pain in our own lives. Those who have, want more. Those who don’t, want something. We are always wanting. It definitely ties into, “Thou shall not covet.” When we want something or many things, we lose our peace. We become so focused on IT, that we lose sight of all that we truly have. Those things that are most important. I was trying to figure out how to rid myself of want. It also plays back to that Margaret Atwood quote from a couple of days ago. When there is want/desire, there really is no peace. I’ve used it in a sermon before, and somewhere in a closet, I still have the album—The The (yeah, that’s the band name), True Happiness This Way Lies. Or, maybe, I just need to get out of my head and go visit with some other pilgrims.
16.4 miles/32,581 steps
397.08 miles to Santiago. 
Waking up this morning I find out there’s less to be concerned about. I’ve only been at it for about a week now, but I’m finding myself very much in a routine. I sleep, I have breakfast, I do the final pack on my bag, I walk, I pray, I drink lots of water, I eat when I’m hungry, I find my room, I get things ready for the next day, and I sleep. That really does sum it up. I know that I always compare things to praying the rosary. Once you figure out the mechanics of it… The Lord prayer, the Hail Mary, the Fatima prayer, etc.… once you figure out all those other things, then you are able to actually pray. It might be the same with this walk. I wonder what is next? As our minds begin to pray more deeply with the rosary, what will we learn/pray/discover/etc. as we walk ?
My opportunity to pray the rosary today was amazing. It was in the ruins of a monastery. That was an existence almost 900 years ago. The brothers were there. I could feel their prayers. I had to make myself get up and move. I would still be sitting there otherwise.
Today was really all about the walk. I think my mental self and my physical self are beginning to meet in a particular place. I think that place will allow me to move forward, but it is a challenge. I have walked more than 17 miles today, which is more than anything I’ve ever walked before. The interesting thing is, I walked that many miles yesterday as well. At some point, the body says, I’m tired!
Later…My feet hurt and there were times when I wondered what the hell I have gotten myself into.
There were still flowers along the way. I think I missed this one by a day or two, but it was still pretty.
I have joined the ranks of the blistered, and it is a crowd pleaser. As much as we do to take care of our feet, it was inevitable. All shall be well. Note to self: don’t take any detours.
This one is for my cat. I’m pretty sure The Queen would appreciate it. Len, don’t take it personal.  She really is a bitch. 
While you are here… Go into the restaurant. Sit in the bar. You will not understand anything that is being said, but it is passionate and there is life. Much life—movie life. Old men that are discussing Catch 22 or whether or not Israel should retaliate against Iran. Who is to say? The beer flows and there are smiles and they are happy. What more could a person want?…. With so many men, I think a few wives would be appreciated.
I am still considering my Facebook post from a couple of days ago. I shall renew it here.
OK, I know I put that somewhere!
Today, the best moment or timeframe was when I was praying my rosary at the monastery that had been built around 1000 years ago. There were red poppies, growing all around, and I could imagine each of them being one of those monks that had lived and prayed in that place. I kept trying to figure out where the sanctuary was located. It was hard to discern. However, you really could feel them all around you. They were there. When you prayed, you knew you were praying with them. It felt as though they were thankful to have someone new praying with them. I was glad that they chose me today.
The photo below is the best I could do today. It would have required me to climb multiple steps to get you a better picture. I was not up for it. Hopefully this one will work.
Finally, there is a story about the water near this place.…
Take care not to drink the water here, neither yourself nor your horse, for it is a deadly river! On the way to Santiago we came across two Navarrese sitting by the bank, sharpening the knives they used to flay pilgrims’ horses which had drunk the water and died. We asked them fi the water was fit to drink, and they lyingly
replied that it was, whereupon we gave it to our horses to drink. Two of them dropped dead at once and the Navarrese flayed them there and then.
In other words, leave your pony at home!
I could be rambling tonight. Sorry. It is 9:12 PM and I need to get ready for tomorrow. I pray you are well.
Did I mention the bells? I don’t know. Oh, well.
I’m too tired to read back over this one to see if there are typos. You can point them out and I will try and correct them, otherwise… Life is better with typos.
17.6 miles/35,002 steps.
410.38 miles to Santiago. I think I will break the 400 mile barrier tomorrow. Tell that to my feet and they may come and kick you! 
The LL Bean poster child says, “Buenas noches.“
El Monasterio de Bargota
All that remains of this 12th century monastery are a few cut stones, and I had to walk an extra mile to get to it, but… it was as though I were surrounded by these monks from 900 years ago and we were praying as one. A beautiful place.
And the stained glass windows were lovely
Today’s walk will be the longest so far. Officially 14.7 miles. For the life of me, I can’t figure out why someone would put a mountain in the middle of it, but there it is–about a 1200 foot climb. I thought of the scripture that said that we could say to the mountain be uprooted and planted in the sea; however, knowing that people have been walking this way for over 1000 years I suspect that many have prayed those exact same words before me. Apparently it is God’s will that we climb… and so we climb. Therefore, seeing as how I will be winded by the time I reach the top, I’ll save my breath for a different prayer.
It is not intentional, but we all have a way of grouping up as we walk along. The first picture is looking back towards Pamplona, and the other one is looking forward towards that silly mountain. The silly mountain wasn’t too bad and the reward at the end was absolutely brilliant.
From here we climbed. It’s funny that you will pass and then be passed by the same people all along. Just depending on when you take a break or how much oxygen you need. (I can’t believe that there are people stopping to take smoke breaks! I think that would just about kill me.)
