Do we notice the small, simple things in life as we rush along in our busy lives? I guess we often tend not to unfortunately. During my time on the Camino, I have tried to take notice of my surrounding, the people I meet and to remember to sometimes turn around and see what I just passed. It makes a world of difference, my friends
After having spent a night in Lédigos, being treated to dinner by a Swiss gentleman and overhearing a nightly argument between a French lady and a Korean man about usage of electronic devices after 23.00, I set out to catch up with my new Camino family, Maria Grazie and Gary – a friendly soul from Utah, that we met in Hontanas.
As mentioned I had been struggling with my feet. Probably due to the fact that my shoes and boots already had many kilometers in them and needed changing, so I for the first time sent my pack ahead at the mere cost of 5€, but at the joy of my feet, since they loved not carrying the burden. My mood immediately picked up, and I felt elated and happy to be able to once again have the energy to be in the moment. Such pretty sights that morning.
I caught up with my family just before Sahagún at the halfway point, and we entered the city together in search of lunch and new shoes for me.
We indeed found both! We happened to wander into a restaurant at Plaza Mayor with the most service-minded Spanish waiter. He performed Charades in order to describe the pilgrim menu of the day and just went out of his way for us. While we were eating the first course fellow pilgrims – Bernice, Martina and Paul joined our little feast and we had the most delightful lunch together.
With very full bellies and new shoes on my feet (I threw away my old boots and shoes…oh my), we went back to the trail in search of Bercianos del Real Camino. Did I tell you that after a few days of rain and cold, the weather had done a complete turnaround and we were now walking in 25-30 degrees? Not at all what I had expected in October, but it was a nice surprise.
In Bercianos del Real Camino we stayed at the parroquial albergue. It was very modest, no wi-fi, but full of caring hospitalieros, who cooked us dinner and afterwards asked us to perform a song or poem from our home country. Many countries were represented, but I was the only Dane, so they suffered through hearing me sing my home town song – Henne sangen, and afterwards I made a complete mess of our national anthem. Funny how it is easy to sing at the top of your lungs at a sports game, but it become impossible to carry a tune once you have to sing it alone in front of 30 people. I’m glad, I never have to do a solo performance at a stadium and so should your ears be!
