It is interesting how each day presents a different group of pilgrims with a different personality. Today the pilgrims were very mellow. The group was a bit older and so a bit more restrained. Still a great group of people just different.
This morning shortly after all of the pilgrims were gone and we were cleaning the house, we could a phone plugged into the wall. It was in English so I called the most called number on it. the guy answered “Hey Babe”. I told him that his girlfriend had left her phone in the albergue and asked her name. We deduced that it was a girl from Ireland and since Maria has a car we decided to drive it to the next town, Azofra. It is only 6k from here so off we went. I could picture the bar that all of the pilgrims stop at to get a coffee. As we pulled up Michelle was standing outside using someone’s phone to call the albergue. What she did not know is that we don’t have a phone. Needless to say she was ecstatic. She bought Maria and I a coffee, there was some clapping a lot of smiles and some surprised pilgrims to see us again on down the road. One pilgrim, a catholic priest from the UK even game me 10 Euros to put in the donation box saying that he had forgotten. I am almost sure that he had already donated but accepted the donate with a high thanks.
I had a really fun experience today, as I was coming out of the super mercado and walking down the street there was this pilgrims with that glazed look in his eyes. Not really knowing where to go. I said buen Camino and he just kind of looked at me. I could tell he was from Austraila so I asked where he was headed. He told me he was headed to a hotel and showed me the name. I said follow me. As we walked he told me that he was from Brisbane and 67 years old and had walked from Logroño which is 30k a good walk. Once I got him to the hotel he thanked me and introduced himself as Patrick. Funny enough he and 3 other pilgrims were sitting at the table next to us at dinner. Gotta love the Camino.
Tonight we had a large group of Korean pilgrims in the house. Funny we had a Korean girl from Austraila, a Korean guy from Brooklyn, NY who works for Calvin Klein, and a Korean who lives in China. There are more Koreans on the Camino than Americans it seems or maybe all of us Americans stay in the private albergue here in town. I have stayed in many private albergues but now will probably try to stay in more municipal albergues as the people are really great. We had many meals cooked on the kitchen again tonight.
There was this really cute Dutch couple probably in there late 60’s or early 70’s you could just tell that they were really in love with each other. In a quite moment I told than how nice it was to see two people so in love. They both smiled and kind of hugged each other. They told me that they had stayed in this albergue 4 years ago. I think that they have walked many times together.
Had the opportunity to go out to dinner again. I love that fact that you can have 3 really delicious courses here for under 10 Euro. I had a rib steak and Maria had Rabbit. Really good. We both agree though that Cooking in the albergue is better. Today we bought some pigs feet and pigs ears to make Cocido which is a stew mad with garbanzo beans and pig parts. Yummy!!!
Can’t wait for dinner tomorrow.
Location:Plaza de Santiago,Nájera,Spain