September 22

(Continued

After the wedding I saw some Cino friends I hadn't seen since Ciruena- a couple from Indiana, she doing a wonderful job walking despite asthma.  We hung out, waiting out the afternoon until the amazing equinox event at sunset.  After the special peregrine mass at 6,  with two bus loads of Spanish people attending as well as the 70 or so peregrinos we saw the bright rays of the setting sun shine through a small, carefully placed high west window, directly on the belly of Mary in the carved Annunciation scene.

She is standing in a  pose that suggests an reaction of "me? Not me!"  This architectural feat was rediscovered in 1974, but in earlier periods, Queens and other women would come from afar believing that witnessing this event would help them get pregnant.  My best fall equinox, for sure.

The next morning, having decided to ride the bus the 19 km into Burgos, I walked the 3 km over to Santovenia.  When I was close to the village, around 9 a.m. I heard fireworks then a brass band!  As I entered the little town, I saw 6 musi cians, four brass players and two drummers serenading in front of a house.  The next thing I knew a young man was pressing a plastic cup of moscatel , a local sweet wine.  Turns outthat on this third morning of the fiesta the band goes to every house to play; the family pays them a little and brings food and/or drink out for all.  Children, young people, elderly couples were all dancing.  I loved it.

I had also noticed men sweeping the streets with brooms, shovels, wheelbarrows - everyone parties all the night before - then the firehouses came out to hose down the streets.  Tradition.

Love,  mary