One Year Ago: the Royal Monastery of Samos
(from my journal)
Royal Monastery of Samos
26 April 2013
We Happy Few: Leaving Fonfría (me, Iaian, Fraincine, Bob, Anja)
Francine and I had a shorter walk today to Samos through beautiful Galician misty farmland and woods with Anja.
During second breakfast, who should come ’round the bend but Eamon!
Lunched in Triacastela and the mist finally more or less lifted.
Arrived in Samos with Eamon and Francine and booked into the monastery albergue.
Galicia seems like home – almost a faerie-tale country – and the first view of Samos from the overlooking hill took my breath away.
Toured the monastery with Eamon and Radek.
Beautiful chanted Mass and Vespers later with the monks (or some of them – I’m not actually entirely clear on how many there are) was a moving and uplifting experience, even if I understood barely a word (Latin more than Spanish). My overwhelming feeling as we walked through the great cloister was that I was made for the monastery.
Dinner – caldo Gallega!
Even more photos!