Monday 15th - our last day

After breakfast we showed the new hospitaleros how to clean albergue, took them shopping at Santa Domingo and at 11.30 Padre Jesus picked the 3 of us up and drove us through the most stunning scenery of vineyards bearing grapes just waiting to be harvested, rolling hills of ploughed fields, craggy mountains with lots of caves, through picturesque villages and beautiful forested areas with the leaves of the trees just beginning to change to the autumn shades and finally we wound our way up a mountain to a beautiful old monastery which has an equally beautiful church attached to it. We were taken with the 14th century sculpture of Madonna and child. We learned that the original order came from France so this work of art is French. The Baby's face is more like a young man's face and his feet are facing the opposite way to the rest of his body for some reason that we have not yet found out. There only 6 monks left so the main building has been turned into a hotel. It was a lovely day and a great way to end our period of serving at Granon. As usual, Barbara, Rachel and I always have great fun and there is always something that has us doubled up with laughter. We also got to know Father Jesus much better and we all agree that he is a very special man. He has spent most of his ministry in Peru but had to return to his home village of Granon when he developed leukemia. He is being healed by taking herbs prepared by the Peru tribes from plants in the forests of Peru. Father Jesus treated us to a very nice 'thank you' lunch at the hotel with Barbara translating the conversation. As we were not cooking, we were able to go to mass to get our pilgrim blessing
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