Yesterday was a strange day here as we all worked on different projects, like being on the camino everything changes every day. I even had time for a siesta and was happy for that two hours sleep. Hospitaleo/a lunch was served at four and it also was different, paella, and it was superb. Then our evening meal was served on the terrace for the first time and it was so nice sitting in the cool(er) evening air.
Each day seems to be hotter than the day before and the pilgrims are so hot, tired, and exhausted when they arrive. The pilgrims are here now, outside with their backpacks lined up along the wall ... there are those who arrive here early in the morning and they sit and wait for us to open, how far have they walked? Did they get up and leave from Molinaseca, or Ponferrada at five or have they come the short distance from Cacabelos? We do not know until we check them in. This is a private albergue so all are accepted however, I do feel sorry for those who have come a long distance and arrive later in the afternoon to find we are completo (no vacancy) or we only have the top bunk of a triple bunk. Pilgrims are a hardy group though and most are happy to be able to sleep undercover and accept whatever they are given. But then there is Jesus Jato a man who cannot turn a pilgrim away ... a beautiful heart.
Irish and Morroccan music
Early in the afternoon an Irish couple sat in the reception area and played Irish music. He on the banjo and she on the accordion (spelling Caroline?). Then in came a young Morroccan with a beautiful smile a tambourine and two drums. Along the camino he has been carrying one large very heavy drum and one tiny silver drum about the size of a one litre bottle of water. Is it any wonder that he had to go to the ER for tendonitis this morning? The young man sat down you could see he was listening for the beat and then there was the marriage of the two musics, it was wonderful. I put my camera on movie and hope that it has worked for me, if so I will place a clip here when I am at home. The Irish man said to me that there is a link between the two countries that share a part of the Atlantic coastline.
The Irish couple each had their first blister yesterday. I gave them Reiki, also him for his knees - I also gave them my German foot creme since I will no longer be walking a long distance with my backpack on. They joked that they had come from Ireland with a medical kit that contained only Vaseline which was the small, round lip balm size. Today they were going to head to a Farmacia (Pharmacy).
Spanish Vacation pilgrims
All pilgrims know what I am talking about when I write Spanish vacation tourists. Last night after ten, without credentials in came four young (mid 20's) Spanish folk. The two women dressed in sparkly tops and pretty sandals and the guys in equivalent clothes for a man. They wanted to stay here. We issued them credentials and gave them beds. These folk are on a cheap vacation, an albergue costs them so much less than a hotel. Then they sat in the garden and talked till one thirty. A pilgrim got out of bed, she woke me up by calling out to them, I unfortunately asked her to be quiet then she explained that she was asking the others to be quiet for the pilgrims and telling them to go to bed. They did go to bed but made a lot of noise in doing so. This is also a camino lesson for all ....
We are ready, the rooms and bathrooms are clean and soon it will be time to admit the pilgrims.
A foot bath
I was relaxing with Roberto, our Itaian hospitalero, when the hardest working man at Ave Fenix came to me with an herbal foot bath. Oscar, a long term hospitalero, makes the mix of mint, vinegar, rock salt, warm water and a few extras, he told me to sit for twenty minutes and relax ... oh it was so good.
Tomorrow for our lunch Roberto is making pizza .... should I say that he has an Italian restaurant and when he cooks he sings? I am looking forward to Roberto's pizza. Roberto's favorite city is Berlin. He talks about visiting his brother and living with him in Berlin with fondness.
Each day seems to be hotter than the day before and the pilgrims are so hot, tired, and exhausted when they arrive. The pilgrims are here now, outside with their backpacks lined up along the wall ... there are those who arrive here early in the morning and they sit and wait for us to open, how far have they walked? Did they get up and leave from Molinaseca, or Ponferrada at five or have they come the short distance from Cacabelos? We do not know until we check them in. This is a private albergue so all are accepted however, I do feel sorry for those who have come a long distance and arrive later in the afternoon to find we are completo (no vacancy) or we only have the top bunk of a triple bunk. Pilgrims are a hardy group though and most are happy to be able to sleep undercover and accept whatever they are given. But then there is Jesus Jato a man who cannot turn a pilgrim away ... a beautiful heart.
Irish and Morroccan music
Early in the afternoon an Irish couple sat in the reception area and played Irish music. He on the banjo and she on the accordion (spelling Caroline?). Then in came a young Morroccan with a beautiful smile a tambourine and two drums. Along the camino he has been carrying one large very heavy drum and one tiny silver drum about the size of a one litre bottle of water. Is it any wonder that he had to go to the ER for tendonitis this morning? The young man sat down you could see he was listening for the beat and then there was the marriage of the two musics, it was wonderful. I put my camera on movie and hope that it has worked for me, if so I will place a clip here when I am at home. The Irish man said to me that there is a link between the two countries that share a part of the Atlantic coastline.
The Irish couple each had their first blister yesterday. I gave them Reiki, also him for his knees - I also gave them my German foot creme since I will no longer be walking a long distance with my backpack on. They joked that they had come from Ireland with a medical kit that contained only Vaseline which was the small, round lip balm size. Today they were going to head to a Farmacia (Pharmacy).
Spanish Vacation pilgrims
All pilgrims know what I am talking about when I write Spanish vacation tourists. Last night after ten, without credentials in came four young (mid 20's) Spanish folk. The two women dressed in sparkly tops and pretty sandals and the guys in equivalent clothes for a man. They wanted to stay here. We issued them credentials and gave them beds. These folk are on a cheap vacation, an albergue costs them so much less than a hotel. Then they sat in the garden and talked till one thirty. A pilgrim got out of bed, she woke me up by calling out to them, I unfortunately asked her to be quiet then she explained that she was asking the others to be quiet for the pilgrims and telling them to go to bed. They did go to bed but made a lot of noise in doing so. This is also a camino lesson for all ....
We are ready, the rooms and bathrooms are clean and soon it will be time to admit the pilgrims.
A foot bath
I was relaxing with Roberto, our Itaian hospitalero, when the hardest working man at Ave Fenix came to me with an herbal foot bath. Oscar, a long term hospitalero, makes the mix of mint, vinegar, rock salt, warm water and a few extras, he told me to sit for twenty minutes and relax ... oh it was so good.
Tomorrow for our lunch Roberto is making pizza .... should I say that he has an Italian restaurant and when he cooks he sings? I am looking forward to Roberto's pizza. Roberto's favorite city is Berlin. He talks about visiting his brother and living with him in Berlin with fondness.
Despite all the human beauty and golden hearts and deeds, there is always someone who takes advantage of the situation or the goodness of others. Remember the thief you helped apprehend some years ago on the camino (of all places)? Sad really . . .
ReplyDeleteHappy that you still are enjoying yourself and your vocation,
Garry
Thank you Garry,
ReplyDeleteI am having a wonderful time here with the family Jato and the other hospitalero/a's. Yes, I remember the thief in the Burgos albergue in 2002. That albergue is now closed and there new albergues that might not be quite so easy for a thief to enter.
It is another very hot day.
Bye for now ... love,
Luiza