Leon and Beyond

Yesterday I spent the better part of a day in the city of Leon. We arrived on market day and one of the major plazas was full of booths featuring local meat, cheese, fruits , vegetables and other goods. After the quiet of the Meseta it was exciting to be in a big city and wander around like a tourist. The Leon cathederal is a beautiful gothic masterpiece with the most elaborate stained glass windows. The light from the windows is so illuminating even in such a massive space that I was able to use my camera inside without a flash. Later in the day I joined a small group admitted to a renovation platform high inside the cathederal where we were able to see some of the stained glass very close to the ceiling. I have never experienced anything like it - we were up about 20 metres and the effect was awe inspiring. It was such an emotional moment for everyone in the group. We could actually touch the windows - the colours at close range were incredibly bright and then we could look down into the body of the cathederal and see all of the design laid out beneath us.

By contrast to the cathederals in this part of Spain the village churches have been quite simple (usually Romanesque in design) but with ornate altar pieces as their main ornamentation. We have often found them to be like an oasis of cool space after a hot day on the Camino. Sometimes when the albergue is near or attached to a church we are invited to take part in a special mass or service. In the village of Granon the service was on the day before mother´s day and dedicated to the Virgin Mary. The service was led by a woman and included responses by the congregation that most of us didn´t understand. However, the hymns were sung without music or even the aid of hymnals in the sweetest voices by the men and women (mostly elderly) who made up the congregation. Their faith and comfort with their church was quite inspiring -most of us were very touched. In so many of these villages, it is the older residents who keep up the traditions.