We came upon a character sitting on a folding chair between the trees.
We skirted this reservoir in the Parque de la Grajera y la Barranca.
He was a robust chap. He sported a beard that would have made Gandalf proud. He wore a t-shirt with a picture of himself in full peregrino garb on his chest. Beside his folding chair was a table. On the table were fruits, Camino paraphernalia, and a gourd for collecting donations. Nearby was an assortment of walking sticks.
Bob and I had picked up a trail companion earlier in the morning that turned out to be a good thing. Evan (from San Francisco) had spent a year in Madrid and was fluent in Spanish. Our Gandolf didn't know English, which was the only language that Bob and I could muster.
Evan inquired about the sticks. These varied according to the length, grain, and (undoubtedly) power. Evan settled on a straight one about shoulder height. Gandalf rose from his chair and demonstrated proper walking form. He gripped the stick and poled about the clearing, concluding the circuit by brandishing the wood menacingly.
It was impressive, impressive enough to make a goblin shudder.
Who wouldn’t want to be a wizard?
That’s him. Sort of. Image from Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring (New Line Cinema: 2001). I found the image here (accessed 11/17/2021).
With the two of them occupied, I browsed the rack. One stick caught my eye. On its head was a lovely knot, capable of thwacking a thief, dog, or the occasional orc between the eyes. Below the handhold was a wrist-loop of leather that ran through a hole drilled in the shaft. On the bottom was a metal cap, sure to produce a tink—tink—tink sound when striking the ground. This stick was in the twelve euro set.
I returned to the group.
Evan was convinced. He made his purchase.
Without words, I handed the wizard my old metal trekking poles and five euros.
His whiskers twitched.
Then I fetched the stick with the knot, loop, and cap.
Deal?
He muttered a few wizardly curses that would have curled an elf ear. Included was something about a perro loco (“crazy dog” . . . ). Finally, he pocketed my money and returned to his chair issuing a few more choice phrases.
Evan burst into a belly-laugh. He turned to me: “He says, ‘You smoke marijuana.’”
¡Buen Camino!
Ready for the trail with my new walking stick (and my old giraffe gaiters). Me sentí como un peregrino!
With travel restrictions easing, we have a full slate of Bible Land trips ready to launch in 2022. Check out a complete list by clicking here or perusing under the heading “Find your Trip.” For more information on how to join one of these trips or if you are interested in helping to craft a unique trip for your own group, church, or school, contact me at markziese@gmail.com.