Madrid - An unexpected welcome
Our journey to Washington Dulles Airport was uneventful in moderate traffic and good weather conditions. Only a short delay in the departure of United 163 and a good flight to Madrid Barajas. Just over six hours flying time. Not long enough for a more than rest but excitement prevented sleep anyway. A very joyful surprise awaited us at Barajas in the form of my dear friend Oscar who met us and drove us to estacion de Chamartin. A gift indeed. And an opportunity for a relaxing coffee before our high speed train to Oviedo later this morning. It is a beautiful morning in Madrid. Sunny, clear blue sky, 60 degrees F (it will be warm later), low humidity. And now with a cafe con leche at the Autogrill Iberia our vacation has begun. It feels good to be in Spain again. I began to re read Paulo Coehlo’s wonderful account The Pilgrimage on the flight which will provide the backdrop and literary interpretation of the Camino Way.
Spanish high speed trains are excellent. Leaving Madrid behind we occupy the first seats of the first carriage of this quiet and comfortable “Alvia” to Oviedo. Effortless speed. Silver steel rails cut through parched summer landscapes. Jet black steers scattered, grazing land divided by ancient crumbling dry stone walls. 250km/hr now. Cereal harvest in progress, creating clouds of dust. Many fields already cultivated in preparation for the next production cycle. Others golden, ready for the combine. From a distance and at speed life appears to be in limbo - quiet and inactive. Areas of viticulture now and then and green circles where scarce water is applied through centre pivot irrigation. Shimmering heat rising from the midday plain. In the distance truncated hills leveled by unimaginable force eons ago. San Tiago, Saint James. Saint Jacques, S. Giacomo are one and the same. Campostela means field of stars and refers to a brilliant star that was reportedly seen by a shepherd. The burial place of St James, the cathedral of Santiago de Campostela, is one of three places early Christians were expected to visit during their lives. The other two being Jerusalem and the burial place of St Peter in Rome. Towards the end of our journey to Oviedo the plain gives way to more rugged and impressive countryside. Living streams of fast running water and narrow old stone bridges. Some blue sky but more clouds and green vegetation has replaced brown. Rough hay bales are scattered in the fields replacing wheat and barley straw. Our train has slowed to 75 km/hr, the combined effect of an incline and twisting railway line hugging narrow contour lines as closely as possible. We will soon be walking a well trodden path over these mountains following in the footsteps of millions of pilgrims over for almost 2000 years.