Tag: Mary

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Day Two: Mission Concepción

“Named in honor of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception and Juan de Acuña, the beautiful stone church known as Mission Concepción was originally founded in 1716, and transferred to the San Antonio River area in 1731. 

The church is considered by many historians as the oldest unrestored church in the United States.  It is a National Historic Landmark, a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site, and is home to an active Catholic community in San Antonio.” https://www.missionconcepcion.org/our-church

I didn’t get photos inside because there was a guide and a bunch of tourists in the pews. And because I was so tired that I forgot!

Walls and walls of unrestored mission sections.

The Pilgrimage Center is attached to Mission Concepción by a patio. I was so excited to arrive – and so tired! That I forgot to take pictures. But here it is: https://caminosanantonio.org/pilgrimage-center/

Mendy carried my pack in her Nomad trailer both days, but at this point, we had to transfer the pack to Marie’s e-tricycle and Mendy rode back to the hotel, packed up her car, and headed to a park campsite to finish a couple of days of camping and hiking.

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Day Two: Mission San Jose – On the Way

Queen of the Missions

“The largest of the missions was almost fully restored to its original design in the 1930s by the WPA (Works Projects Administration). Spanish missions were not churches, but communities with the church the focus. Mission San José captures a transitional moment in history, frozen in time.” https://www.nps.gov/saan/planyourvisit/sanjose.htm

Again, it was a good little walk from the hotel to the mission. We didn’t mind! The path along the San Antonio river, critters, and flowers. And River Keepers!

Antonio the River Keeper. He retired from the United States Marine Corps. He’s 71 and has been married to the same woman for 45 years. He takes care of the river for vacation money – and to stay out of his wife’s hair!

This fellow strutted around and showed off his red eyeglasses.

Look closely. This fellow is just about finished with his lunch.

Hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of tiny butterflies. Like walking through a Disney animation.

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Day One: Mission San Juan – Exploring

It’s a hop and a skip between Mission Espada and Mission San Juan. “Originally founded in 1716 in eastern Texas, Mission San Juan was transferred in 1731 to its present location. In 1756, the stone church, a friary, and a granary were completed. A larger church was begun, but was abandoned when half complete, the result of population decline.” https://www.nps.gov/saan/planyourvisit/sanjuan.htm

Mendy’s bike and trailer on the left, and there’s Marie, about to explore the inside of the mission.
A school field trip. I listened for a while. The leader did a good job of asking questions at a level that encouraged the students to propose answers.
Could not pass up a photo of blooming prickly pear. Almost makes me homesick! On the way back to the hotel.

Back in the room after a 12-mile day. Good thing I’m not concerned about getting my lipstick on straight.

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El Camino de San Antonio Missions

Tres Peregrinas

Mendy Smith (L) Me and Marie Scott Marks

Marie and I spent our childhoods together. I was ten and she was eight when I moved to the neighborhood. Mendy’s dad & his family lived two doors down from Marie. I am 76.

The walk is through “four eighteenth century Spanish Missions and the oldest functioning Cathedral in Texas. San Antonio is the only place outside Europe that you can officially begin walking the El Camino de Santiago.” El Camino de San Antonio Missions

The Path

Pay attention to the path options. Google likes to take you along high-traffic roadways and not-so-scenic byways. We paused frequently and assessed our options. Opting for neighborhoods and the Riverwalk path added a few miles, but was absolutely worth it.

Lodging

There ain’t none.
If you want to walk from the hotel to the path (and back to a hotel), count on adding another 8-10 miles to the day. Our first day was about 12 miles and the second day, about 15 miles because we walked back/forth to hotels.

Breaks and food

Benches are along the riverwalk. There are no cafes or places to eat, so bring your snacks/lunch/water with you. One detour we took through a neighborhood brought us by a service station and convenience store, but that was a chance happening.

Day One. Start and finish at the hotel. The dark blue is a random auto trip. Light blue is our path.
Day Two. Finished at our hotel on the Riverwalk.
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Humpty Dumpty

Just when I was having an internal dialogue with you about having no blisters, no shin splints, no sprains, no tendinitis, and NO FALLS – I fell. About 3km from my hotel.
Luckily, I fell on my rear. 😉

Here’s what I said to John:

Had my first fall. A very steep descent with tiny, loose gravel, so walked on the granite siding bricks. Worked fine until I hit a slightly muddy slick spot. Fell on my rear. My pack has a folded pullover fleece, folded rain jacket and poncho, so it protected my back and kept the back of my head from hitting full force. I’m fine. I was about 10 feet from the bottom of the hill.

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A surprise welcoming

Lars ( Germany) This fellow was hanging out in front of the Santiago cathedral awaiting my arrival. We took a picture on his phone, but I don’t have it yet. This photo was taken in Leon.
He gifted me a pretty tube for my Compostela, took me to the location and explained the Compostela-getting process. Then he was off to hail a cab and head home. What a special surprise!

Lars in Leon
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Credential (Pilgrim Passport)

Nearly Every establishment on the camino has a stamp (sello). Pilgrims collect dated stamps to not only prove distance walked, but the credential is also required to stay in albergues meant for pilgrims.
Here’s my 2021 credential.

Stamp from Santiago
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Certificate of distance

My certificate states I started in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port and finished in Santiago de Compostela. 779 kilometers

Accreditation of the number of km covered
In addition to the Compostela, the Pilgrim’s Reception Office offers pilgrims the Certificate of Distance, a document issued by the Chapter of the Cathedral of Santiago certifying the number of kilometres they have travelled, whatever the starting point of their pilgrimage. This new document reflects the desire that many pilgrims have expressed for several years to have an official record of more details of their pilgrimage. It indicates the day and the starting point of the pilgrimage, the kilometres covered, as well as the day of arrival and the route of the pilgrimage.

Certificate of distance
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Compostela

The Compostela is the document that certifies that a pilgrim has completed the Camino de Santiago. The Compostela is awarded by the Church authorities …. This accreditation was created in the 9th and 10th centuries when the pilgrimage to the tomb of Saint James the Apostle was given official status…. But these were easy to falsify, and in the 13th century the Church decided to replace them with the cartas probatorias or evidentiary letters, which are the direct predecessor of today’s Compostela.

https://www.elcaminoconcorreos.com/en/blog/what-is-the-compostela-and-how-do-i-get-one
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Stage Thirty-one: Vega de Valcarce to O Cebreiro

The last big climb. Entering the final Spanish region on the Camino Frances.

O’Cebreiro (pronounced oh–thay–bray–air–oh) Marks a final major threshold over the Cantabrian mountains. 3rd highest peak on the Camino.

Galicia – The mountains of Galicia are the first object in 5,000 km that the westerly winds across the Atlantic hit so you can expect an immediate change in weather with frequent rain showers and thunderstorms. (Brierley)

Hi, All.
I walked up that mountain- very slowly. The views were breathtaking, the weather perfect.

Twenty steps off the trail in all my gasping glory.
Mountain View along the way
The trail
Mountains
Crossing into Galicia
Thomas said to keep going, so I sat down.
Didn’t realize I’d arrived until I saw the green lady.