Day 11 – Santo Domingo de la Calzada to Belorado

Today’s walk has taken me into the large Castillo Y Leon region of northern Spain. The vineyards of Rioja have given way to grains and other produce that are grown in this region. When I reached my destination of Belorado, I visited one of the churches and found that the region’s produce was on display in the form of an offering up near the alter.

Belorado is a relatively small town but still has 2 substantial churches. The Church of Santa Maria has a massive pediment that forms the front the top of which has been taken over by a family of storks. The church backs up to a steep cliff with a number of caves where hermits once lived. You can see from one of my pictures, that some enterprising individual has build a modern home in one of these caves.

When I went in to the Church of Santa Maria this afternoon to say a prayer, I was surprised to find a young man alone in the church before the alter singing a sweet song that I did not recognize. I stayed in back until he was finished, but felt that I had intruded on his intimate moment of worship.

Heading to the very small village of San Juan de Ortega on Sunday.