A Pilgrimage Through the Jurisdictional Pillars and Pillories of Castile and León

Journeys, akin to affections and aversions, may be classified as either grand or minor. The present volume belongs to the latter category. These are brief excursions, which the master Josep Pla characterized as "gallinaceous flights." Indeed, it is unnecessary to traverse thousands of kilometers to discover beauty, even if, as in the present case, it is an aching beauty. It suffices to embark in a vehicle, equipped with a notebook and a disposition to perambulate and observe.

The villages of Castile and León are profoundly isolated, and their winters are excessively prolonged and frigid. Who could question this reality? Nevertheless, sunlight still lingers upon the walls, and its name is hope. These locations continue to harbor a considerable magnitude of beauty—a harsh and sorrowful beauty, yet beauty nonetheless. Upon arriving at the jurisdictional pillory or the column of justice, one must merely listen intently to perceive the wealth of narratives they impart. They embody successive centuries of silence and abandonment. This pilgrimage, the author asserts, served to expand his exceedingly limited circle of friends: those individuals who accompanied him for consecutive days and documented the stonework photographically. Gratitude is extended to them, and as for the waiting pillories and columns: perhaps, in a not-too-distant future, visiting them and providing them with company will emerge as a prevalent trend, and we shall all adapt accordingly. May the reader bear witness to this phenomenon.