May 17--Chickens and the Hanging Man

Man, today was just simple and GOOD! Finally, we left the nasty cities of Logroño and Nájera behind, and it was just rolling hills and beautiful sprawling views.  As we were walking past the caves of Nájera, I breathed a sigh of RELIEF! It was interesting that as we walked, the red rock was still everywhere, but people had planted all these vineyards! It was a strange combination seeing red rock right next to these super green vineyards.  Very beautiful, but I'm used to red rock in places like Colorado or Utah, and to mix that view with vineyards which I associate with California was very weird.  In addition to vineyards, they also had SUGAR SNAP PEAS growing in big fields, and you KNOW I partook in that tasty trail-side snack ;)

When we got to Santo Domingo de la Calzada (yes, that is the full name of the city), our hotel informed us we wouldn't be having dinner until 8:45! Of course, it was because the cloister of nuns that owns the hotel had to PREPARE all the food, so it was acceptable, BUT we definitely needed lunch.  Little did we know that right around the corner was God's gift to big lunches! I got a HUGE slab of tenderloin, a full salad, as much bread as I wanted and French fries for a cool 12 euros which I would say is a STEAL! And it was GOOD! Of course, we also got a free cerveza and vino with our meal, but because we don't drink, we got water (because for some reason, pop would be an additional charge but beer and wine come free with the meal??)

A little background of Santo Domingo.  It is named for Saint Domingo and the miracle that took place in the city.  It has to do with a hanged man and chickens.  There was this couple, and they wanted a child, but for a really long time, they couldn't have one, so they prayed, and the Virgin (of course) blessed them.  The only requirement was that they had to take their child on the Camino when he got older.  So, when their son was 15, they took him on Camino.  They get to the city now known as Santo Domingo, and the inn keeper's daughter likes the boy, but he is basically like, nah girl.  So she gets super mad, steals a golden relic from the church and hides it in his bag.  The next day, in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat style, they find the gold in his bag, and he is sent before the justice of the peace.  He is sentenced to be hanged, and for some reason his parents just like SKIP TOWN before he is hanged because they can't handle watching it.  But then they don't feel purpose in doing the Camino since their son is presumably DEAD at this point.  So they go back to the city, see their son at the hanging post, and then hear his VOICE saying, "Hey Mom and Dad, I'm totally fine.  Don't worry about me!" Turns out, Santo Domingo and the Virgin are on either side of the kid, supporting him so he doesn't die from hanging.  Seeing this, the kid's parents run to the justice of the peace to get him to pardon their son, but when they get there, the justice says that their son is as dead as the chicken he is eating.  Then all of a sudden (because the boy is alive), the chicken comes to life and starts pecking around!

Supposedly these chickens
descend from the original one.

Now knowing that, the live chickens WHICH NOW LIVE IN THE CATHEDRAL, and the HANGING MAN PASTRY store make COMPLETE sense--but before I read that miracle, they did NOT! And even though it still doesn't make total sense, the hat with a rooster labeled "cock" at least is explainable, but still weird that they would sell that in a church....

After visiting the cathedral, we then crossed the square to the BELL TOWER! Honestly, seeing the beer and taking pictures in the bell tower was fun, but singing there was more fun.  We liked the acoustics in the stairwell so we sang another hymn (just a small group of us), but when we came down into the gift shop and saw a cute postcard, the lady at the check out counter told us she couldn't quite hear us from the stairwell, so I immediately offered to sing again for her.  According to our teachers who went in after us, she was very pleased she had gotten her own concert courtesy of the "American kids who can speak castellano!"

We also had a LOT of fun at the top of the bell tower after someone came up with the bright idea of making a paper airplane and throwing it off the tower.  That baby FLEW! And finally, in the bell tower they had a clock and several old clocks that had previously been used.  It was very cool to see them :-)

Dinner was delicious as always, but what made it special is that the nuns MADE it for us! And they served us, and they were so nice! It was very cute :-) But the dessert was AMAZING! It was homemade jam (from the nuns) that was made from quince fruit, called dulce de membrillo.  This was accompanied with a super tasty cheese on top of bread.  SO tasty!



Sellos from today!


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