Camino de Santiago Day Five

Day 5: Puente La Reina to Estella

We woke up this morning and were greeted by poppies in the field in front of our albergue. Poppies join us for most of the Camino along the path, in the fields acting as punctuation to the surprisingly beautiful countryside we are crossing.

Puente La Reina’s puente crosses the Arga River.

We walked through vineyards of Navarra. 

And we walked over Roman roads and bridges.

This morning we re-met a young Korean girl we met the second day. Like many of the pilgrims we started with five days ago, we are on the same pace and run into each other along the way. This time we had a chance to get to know her better. She is on the Camino to find herself by walking the Camino alone. We talked about family and what it’s been like on the Camino. When her phone chimed, her ring tone was a familiar tune. It’s a song from church they play at weddings, she said, If I Speak With The Tongues of Angels. I shared the scripture passage, which she knew. We invited her to say morning prayer with us. It was a sweet beginning to the day. We saw her throughout the rest of the day. It’s so important for all of us to connect with others and share our stories. 

We met a man from London who said there is a magnetic attraction to the Camino, and he took a short flight to Spain to walk two weeks of it.

I love medieval architecture—such craftsmanship and beauty that lasts a thousand years. The bridges and churches are simple and awesome. The San Miguel Hermitage is a great contrast to many of the Camino churches—this is small and humble. We went inside with the Irish brothers and saw prayers written in many different languages on the simple slab altar along with olive branches from outside.

Our day ended at Estella (star in Latin, as in Campostella or star in the field). It’s it’s a great little town along the river with a medieval section where our municipal pilgrims albergue is. Just down the street is San Pedro de la Rúa where we attended mass and the pilgrims blessing. 

Lord, you who called your servant Abraham out of the town of Ur in Chaldea and who watched over him during the wandering, who guided your people through the desert; we also ask you to watch over your present servants, who for the love of your name make a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. 

Be for us

A companion on our journey

The guide of our intersections 

The strengthening during fatigue

The fortress in danger

The resource on our itinerary

The shadow in our heat

The light in our darkness

The consolation during dejection 

And the power of our intention 

so that we under your guidance, safely and unhurt, may reach the end of our journey and strengthen with gratitude and power, secure and filled with happiness may return home. For Jesus Christ, our Lord. 

Amen