Rabanal Cross of Iron-Ponferrada
33 km
At the top of the mountains of El Bierzo, is the Cruz de Ferro, the famous cross at whose foot the pilgrims leave stones from their countries.
For 20 days, six stones I carry in my backpack to put them at the foot of this croix.Ces pebbles from the Gaspé, Felix, my son has picked up on the beach at Carleton. My father, Victor has etched on every stone on our behalf. There is the stone of Suzie, my girlfriend, that of Camille, my daughter, that of Felix, my son, that of Victor, father of Pierrette that, my mother and myself. We symbolically associated with a prayer, a wish or a vow to the stone on which is engraved on our behalf.
Some say it is not reasonable to carry the extra weight. These stones are of no use: they do not dress me, they do not feed me and they did not inform me. That's true. But they are also motivates me. They touch my heart, because they represent the prayers of the people I love, and my heart that moves my feet to reach the summit of this mountain.
Motivation that gives me these rocks is more important than the effort it cost me to transport them. The heart wins over reason. The invisible on the tangible gains. It is often true in life.
to 1490 meters at the foot of the Cruz de Ferro, I lay the stones. A pilgrim I photograph at the top of the hill of rock.
I go down the other side of the mountain and admire the scenery.
Hostel Ponferrada was completely renovated thanks to a donation from a Swiss millionaire. It must have cost him much money, because this hostel is a three star hotel. When I arrive, the tenants give me juice and candy, then a volunteer in his sixties took my backpack to carry it in my room which is on the second floor. It's not a bad service ...
0 comments:
Post a Comment