Pilgrims on the Way

We left Mansilla de las Mulas, crossing a nondescript bridge over the Río Esla. I saw this lone fisherman standing amid the wildflowers on the banks of the river, and it immediately struck me as about a bucolic and romantic image of this part of Spain as you’re likely to see. Date: 19 April 2013Place: between Mansilla de las Mulas […]

We left our albergue in Mansilla de las Mulas at about 8:30 in the morning. This stone cross, or Cruceiro, is near the edge of town. Normally, these mark Medieval boundaries or places of justice. Since this one is pretty clearly within the boundaries of the town, I suspect this was for the latter rather than the former. Today’s goal […]

Here we see three pilgrims – exhausted, sunburnt, but clearly having the time of their lives. From left to right, Heather from Scotland, your humble narrator, and Eamon from New Zealand. Heather and her father were biking the Camino, and Eamon and I ran into them over the course of a handful of days before they zoomed ahead of us. […]

The municipal albergue in Mansilla de las Mulas is memorable both for having a wonderful interior courtyard, as well as an on-duty nurse to tend to ailing pilgrims. My friend Santiago had developed some serious blisters on this day, and the nurse helped drain and dress them. Santiago’s feet proved extremely sensitive to the touch, so here we see the […]

Happy New Year! We’re back. This sign, painted on the side of a building in the Meseta town of Mansilla de las Mulas, is a reminder that the Spanish love their livestock. I’m convinced that almost every town in Spain has their own style of pork, beef, or cheese. If you want some meat, this is the place! Date: 18 […]

For whatever reason, I very much enjoyed our stay in the Meseta town of Mansilla de las Mulas. It isn’t particularly large or festive or beautiful, but so much of it just seemed right, if that makes sense. I wish those of you who follow this blog a very happy New Year of 2022. May you have Camino dreams and […]

I awkwardly collapsed back into the pilgrim monument in Mansilla de las Mulas, and Eamon was kind enough to take my photo. I think there was a bit of a wind, which is why my hand is going to my hat. This photo underscores the reality that the pilgrim statues are larger than life, which seems about right. Date: 18 […]

The town of Mansilla de las Mulas has one of my favourite pieces of public art on the Camino. This statue as you enter the town takes the form of any of the many Crucero monuments on this section of the Way. The pilgrims resting at the foot of the Cross are clearly exhausted and taking a moment to drink […]

We arrived in Mansilla de las Mulas at about 2:30 on a beautiful afternoon, after the briefest bit of highway walking. Despite my power-walking this afternoon, I noted in my journal that I had conversations with a host of folks: Owen from Ireland, Santiago from Columbia, and of course Eamon from New Zealand, who has been my constant companion since […]