Open Space and Narrow Minds

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It´s a wide open road

(Wide Open Road, The Triffids)

I´m actually in Sahagun not Leon, but don´t worry about that...

So today I passed the half way point of the camino, at least if I finish in Santiago and don´t go all the way to Fisterre on the coast at the end. So I suppose I should reflect a bit on the walking...

The last few days have been across the Meseta - the flat highland plains of Spain. It reminds me a lot of northern Victoria. We could have been near Cobram today if there had been a few orchards around. I find it all rather comforting and easy to rack up some big walking days (no hills!), but a lot of others really struggle with it. I think a lot of it is that they feel a little small in the scheme of things when confronted by all the open space. Yesterday in Carrion de Los Condes I saw about ten people hop on a bus for Leon (where the Meseta ends for the camino). A lot of people seem to have suddenly developed ´tendonitis´ as well. I shouldn´t really put it in quotations, but it really is an epidemic...

I´ve had no revelations of God or insights into the human condition, you´ll probably be pleased to know. Or if I have, they´ve been of the small variety - there are some really NICE people around; being NICE is NICE, that sort of thing...

I did have an intersting conversation with a fellow regarding his religious beliefs recently. No names here, but I was asking about what he saw as the differences between Spanish Catholicism and his own (French) brand. He is a deeply religious lad, and sincere and very NICE generally. He spoke about the impact of the Jewish and Muslim converts on the strain of mysticism in Spanish Catholicism, on the sincerity and piety of the Spanish clergy, which he felt compared favorably with the French church. However he stated when I picked this scab a bit, the French media was relentless in it's negative portrayal of the clergy and this was because THE MEDIA WAS RUN BY THE FREEMASONS AND THE JEWS!!!! Everything had been so reasonable up until this point I was at a bit of a loss I have to say. You scratch the surface of things...

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Photos

Open space an big sky...
Scary if you´re not from Cobram, huh?

Comments

[CatK]

Enjoying your blogs
Thanks for sharing your perspectives! I've enjoyed browsing a few of your entries. I've also been fascinated by the Catholic thing in Spain. It seems there's a lot of talk about Catholicism, but not much real devotion. Only 15% or so attend church every week, but you'd think differently from the ridiculous numbers of churches. They seem to be Catholic in culture, but only religious for the important sacraments in their lives. I hope you're having a great trip!