The Good Life

Okay, so it isn't the pilgrim way to indulge oneself. Pilgrims are supposed to be dirty and tired and sleep-deprived, as these attributes are what make you stronger and more appreciative in the end. Well, you know what this pilgrim says to that?...

To hell with it!

Mom and I have walked A LOT of miles. We have trudged through mud. We have had worms rain down upon us from the trees. We have had all sorts of medical maladies. I, personally, have been forced to eat pork more times than I can count... or wish to remember. We have slept in stain-splashed beds and have used endless bathrooms with no toilet paper or soap. We have gotten lost. We have cried. We have yelled at the sky... and each other. We have suffered through snoring and rude people and cold showers. We have been laughed at, scoffed at and ignored. We have kept walking when anyone else in their right mind would buy the next plane ticket home. We have endured. We have faced our fears. We have welcomed dirt, sweat and B.O. as a natural part of our daily existence.

None of these things make us Saints or superheroes, but they do make it okay in my book to take two days off in a 5-star parador in Leon.

They make it reasonable to be pampered with an in-room massage. They make it alright to stuff ourselves like gluttons at the most amazing breakfast buffet we have ever laid eyes on (fresh squeezed kiwi juice!) They make it darn dignified to go shopping and swap our clothes with yellow pit stains, missing buttons, fraying hems and mysterious black scuff marks for beautiful, fresh, new attire. They make it justifiable to lounge in bed while simultaneously eating snacks from a health food store and watching CNN on a plasma TV. They make it fine and dandy to pay housekeeping way too much to wash our clothes, place them in smooth plastic wrappers in a wicker basket and bring to our room with a smile. And they make it downright righteous to take a break from the grime and grit of pilgrim life by relaxing in a hot bath for an hour and using every lavender-scented product the parador bathrooms have to offer.

Tomorrow, back to Camino reality. But for now, I'm going to forgive myself, sink into my plush, cloud-like bed with sheets that don't exfoliate you as you sleep, and pretend that I'm a princess in a Spanish castle who has never seen a quick-dry towel or anti-inflammatory cream or spork or liner socks in all her pampered life.

-----------


Believe it or not, this is the Parador San Marcos from which I write you. Actually, it has Camino significance, as it used to be a pilgrim hospital, as well as a monastery. Red and I felt like princesses as we pulled up in the taxi. And then inside...


... felt like Hogwarts students. I told Emily I would meet her later after Spells and Potions.


Our deluxe balcony and the parador garden.


Hallway to our chambers.


Red and I relish our Ratatouille with goat cheese over dinner with friends. Pampering oneself always includes a decadent vegetarian meal.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Parador San Marcos, Leon, Spain