Spain is no place for people in a hurry.
Peaceable Projects three years ago oversaw creation of the Pilgrim Memorial Grove in a little under-used park on the far side of Astorga. We started with a memorial to Denise Theim, an American pilgrim who was killed in a nearby village in 2015. It slowly expanded to include other pilgrims whose journeys ended before they reached Santiago, with five more memorial stones added in the past three years.
This is one of PPI’s slow-growth projects. Many people die along The Way each year, but letting their survivors know about the memorial opportunity is a unique challenge. Privacy laws, respect for grieving families, and language barriers have slowed our growth, but word is slowly getting out there. I was just about to add another stone this January when I heard from the Parks and Recreation council member in Astorga. “We’re re-doing the park,” she said. “We’ve added a lot more trees, and some concrete. You need to move the stones so the heavy equipment won’t damage them.”
“The city of Astorga let PPI design a new memorial wall to replace the old one, and last week approved a design drawn-up by Colorado architect and American Pilgrims on the Camino co-founder Eric Doud. ”
I kept calm, but my mind raced. More concrete? Heavy equipment? What kind of trees?
“We will rebuild it. We will make it better,” she said.
Meetings ensued. Corona virus arrived. Spain locked down.
I didn’t waste the time. I know some talented people. I made some calls.
Long story short, it’s turned into an opportunity. The city of Astorga let PPI design a new memorial wall to replace the old one, and last week approved a design drawn-up by Colorado architect and American Pilgrims on the Camino co-founder Eric Doud. A new stone wall you can sit down on. Upright steel panels which will make the stones will stand out better when viewed from the Camino. A re-designed plinth for Denise’s simple memorial stone, and a big steel sculpture that will guide passers-by to the quiet, green grove to contemplate the brevity of life. Astorga will pay for some of it, and maintain the park. PPI will pay for some of it, too, and will oversee the stones and monument.
I met with the mayor and councilmen again this week, then I went with some Astorga Camino Amigos and PPI volunteers down to the park in the blast-furnace heat. We removed all the memorial stones and stored them safely away. Denise’s tree and marker we left alone, as pilgrims still seek it out.
Then we went to lunch at Bar Manolin: Frog legs, pig tails, anchovies, tuna belly atop “neighborhood tomatoes,” and pitchers of Clara. Great company, good ideas, good friends.
So now the mayor wants detailed plans from Eric the architect. Eric needs the city’s official blueprint of the park, drawn to measure, so he can plot out materials and dimensions. The Parks and Rec lady said “sure, right away. But it’s almost August, you know.”
Which means, “Spain is no place for people in a hurry.”
We’ll get there.