the Pilgrim community

Another elderberry concoction from the priest next door. He picks the wild elderberries and makes jam and a kind of stew from them. I feel like I am growing into the community, but of course in only 2 weeks there is only so much connection you can make with others here, especially given my limited Spanish. My community is the pilgrims. It is amazing how close I can feel to certain pilgrims as they pass thorough. There was a young couple last night from PEI, and I really enjoyed talking to both of them. They cooked for themselves - Dave and I had my lentil soup for lunch, and they had their own lentil soup for dinner, supplemented with sorrel from our garden. They have 2 weeks after the camino to see Europe, and were asking for tips at breakfast.

We have another stay over guest today- A young Irish guy with food poisoning. He is very weak and shivvery, so will see the pharmacia tonight. I gave him some drops of oil of oregano  and a cup of camomile tea- I didn´t know what else to suggest. Hopefully he can be on his way tomorrow. We had another Canadian stay over with tendonitis. He is off this morning, hitching a ride with a Polish group of bus pilgrims.  We also put another young man in the ïnfirmary¨. He begged to stay after we put up the completo sign at 22 pilgrims. He is on a very limited budget, and has been sleeping outside, but it rained off and on yesterday, and one of the other albergues sent him to us as we are donativo. When he sat down to a meal of a tin of sardines, I offered pasta from the cupboard we keep for pilgrims. A very kind ex pat New Zealander who brought up her children in Norway, and is travelling with another Norwegian pilgrim, offered him the last half of her lunch boccadillo (sandwich, which is always on a big baguette). He was grateful, and a very interesting guy.

We have decided once again to close at 20, approximately, as we don´t want to take business from the commercial albergues, but it is always a challenge saying no, and Dave has a big heart, so it is a balancing act.

We are off to Astorga, hopefully, depending on the plumber. We are almost out of toilet paper!

Til tomorrow

Darlene