the towns

The Camino de Santiago goes through cities--Pamplona, Burgos, Leon, Astorga, and more. But those are rare events. On a daily basis, we walk through smaller towns. Some of these, especially in the meseta, look lively from a distance, picturesque. When we arrive, they are shuttered, closed. Some of them only have a bar for pilgrims to stop and have a coffee. Spanish pilgrims tell me that people have moved to the city because there is no work. Still, I treasure the opportunity to spend time in these little places. I would never visit them if I were touring Spain. There´s nothing there. Some afternoons we just spend with a crop of other pilgrims, watching the sun move through the sky. The towns offer no museums or attractions. Sometimes even the churches are locked. There is something enchanting, though, about being a part of the community for just one day.