Day 27 - Authentic Pilgrim Experiences in Casa Jesus : Leon to Villar de Mazarife
We were awake by 5:30 am, refreshed, and ready to head out through the suburbs of Leon by 6 am.
We opted for the alternate route that passes through Oncina and Chozas towards Mazarife. While en route we met up with a friend who said he would be spending tonight in Casa Jesus, and invited us to share a room there. We figured we couldn't walk the Camino and give up an invitation to spend a night in the house of Jesus, so we agreed to him there this evening.
The nature of long distance hiking is such that while you often travel from town to town with loosely the same group of people, you don't necessarily hike with them during the day. Some days it feels like you are playing leapfrog with other hikers - first you stop for a break and they pass you by, then they stop and you pass them, often multiple times over the coarse of a day. Other days it is possible to recognize no one on the trail at all, yet find many familiar faces in the town where you stop for the night. After a while this routine becomes very comfortable, with everyone travelling at their own pace, and everyone's routines determined by the rhythms of the day, the rising and setting of the sun, their body's needs.
Nearby we also located Albergue de Jesus, a residence which can only be described as unique and eclectic. It is difficult to adequately describe Casa Jesus, or convey its essence. It certainly provides a unique experience that differs from what we have found in the private and donativo albergues along the Way so far.
Casa Jesus is a two story building with an open central courtyard, and rooms around the edges which contain 2-4 bunks. Mattresses were laid on the floor in the central courtyard for people to sleep on as well. In front, the property has a large grassy yard with a pool, and a replica of a historic ship. The amenities are very basic, and cleanliness does not seem to be a priority. However, inside and out the space holds a sense of creativity and the alternative.
Sitting in that small, peaceful space I suddenly realized that while the cathedrals of Burgos and Leon are incredible, on a vast and improbable scale, I much prefer the simplicity of these small community chapels. The grandeur of God might be found in the monumental structures of Europe, but the compassion and love of the creator can, I believe, best be seen in these small chapels in these tiny communities.
As so often happens when wandering through small towns, where there is only so much to see, we stumbled across something interesting that we might not have even noticed in larger city. In Mazarife, to our surprise, we came across the Casa Antolin Museo.
At dusk we returned to the albergue to find that many more pilgrims had found their way there, and had separated into groups playing music, swimming, talking, or simply enjoying a drink together. While a very different experience than we had previously had along the Camino, it was a wonderful communal setting, whose rewards were easily found.
It strikes me that tonight we go to sleep surrounded by the collective wisdom of thousands of pilgrims spelled out on the walls. It is there for anyone who is willing to take the time to stop and consider it. Tonight my mind turns not only to their advice, but to the hope that they found what they needed on their pilgrimage as well. Casa Jesus it not the first place I would have wanted to stay when I saw it, yet now I would not have traded the experience for any other day on the Camino.
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