St Trinidad Arre

What a beautiful monastery. Built over 800 years ago, and a place which has hosted pilgrims since, it has such a peace and tranquility about it, we could do nothing but feel welcome and rested.

A true picture book photo huh?

This is the courtyard - we stayed in the barn just beyond

 

The bassilica is tiny, but very beautiful. Richly decorated, it has a tranquil peace about it, perfect to reflect on your day.

 

Pamplona Cathedral ( Saint Maria)

A beautiful gothic cathedral, this building is made up from many earler structures, the earliest from the 9 th century.

Its importance lays in the fact that the Mediaeval kings of Navarre were crowned here and some of them were also buried in crypts below the Cathedral.

Although not huge - its grandeur lays in the half dozen richly decorated chapels - all donated by leading families through the ages. These chapels are dripping in gold plate and simply spectacular.

This is the highly carved stone staircase to the dome.

This is in the chapel of Navaras (?) and contains - so it says- the chains which shackled one of the kings who was freed in 1212 after the Christains defeated the Muslim invaders.

This is one of the hallways of the cloister.

Blessings Be, gratitude and lessons

We have so much to be grateful for and every day we meet more people who remind me of these blessings.

I think one of my big lessons is to accept help. Life has recently placed me in such extreme situations to force me to stop being so independant and become at times, completely helpless. When Age was alive I had thought I had to be the strong one, the glue that keeps our family together and that if I were strong enough I could carry all of us no matter the challange. I've never been one to ask or accept help. Though I have theoretically known this to be untrue, I guess I needed to be put through enough pain and suffering, to stretch and near break me, in order for me to put accepting help into my heart.

The camino provides.. Just as life provides.. And I know the right people will vome along at the right time, have the conversations we need at the right time.

So, huge blessings and thanks to Annie H, an incredible retired teacher from the UK who is walking parts of the pilgrimage on her own - incredibly brave step for her ( i know I wouldnt like to do it myself one)

She has been so sweet everytime we meet ip with her, the kids call her Grannie Annie..

Big love to Tittiana and her gorgrous hubby from Italy, who cooked us a wonderful pasta meal- one the kids still ask about- they call them nonna and pappa - such a sweet loving couple, married for over 34 years and still so on love.

Blessings to that taxi driver who stopped to help us when we were completely overwhelmed and exhausted.

So much love to Bill and Joan from Carolina - who just took care of us in Trinidad.. Bill was my washing fairy and Joan - so sweet, looked after Lillys blisters.

Much love to the crazy Irish trio whom we have met up with a few times over the last four days.( thanks for the hostel tip in Pamplona- love this place!!)

And love and blessings to all the others we have met so far..50 more days of walking for us.. So many more people to meet and touch..