Foggy Spanish morning*
Hi Everyone,
We haven´t had access to internet for a few days, so have not been able to post a new entry. Hilary and Haley are actually posting this one for us, because the computer available to us has a Windows 98 operating system that won´t cooperate with us.
*Today is Wick´s (and Lynn´s) birthday. We are celebrating by staying in a nice hotel rather than an alburgue with many other peregrinos in the same room like the last few nights. We are having our laundry washed and dried, also a treat, and have had a very relaxing afternoon here in Portomarin.
*Since we posted the last time, we rode the bus to Astorga, walked to Rabanel del Camino, caught a taxi to Ponferrada, bus to Lugo, changed buses and continued to Sarria.
Sarria is an entry point for many peregrinos wanting to earn their Compostela by walking at least the last 100 K to Santiago. Consequently, we have encountered an increased number of people walking, and staying in the alburgues. We have met a lot of nice, interesting people from all over. We have only met two other Americans--one from Kentucky, and one from New Orleans. There are many Germans, Canadians, French Canadians, and Spanish people. Communication is interesting at the big tables for dinner. We end up speaking a little French, a little English, a little Spanish. We all pool our language skills to figure out what´s on the menu and order. But no one seems to be able to understand the language of a certain Southern gentleman, who is my companion on this adventure. They struggle along as best they can with Wick´s accent for awhile, look at me to translate, or just give up and start eating their food. (No one seems to understand, "Hey, where are y'all from?") But he continues to be his friendly, smiley self when he´s trying to talk to them, so they know he´s being nice. Today when we met the man from New Orleans, they were both beaming, because they had the same thick Southern accents. Finally, someone who could truly understand!
*The Camino goes through some shaded woods, too. Here's an early foggy morning with dew still on the multitude of cobwebs near the path.
To update you on the saga of my foot...God continues to allow it to work--hurray--but it's painful. I'm so thankful for my good, supportive boots and comfy socks. I think it's probably some sort of tendon, or ligament deal on the top of my foot, but without my son-in-law nearby to diagnose me, I don't really know what it is. Once I get into a stride, God gives me the grace to keep it going. Thanks for your prayers on our behalf.
Sorry not to have another photo entry, but as soon as we can we will update with photos.
As you can imagine, we have many, and video to boot. But that will come later.
Hasta Luego,
Helen
*These were added on Oct.19 at home.
