in a cosmic camino way, any kilometers i did not walk because of accepting 2 rides were balanced by the extra kilometers i walked because i missed the turn off for Eunate.  so in terms of km, we´re even, but i saved the downhill kms on my knees.  I ended up in puente de la reina, which is 2 towns ahead of where Eunate is.  I was pretty tired, so i went into a bar to figure out what to do-take a taxi back, or walk back. the barman was helping me with getting a taxi, which between waiting until the pierced, tattooed patron of the bar who was using the phone finished,  the phone numbers not working and the pay phone not working, despite his hitting it with all his might during this whole process, it was definitely a no go on the taxi.  so i resigned myself to walking back the 4 or 5 km, but was just standing there when the guy next to me and the bar man started speaking the typical ´tornado fo spanish´.  after several minutes ofincredibly high speed spanish, the bar man said that he - the tattooed and pierced patron of the bar, drinking a beer next to me - would take me.  the bar man said, he is a good man, he is a good client.  that shows how much i DIDN¨T want to walk back to eunate.  the fact that a guy frequents that bar all the time was actually a good recommendation for a stand-in taxi driver.  plus, he would take me when he was done with his beer!  i decided to sit with some french men i had seen before.  i figured they would be cooperative with the authorities if it ever came to that.   i sat down with them, got something to eat, and then was ready to go.  i asked the bar man what to pay him, as in,what would i spend on a cab, and he said nada.  nothing.  that he just wanted to help.  then i tried to ask was he sure this guy wasn´t an ax murderer, but my spanish is still not that good.  anyway, the  guy couldn´t have been nicer, and was very patient when we got lost.  eventually we got there safe and sound, just another good soul along the way.  so finally i was at Eunate!  i have heard about this since before my trip began and i was excited to see this ancient, octagonal and magnificent church.  i took photos of the columns, each with its own carving at the top, as i walked around the outside.  then i went inside just as a busload of french tourists started entering, and began singing beautiful hyms that echoed off the stone walls.  stunnning.  afterthey sang for a while they left and i was alone in the church.  i was getting cold, but it was hard to get up and leave, it just felt like such a special place.  inside of the stone house adjacent, which is where we will stay tonight, i parked myself in front of the fire and warmed my feet while classical music played softly and i could hear jean, the ´keeper´ of this church worked in the kitchen, preparing tonight´s meal.  and what a meal!!!  Jean is french, need i say more?!?!!  so imagine...we - and by we i mean lydia, the camera man pedro, shirley, the editor and on old dear friend of hers, jana, and myself - we are staying in an ancient stone building, next to an ancient stone church in the middle of fields and fields and no other building in sight.  here is the menu for the dinner we were served:
first course: vegetable soup, garnished with creme fraiche, a pinch of shredded local cheese, topped with a small garlic toast with a parsley leaf on top as garnish (!!!!!!)
second course: mini pizza, with sun-dried tomato and caramelized onion, and a salad
third course: bean and sausage ´stew´also with a rectangular white meat.  when asked, we learned that it was peau de pig (skin of pig).  mostly i noticed it was left on plates.  i asked softly to jana as she served that she avoid it.  she did, thankfully.  otherwise, it was delicious!
dessert:  yogurt a la jean; fresh strawberries mixed into yogurt topped with a dash of chocolate powder, a sprinkling of nuts, and a slice of kiwi topped with a ´fleche amarone´, a yellow arrow carved from a lemon rind.  the yellow arrows are the way markers fo the camino.  how thoughtful, delightful, and definitely delicious!!!!!!!!!!
oh yes, and all this washed down with water and  wine made from grapes grown at a neighboring vineyard.
a meal like this in a restaurant...well, maybe some of you could guess because i usually don´t eat in such fancy restaurants!

but wait-the best is yet to come!after we cleaned up, jean took us into the church for night prayers.  we walked over to the church, which he unlocked for us.  as we entered, he handed us a small votive with a candle that he lit for us, and a sheet of paper.  we all sat along the front row, except pedro who was filming.  then, he went up to the altar and lit the large candles on the altar.  i felt like i was falling through time, and suddenly, we were back in the 16th century, attending night prayers on our pilgrimage to santiago.  then, one by one starting with me, we read from the sheets of paper we had been given.  they were all short essays more than prayers.  for instance, one was what is known in usa as ´footsteps´.  i will elaborate if i get comments asking me about it.  mainly it was more ´spiritual´ than specifically catholic.  all our voices echoed in the small chamber, as the candles flickered.  after the 4 of us read, jean went to the exact center of the church, directly underneath the dome and sang Áve Maria´.  it was a magical moment.  after sitting in silence for some minutes after he finished, he walked to the altar and blew out the candles.  he then proceeded to the back and we all followed one by one.  he took our papers, blew out our candles, and we walked outside where the sky was a spetacular display of clouds colored by the setting sun, floating above and sometimes around the mountaintops.  how beautiful it was.  he then closed and locked the door, and we returned to our home away from home for the night.

there are certain scenes that i turn to when i want to remember the beauty of life: my wedding, the first time i held my first niece, and now i have the memory of jean singing ave maria by candlelight in the church at eunate.

you are all with me every moment-
peace and blessings-
a