We said goodbye to our four days in Loyola. We were told the Provincial of Catalan is marketing the Camino de Ignacio as a different devotion to the Camino de Compostela.
The bus is really very comfortable and Jose, the bus driver, is very cautious. He whizzes through small side streets with ease. We did have to stop for a bathroom break. All the pilgrims seem to gravitate to the gift shops and everyone picked up some sweets and biscuits. We all assembled onto the bus and took off toward nearby Pamplona before we realized Marge did not get on the bus. We turned around to collect her. She was embarrassed. She was right near the bus when it took off without her. She thought we were playing a joke but twenty minutes later when the bus did not come back for her, she was getting worried. She was very calm and pleasant about her experience. We laughed.
The bus ride was very comfortable, but our tour guide thought it was necessary for her to tell us everything she knows about the area. We could have used a respite and tried to tell her that, but subtleties don’t carry well across cultures.
We arrived in Pamplona, the site of the running of the bulls. We had Mass at the Redemptorist church right next to the spot where Ignatius was wounded. I spent a great deal of time in the perpetual adoration chapel where I offered my woundedness to Ignatius’s wounds. I asked him to intercede for me. More on this later because it was my most significant moment on the trip.
We went to the Plaza Major for lunch. It was a great time. Conversations are deepening and bonds of affection are increasing. The Plaza is the main gathering spot for the townspeople. I wish we had lunch during the siesta time. We spent a leisurely lunch in the Plaza and then when we went to shop and tour, the shops were closing down for siesta.
We then boarded the bus for Xavier Castle, an hour’s drive away. It was exciting to tour the castle and the basilica. The old Xavier cemetery and the sister’s hermitage were moving. The nuns were praying the rosary in old creaky voices.
The castle had a great diorama of Xavier’s life. It contained copies of major art pieces as well. The crucifix of the smiling Jesus was a huge attraction for us pilgrims. We ended up taking many photographs of each other because we felt rather free from our schedule.
Dinner was a highlight. We had libations, cheese, peanuts, and Xavier chocolate before dinner. The hotel is very old with old, but reliable fixtures. We felt like we returned in time to a place of civility and relationships. We loved the dinner of swordfish and white asparagus. Dinner lasted so long because we are really enjoying each other’s company.
Tomorrow, we are off to Manresa.
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