A night in a monastery

The past few days of our journey have not been worth writing about. They’ve been long, hard, and exasperating. Through countless fields and only a couple of very sad villages… The wind is still howling and the terrain is so rough on our legs and feet, I want to scream. And I do, but know one can hear me. The winds drown out my voice.

However, the payoff for walking in such a bleak environment is getting the opportunity to stay in an old monastery. The Real Monasterio Zoilo date’s back to the 10th century and was transformed into a hotel in 1996, keeping the original facade. Gregorian chant music plays throughout the building. Very peaceful and moving. The hotel is attached to the church. There are small window peek holes carved here and there, through the stone, so you can see what lies on the other side.

The monastery has not been completely restored, nor will it ever be. However, The few floors which were, are absolutely exquisite. I’ve always wondered what it would be like to live in ancient times. The night we spend in this hotel actually made me feel I was transported to another time. It was majestic. But, you could also feel the cool air coming in through the windows, the floors creaking with every step and the walls echo. Very cool, but very spooky.

I am so happy we were fortunate to stay here, sleep where the monks did and walk the corridors where they would have lived, worshipped and worked.