Even though it was cold and rainy when I visited, this place couldn't have been more warm and…read moremajestic. The main chapel was in use when I came, so my first entree was in the little guy. But holy hell, was it beautiful! It truly was a great shelter from the storm. As a Peregrina on the Frances, it warmed my heart to see the shells all along the perimeter. I only wish I would've brought my credencial to get a proper sello! Next time!

Some say that there is is nothing between Panes and Potes, except the road and the stream…read morealongside. There is also very little room for any towns or even houses. So the expression in Spanish, when you want to convey the meaning that something is empty or desolate, you say "como entre Panes y Potes" (like between Panes and Potes). Yet here was the Iglesia de Santa María de Lebeña. Gayle was ready to go home after a long day in the Picos de Europa and I was all for taking in one more sight. So we stopped, although it was getting late in the afternoon and I didn't want to drive all that windy road in the dark. The Church is set against a superb backdrop of massive rock. Founded in the 10th Century, its interior is Mozarabic, with horseshoe arches on a rectangular ground plan. It's a wonderfully simple and inspirational space with a pretty and contemplative green zone around it. Gayle was pleased that we stopped, but for the day there would be nothing more to visit between Panes and Potes.

Almost 11 years after our first visit, Gayle and I returned to the Monasterio de Santo Toribio de…read moreLiebana, as part of our visit to nearby Potes and Fuente De. The Chapel containing the largest fragment of the True Cross was closed, but we had a nice view through the locked gates and around the Church. We also visited the gift shop, viewed displays in an indoor courtyard, and were only briefly tempted to walk through the open door into the Monastery itself. As we had recently finished the Camino Ingles, we took special note of the Camino Lebaniego. This is a relatively short (but with a lot of elevation) spur off the Camino del Norte from Santander to this Monastery. It was (and is) fairly common for major pilgrimage routes to have detours to specific holy places. As such, the Lebaniego Way first appeared in the 8th century to worship the Lignum Crucis (True Cross). The Lebaniego Way has its own 'Credencial' (pilgrim passport) called the La Lebaniega. When finished, there are 2 choices: go back to Santandar and continue on the Northern Route or take the Vadiniense Way (which intersects with the Lebaniego way and is one of the hardest Caminos) to the French Route. Another Camino spur example is the mountainous Camino San Salvador that branches off the French Camino (at Leon) to reach the Cathedral in Oviedo (which is near the Camino Primitivo Way). It's all fascinating stuff, which has Gayle and I still exploring options for the next Camino that we thought we weren't going to take.

This beautiful church is in the busy part of Bilbao. There is a lot of hustle and bustle outside…read morebut once you go in here, you are taken to another place. It is so beautiful and tranquil inside. I enjoyed spending some time here meditating and taking a break from the chaos outside.