I am given an appointment for a follow up visit at the consultario at 6 pm the following evening. This means I will lose two days from my Camino. I treat myself to a hotel room with a bathtub. I take a bath in the morning, a second bath in the afternoon.
My enforced stay in Fromista gives me the opportunity to spend several hours revisiting the wonderful Romanesque church of San Martin. Toni and I visited it in 2013, and the photos below are from that visit.
San Martin is not, actually, a sacred space. Deconsecrated and very thoroughly restored, it is more a museum piece than a church. But what a jewel of architectural history it is! I think it is the most perfect early Romanesque church I have ever seen.
Begun in 1066 and built over about 20 years, it is both a summation of 11th century Romanesque, and an anticipation of things to come. Beginning with an octagonal plan, reflected in its cupola, it is elongated, anticipating the cross shaped plans of late Romanesque and Gothic churches. The twin towers (one showing in photograph above) suggest a German influence, as in the cathedral at Trier.
The capitals and corbels are dramatic and playful in a way which anticipates, for me, the work of Gislebertus at Autun a centuty later. Below, the Adam and Eve.
I hear from Lena that she is one town ahead, in Carrion de los Condes, so I join her there at the end of the day. She has her own tale of woe. She has fallen victim to the dreaded chinchas, the bedbugs that infest albergues along the Camino. I can see the charcteristic groupings of bites in threes. When she confronts the hospitalero, he accuses her of bringing the infestation, and throws her out of the albergue. Too late to enter another albergue, she spends the night outside and alone, terrorized by a drunken man. She is afraid that the bedbugs are infesting her clothing, and will be impossible to get rid of. Her story trumps mine.
I am confident that my facial wounds will heal, but less confident about my bruised heel. We both wonder if we will continue our Caminos.
Next morning, our next steps seem clear. Lena will take the bus ahead to join Marianne, who has already reached Leon. I will resume walking, short stages to start, testing my heel as I go. Left foot, right foot.
My Camino with Toni 
Yes, one step at a time, Chris. You are doing great, I have much admiration. What a church. Thanks. I’m with you, R
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Chris – for those of us who have been quietly following you, the past 48 hours have been stressful. Waiting, hoping to see the next email. Wondering if you are okay, wondering if you will continue. Today’s update evokes more than a sense of relief. It evokes the traditional wedding vow… “for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health…”
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Quietly following your posts — moving and interesting. – H.
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I clearly should have taken architectural history from you!
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Well, 11th century church architecture is a bit of a niche, isn’t it?
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Oh bed bugs!! It will be unlikely that she will carry the bedbugs in her clothing. The back pack is a different story. That is why the advice, in general, is to avoid to put your luggage on a hotel bed, or any strange bed for that matter. That is the way the little bugs get transportation from one place to the other. Adelante mi amigo, no te desesperes. We love you!
Liz & Lito
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Carry on, Chris. I think the spiritual message has meaning. Better not to question the messenger but to use it as fuel forward. You are going to finish.
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Chris, along with many others, Arlene and I have been following your reports almost with bated breath. I’ve only commented once before (briefly, about snoring) because I really don’t know quite know how to write to you whom I know and care about, and others some of whom are also my friends, but I’m sure many more I’ve never met. We are both moved and inspired by what you’re doing, but my interest is more mundane, nitty-gritty–like whether or not you snore. I’m quite concerned about your bruised heel–what is or how does one get a bruised heel? How can it improve while you continue to walk? Your two baths sound wonderful! Are these the first opportunity to get wet all over since you began? If bed bugs are endemic how have you thus far avoided them, or have you? Arlene just looked over my shoulder and edited briefly (I had ankle; she said heel), and says Hi! – Jack (also known as John)
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How can it improve while I continue . . . Good question! The problem is some of these injuries take too long to heal, and some seem to heal even while walking. I walked several days with Marion from the Netherlands, who is a physiotherapist, also with a bruised heel. I asked, how do you know whether you can walk, when you should rest? She said, “I don’t know. . .” Everybody in the albergue limps, some really badly, then walks 30km the next day.
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Thanks for your thoughts on this Chris. As I reflect on your ongoing commentary, like your response here, it seems that you have a great appreciation of paradox–to stop or to go? Yes! I’m confident you’ll find a balance between determination and prudence–just please don’t attempt to continue on your knees.
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Adelante. With care.
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