Love at Spain's Iron Cross

21 - Fountain of Wine

21

Fountain of Wine

Friday, June 4

A few miles past Pamplona, the five women reached a hill with a famous Camino sculpture. Makena, Delta, Bayou, Ximena, and Arrosa gazed at the inspiring work. Several large iron silhouettes representing pilgrims looked out over the landscape, arranged so they appeared to be a group journeying together. The new sisterhood took several selfies and regular photos, adding their profiles as part of it all. "I think," said Arrosa, "that we must hire an artist to add the statues of Javier and Penelope, also!" Her companions smiled.

Among the pilgrims hiking the Camino, the five females stood out. All were attractive and young, ranging in age from 19 to 26. They were varied in height, physique, and hair color. Ximena Lope Garcia was the shortest, just over 5 feet, petite frame, curly dark brown hair, and coffee-colored eyes. Her younger sister Arrosa was powerful and fit, with long straight light brown hair and brown eyes. The Americans were all 26 years old. Bayou was shorter, with auburn hair and green eyes. Her twin Delta was taller and had long dark brown hair plus brown eyes. Makena stood 5'10", a solid 135 pounds, with her long platinum hair and amber eyes in striking contrast to her deep tan.

So many good-looking young women together attracted more than a little attention. They responded differently to their would-be-suitors. Ximena was polite but uninterested. She had her future set. Delta, Bayou, and Arrosa had an agreement. If the man spoke French, Delta talked with him. If from a German-speaking country like Austria, Bayou began a conversation. If the person spoke Spanish, Arrosa got the first chance to engage him. None of the three was looking, but enjoyed the attention and had fun flirting with male pilgrims.

Anyone who tried being overly friendly with Makena usually regretted it. In English or Spanish, she snapped back, telling them to leave her alone. Sometimes the men were jerks, offering unsolicited advice on how she should dress or behave. But some were pleasant, just being polite or friendly without pushing. Still, Makena reacted. "L-l-l-eave me alone," she would say, with such vehemence that they invariably did so, trying to engage one of the other ladies instead. Bayou and Delta were sad to see her anger-related stuttering malady return. But her girlfriends cut her slack, understanding that only time would heal her, so they said nothing.

The five continued above the Rio Arga to Puente la Reina. The town's name, bridge of the queen, was in honor of Queen Muniadona. Nearly a thousand years ago, she commissioned the six-arched Romanesque bridge over the Arga for the use of pilgrims traveling the Camino Frances to Santiago de Compostela. The sisterhood checked Delta's feet a few times, but her new boots fit well and caused no blisters, so they finished the full 14 miles well before noon. Despite her flares of temper, Makena felt grateful and surprised by all she saw in Spain.

We covered thousands of miles by plane and many more by bus and train in only a few days. Now we get to experience more than a month of walking. I've never done anything like this before. I see the leaves rustle and watch the sunlight reflection dance on the river's surface. It's like time has slowed down, allowing me to breathe more deeply. Maybe it will help me think more clearly too? I need this.

At dinner, Makena asked the Lope Garcia sisters, "Why are you walking the Camino?"

"For us, it is truly a pilgrimage to the Catholic holy site," said Ximena. "Santiago is the patron saint of our country. Since we live here, we can do the journey a little at a time. When we get home to Logrono, we will have finished the first of probably five years of week-long segments. But we'll complete it. We must."

Arrosa nodded. "You may have met some others doing the same thing. Spaniards from the Canary Islands, so much farther away, are more likely to complete the pilgrimage all at once. But for us, like those from Madrid, we take a little vacation each summer. My sister and I plan to finish in 2014. What about you?"