On the way up, I stopped in a small church in Zariquiegui for a few minutes—Iglesia San Andrés— and received a stamp, and was also given an olive leaf.
I only need one stamp a day, so this one will be it.
At the top we reached perhaps one of the most iconic scenes of the Camino de Santiago.
The wind was absolutely screaming up there. I have my hat crammed down on my head just so that it will not end up somewhere in the Mediterranean sea which is several hundred miles away. Looking west, the horizon just kept going.
Regarding the statues, from Jean Mitchell-Leham’s book The Lore of the Camino de Santiago: A Literary Pilgrimage: The sculpture exhibits a small history of pilgrims and the pilgrimage…through various stages of development, from the beginning in the Middle Ages up to the present day, in the form of a procession. Of the twelve pilgrims, the first pilgrim appears to be searching for the route and symbolizes the beginning of interest in the pilgrimage. Next is a group of three that depicts the growth or rise in popularity of the Camino. These three are followed by another group depicted as merchants or tradesmen on horseback that symbolize the medieval era of merchants hawking their wares to the pilgrims. Spaced away from them is a solitary figure that characterizes the decline in pilgrimages due to political, religious, and social unrests from the mid-fourteenth to the mid-twentieth centuries. At the very end of the procession are two modern-day figures depicted to show the renewed interest and rise in popularity of the pilgrimage in the late twentieth century.
After about a total of 15 miles I finally entered town. I’m not sure who the city architects were but this is an interesting place. The more modern portion has wide streets and so on, but the older part of town where I am staying is quite unique. I’m guessing it was designed to assist in the event of an invasion.
More pictures of churches. This is where I stopped. Pray my rosary today. It was stunning. Very peaceful.
I thought I’d treat myself to a nice dinner. Ordered the Argentinian steak—A) these folks need to order some Oklahoma beef OR B) that cow was old when Charlemange was raiding the countryside—I don’t think the Argentinians would have claimed it OR C) chef needs to retake the cooking steak class.
After all that, I am in my room. Oh… My room. It is small quite nice. I’m getting used to sleeping on twin beds again. I haven’t rolled out once. And after walking umpteen miles… Who even notices?
Me lying in that twin bed dictating this post. A little too pooped even to sit up at the moment.
17.3 miles/35,599 steps.
424.04 miles to Santiago.
Pamplona is definitely a city. All day and all night you hear the sounds of horns and sirens and people. I’m looking forward to the day here, but I’m also looking forward to getting back into the country and the quieter places.
This morning’s alarm clock was brought to you by the guy walking down the street yelling at the top of his lungs. That’s OK. It was almost time to get up.
I made a quick coffee and I had a few cookies before heading off for mass. There were not many people out this early. The air was cool. I found the church pretty quick, so I stopped in and had a café con Leche and a pastry. Then I made my way back up to the church.
from the plaque out front: CATEDRAL DE SANTA MARÍA LA REAL — Pamplona Cathedral was built during the 14th and 15th centuries over the remains of a Romanesque church. The neoclassical façade from 1799 is by Ventura Rodríguez and the interior is French Gothic.
It was a full sung, Latin mass. I didn’t understand a word but the bells helped. The sermon lasted about five minutes, and even though I couldn’t understand it, the dean of the cathedral seemed quite passionate.
Located in the center of the cathedral is The Royal Mausoleum with the death statues of Carlos III el Noble and his wife Leonor de Trastamara, Monarchs of Navarre. This sculpture is a unique work of European XVth century sculpture and was carried out between 1413 and 1419 by Jehan Lome de Tournai and his craftsmen.
For those back home in Oklahoma, I found the four Evangelist and identified our favorite.
Coming out of the church, and to the south a bit, you arrive at the Townhall of Pamplona. You can follow this link to read all about the symbolism in the work.
After all that, I was ready for another café con Leche. I found a beautiful little café where I also ordered a baked scallop. I can highly recommend this tasty little treat.
I have less than 3 miles on my feet this morning, but they are already asking to be put back up again, so I headed back to the hotel to find a place to do some laundry. I started to do it myself when the gentleman cleaning the rooms interrupted me and said I could not do that because they were washing the sheets and all of that for the hotel. He said for 5€ he would do it for me and have it to my room by 10 o’clock tonight. I took him up on that offer. I’ll go back out later today, but for now I’m just going to enjoy the quiet.
I made it back out today and just wandered around a bit. I came across a beautiful garden. I had a glass of wine and some tasty little treat that I have no idea what was. If I see something that I’ve never tried before, I’ll give it a day in court. I have not been disappointed yet.
Afterward, I walked until I found a church that was open and stopped to pray my rosary. I timed it so that I would be praying while my church in Oklahoma was celebrating the mass. I think it worked out.
Tomorrow will be my longest walking day yet. Almost 15 miles. I’m going to rest my toes for a bit now and then try and get a good night’s sleep. The weather is supposed to be much cooler tomorrow and probably raining. In my opinion, that makes for good walking weather.
5.2 miles/10,023 steps. I’m not a step closer to Santiago than I was at this time yesterday. The beautiful thing, this is not a race.
Santiago: 438.74 miles to go.
Basílica de la Trinidad de Arte. I actually stopped about an hour before I arrived at my final location. This church was built in the 12th century, although it has been renovated extensively since then. It’s quite small but beautiful. It was also about 20° cooler in there than it was outside.
The picture is not mine, but there is a bridge that crosses the river right there at the church.
Candle in a Cave 