- Time of past OR future Camino
- Frances; Aragones; VdlP; Madrid-Invierno; Levante
I shall be walking on the VdlP for the third time this year, in a very different way from my previous walks. My first walk: from Seville to Santiago in the autumn, was straight through with no days off, little time to rush through the major cities, and no off-route adventures to visit interesting locations. A longing to spend time in Zamora has remained in me ever since. This year, I am going to Spain in the spring, leaving on March 28th and spending the first half of April as a hospitalera in Calzadilla de los Hermanillos before beginning my walk.
My second walk on the VdlP was the last section of my walk on the Levante: once again, only one night in Zamora on my way through to Santiago. As I pondered this year's plans for Zamora, I realized that I can use my walking time this year to fill in what I missed on previous walks. I have no particular urge to start in Seville again, but I really want to spend some time in Merida wandering around to enjoy the many reminders of Roman times which remain there. After I leave Merida, the next day I shall head for the detour to Santa Maria del Trampal, a 7th century church which I did not choose to leave my route to visit on my last time through. A few days later I can walk a new Via Verde, which passes through Hervas, a town which I decided not to go off route to visit when I passed nearby previously. I am moving into a new style of pilgrimage. Yes, I am going to Santiago, but I shall pause, or take a short detour, to enjoy what meets me along the way.
My second walk on the VdlP was the last section of my walk on the Levante: once again, only one night in Zamora on my way through to Santiago. As I pondered this year's plans for Zamora, I realized that I can use my walking time this year to fill in what I missed on previous walks. I have no particular urge to start in Seville again, but I really want to spend some time in Merida wandering around to enjoy the many reminders of Roman times which remain there. After I leave Merida, the next day I shall head for the detour to Santa Maria del Trampal, a 7th century church which I did not choose to leave my route to visit on my last time through. A few days later I can walk a new Via Verde, which passes through Hervas, a town which I decided not to go off route to visit when I passed nearby previously. I am moving into a new style of pilgrimage. Yes, I am going to Santiago, but I shall pause, or take a short detour, to enjoy what meets me along the way.