Yesterday I  left El Jardin feeling relatively strong and my foot fairly stable.  So, I started walking from the village of Murazabal.  [Here is a beautiful olive tree on the property. -this will need to be modified when I can get the email on this device to work. ]

By the next village it had begun raining, so the pack came off to get the poncho. No open bar, so no cafe con leche.   On the way out of town, the arrows and street markers had ceased.  And there was a crossroad with one option going a lengthy alternate route.  No one was around and for at least 15 minutes I was unable to decide what to do.  I paced, afraid to make the wrong choice, as my foot was beginning to hurt badly.

Finally, a barefoot pilgrim came sauntering down the path.  He had no doubt which way to go,  so I followed, surprised at my needing someone,  anyone, to confirm I knew what I was doing!

Dragged into Puente la Reyna and stopped for a cafe.  It had just stopped raining and I figured out the plan for the day:  find a bank to restock on euros, a post office to mail about 1.5 pounds of stuff I didn’t want to keep carrying, and find a bus to the magic house in Villatuerta.  Done, done and done!

I did some sightseeing,  as the bus didn’t arrive until 2:00.  [Pics to be included later]

Lovely and lively little town with a great butcher and fish market.

The buses here between towns are wonderful and inexpensive.   Whizzed through 3 villages to arrive at Villatuerta mid-afternoon.   Found La Casa Magica, checked in and arranged for a massage.

Heaven!  Turns out my foot issue is a whole leg issue – tendinitis all the way up and in both legs.  Very pleased to realize there is no stress fracture.  Was ordered to stay a second day and get a second massage.

There is little to do in Villatuerta, but it was still a lovely day of rest.  It was Saturday and there were a number of young families gathering by the local bar and fronton court.  This is a charming town.  Would like to understand the economics of northern Spain.   This village seems to be relatively affluent and is growing much larger.  I think it might be becoming a bedroom communityof Estella.

The massages were eye-opening to me. My whole  body is wound up tighter than a tick.  One Camino lesson is that I need to ditch all this tension in order to open up.  I’ve been protecting my heart for a long time.  If I can stop turning my own body into some sort of armor, I think my life will blossom more.  Which will be good for my final third.

I’ve never had a massage like that from Miquel.  Not only is he extremely skilled at what he does, but he works from a place of love and healing.  I realize this sounds rather new-age-y, but the Camino is revealing people with servant’s hearts.  This is something that some cooks talk about – cooking with love.   It really is the ingredient  that makes life better.

Hoping for the healing, strength and energy to get back on the Camino tomorrow.