Day 16 - Carrion de Los Condes to Terradillos de Templarios

Greetings from Terradillos de Templarios and at 390Km, I’m reckoned to be exactly halfway. This place is only a small village but is interesting because as the name suggests, it was a fiefdom of the Knights Templar, a military order founded in 118 in Jerusalem, whose purpose was to protect pilgrims traveling the Camino de Santiago.

As people have been walking the Camino for a thousand years, give or take; one’s mind wanders to what inspired those early pilgrims to make this journey all those years ago. Unlike today with all the bars and hostels along the way, the path must have been gruelling and hostile to say the least. They must have had absolute faith that a visit to the shrine of the Apostle James would literally provide the answer to their prayers.

Today whilst some still tread the path for reasons of faith, others are simply here for the challenge. There are those who think that taking time out from their lives will provide the space to wrestle with important questions and then there are those who seem a little desperate, groping for something, anything that will change the course of their lives. It is of course fascinating to talk to your fellow travellers, what ever their motivation and perhaps provide a little help where you can.

Still on the Meseta, so a winding path through a vast landscape with very few towns and villages along the way. More of the same tomorrow and if I can keep myself to myself, a book on the rise of China will provide the thought-provoking entertainment!

 


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