Christmas in Sahagún

We've had a quiet, but interesting Christmas here in Sahagún. There was snow until a few day ago and Christmas lights on the Plaza below. We spent Christmas afternoon and evening with our friends Rebekah and Paddy in the neighboring town. Here are a few photos of the Christmas season. Happy holidays everyone.

Julia Eladia Tovar Bango "Paca" (1927-2009)

Today we mourn the death of a woman who has been a central figure in our lives here in Spain. Paca took Elyn into her life twenty-eight years ago, when Elyn was in Spain working on her dissertation. She became Elyn's "Spanish Mom" and Paca referred to Elyn as her American daughter. Until recently, Paca was a vital and active 82-year-old. She walked daily out to the Virgin of the Bridge, a hermitage outside of town that she maintained. There she welcomed pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago. Those who have walked the Camino may remember her.

The photos attached were taken on April 25 of this year at the Romería de San Marcos (a festival at the hermitage.) Paca was in her form, dancing with her daughter Piedad and selling candles to be lit before the Virgin. That is the way she will always remain for us, a bright, friendly, and loving presence for us, her adopted American family.

Paca, RIP

Stone Churches

We've just returned from a day of exploring churches that were carved into solid stone cliffs in the 9th - 13th centuries CE. Amazing! Here are a few photos, but if you want to see the full set go to my FaceBook and look at the album Stone Churches. Enjoy!

A Wonderful Trip

For those who have looked at our photos of the Camino 2009 on my Facebook, we can report that Ferran is offering another trip on May 21 to June 4, 2010. Here is a website you can go to and find further information:

www.zahoriarts.com

We are going again and would like to share this adventure with friends.

Three up and ? to go

I've now put up three of the photo albums of our recent trips on Facebook. I'll try to do one a day for awhile. Meanwhile, enjoy what is already there.

Photo Backlog

I have many hundreds of photos that Elyn has taken over the past months on our various travels (around Spain and Scotland). I'm thinking that I will spend some time in the next day or so and post slide shows of some of these travels on my Facebook. If you are interested you might check in from time to time and, if they don't go up soon, remind me of this pledge. It takes some time to make a good selection, so they won't go up instantly.

Camino Retreat -- Last Installment

I've put all 174 photos up as an album on my Facebook, so there is little need to select a few to be put here. Go to Facebook and look for the album Camino 2009. They are all there.

Now we begin the task of putting together our book: Powerful Places near the Camino de Santiago. Look for it out in the spring. This will be my winter, stay at home project. I look forward to long winter days snug in our apartment here in Sahagún working on books.

Knowing us, I'm sure we will find someplace to go during the winter months. I have said that we are nomads at heart, but that is not quite true. Nomads tend to return to the same places year after year and we tend to be moving on to new territory year after year. Vagabonds might be a better descriptor. Anyway, I'm still having fun in my 72nd year and looking forward to what turns up next.

Camino Retreat -- Fifth Installment

These photos were taken at Torres del Rio, San Millán de la Cogolla, and Santo Domingo de la Calzada. That's David playing his lyre in the second shot. More coming shortly. If you want to see all 174 photos in the slide show go to my Facebook.

Camino Retreat -- Fourth Installment

Here are some views of Eunate and Puente la Reina. The night shot was an experiment in time lapse photography that turned out very well. Enjoy!

Camino Retreat -- Third Installment

Here are the next batch of photos from the Camino Retreat. These come from San Juan de la Peña and the monastery of Leyre.

Camino Retreat -- Second Installment

Here are a few more photos from the Camino Retreat. The lush valley lies at the end of the very steep trail in the Valley of Hecho. (That's me hiking down into the valley.) The churches are in surrounding villages. Enjoy!

Highlights of Our Camino Retreat

Here is a small sample of the photos Elyn took on our recent retreat on the Camino de Santiago. These photos were from the first two days of the trip and include early morning on the beach at Sitges, Montserrat, and a high mountain valley up in the Pyrenees. Enjoy!

Off for Barcelona Again

You may be wondering why we keep going back to Barcelona all the time. Sometimes we wonder too, but these photos from a previous trip will show you part of why: wonderful markets, great architecture, and the best collection of pre-Romanesque art anywhere in the world.

We've also discovered the Arab Baths (a truly wonderful and relaxing experience in hot and cold water, steam, massage, salt water, etc. etc.) and great food everywhere. This last time we discovered the best sushi place we've been to either in the US or elsewhere. So, its back to Barcelona again. And then, a trip all along the Camino de Santiago. What's not to like?

Recent trip to Galicia

Galicia is a beautiful province in northwestern Spain. We were invited to join our friends German and Peggy, who were going to a Neo-Celtic festival to renew their marriage vows. The festival reminded us a lot of Renaissance Fairs that we have attended in the US. There were costumes, and all the stuff that goes with such events.

While we were there we visited San Andrés de Teixido, a beautiful old church on the dramatic Galician coast. Here are a selection of photos for your viewing pleasure.