Dear Aymery
Happy Birthday, Michael!
It was interesting to wake up and have nowhere to go. I listened and watched the others prepare to leave and then, one by one, disappear out the door into the gloom. We may meet again, we may not. The Camino imitates life.
Marcel, the hospitallero stopped by with a gift of wine for my birthday. Slept on and off all day I needed this. The swelling in my knee is visibly reduced and I have seen some improvement in my feet as well.
Received a call from my sister Mary and her husband Derek - what a delightful surprise! A little later, my daughter and son, Danielle and Michael, called from London, England. It was nice to catch up on what each of us is doing.
Did some laundry and sorted out my kit. I may look at buying some walking sandals as an alternative to my boots. Shortly afterwards, my mother called and we had a great talk. I am glad Danielle found this ´world´cell phone. I don´t mind carrying some modern technology with me as I walk this ancient route.
Met a Norwegian couple in the square and we had a pleasant conversation - they seem so ... Canadian :) Also met a French engineer walking with his daughter. Lucky man. Shared my bottle of wine with Marcel, a German student who was wondering if teaching was a ´fit´career for a man, and a French girl named Cilia. Throughout everything, a band blared rock and roll from the square where the whole village was celebrating what else but the fiesta of St. Michael.
Beginning to see some lessons as I walk. In Toronto, I could get what I needed in a moment. Not so here (assuming I want to travel as a pilgrim). Here, I stand in line and ask for what I need with the knowledge that there is a reasonable chance of being refused - food, water, assistance, etc. Its humbling and I can only imagine a person with a family in the same position trying to do his/her best to look after them. I recall before I left when I went out to get a box to ship my kit to Paris. There, in the alley was a family. The daughter, maybe 10 years old, asked me if I had to move too! I replied ´no´and asked if she did. She said ýes´.
Went back to the refugio and went to bed.
Ultreya
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This is the story of my walk on the ancient Camino de Santiago, a twelve hundred year old pilgrimage route. The Camino is 835 kilometers, from the south of France, across the Pyrenees Mountains into Spain and thence westwards to the tomb of the apostle St. James in Santiago de Compostela.
