It's funny how quick I can get ready now. My showers in the afternoon barely take 5 minutes. I haven't been shaving (pit hair on fleek), and I use my shampoo for everything. 2-in-1 kids' shampoo. Aunt Lila taught me this trick on my first trip to Oaxaca, Mexico back in 2010.
I finished me breakfast of coffee and baguette with jam (I could get used to this). Headed back to the room to get Betsy set to go.
"Lynda, come quick to see who's here," Olya called.
Camille!!!!
She came and had some breakfast at the donativo while we finished getting bags together. Then we all headed off.
Camille and I have a mutual understanding that we are eachother's Camino Bestie. We have shared the deepest of the deep with eachother. Judgement free. Unconditional love. It's a necessity on the Camino, I'd say. You need that person. There's always stuff you're working through. I'm extremely fortunate that God made my person Camille.
So we walked together and caught up until we arrived to the Monastery. The other girls (Lainey, Olya, and Camille) went into mass. Chris and I mostly sat in silence on a bench outside, talked a little, and then I explored some. After the girls came out after mass, we waited for the sweet shop to open in 11 minutes. Baked goods by nuns! What?! While we waited I went off to pee in the bushes behind the building. Public restrooms are so scarce here. You do what you can.
We waited until 9:32, before Camille rang the bell to call for service. A nun came and spoke to us sweetly through a wooden lazy susan that was mounted in the wall. We couldn't see her face during the whole interaction, but we'd spin the circle shelves as we exchanged money for nun-made pastries and cookies. She even gave us complimentary postcards. What a gal!
While we were waiting for the goods, a local of the town of Castrojeriz where we were was telling us about the tasty pastries and sharing her connection to the monastery by her late sister-in-law.
We said goodbye. Next goal was to find an ATM machine in town and a restaurant to enjoy a cup of coffee with our newly acquired, nun-made pastries. 1km down the road we bumped into the same local gal and unanimously decided to give her our sixth pastry.
We found a restaurant where Camille treated us to coffee to accompany our nun-made cookies. We all filled our bellies with more than we should've and we shared with the other table. The table was occupied by a mom, her 7 year-old-girl, her 1.5 year-old-girl, and her 12 year-old-terrier all from Hungary. I had seen them two other times along the Camino a week ago, and Anita had filled me in more on their story. They have plans to reach Portugal after the 500 mile pilgrimage to Santiago. And here I am with just my body and Betsy.
Sunshine and gravel roads. I have to religiously flick little pebbles out of the heels of my sandals.
I walked with Camille, then I walked with Lainey some, then by myself. I felt pretty nauseated from all those cookies, but it passed. I sang in Spanish as I walked alone (but not, because 200 meters before and behind me were other pilgrims).
Once I got to a picnic table at the top of a gravel hill 1.5 hours down the road, I whipped out my uke to play some Kari Jobe. I figured i'd pass the time while I waited for Camille. People around the picnic area smiled. Another pilgrim I'd seen along the trail, but had yet to speak with, came and sat next to me at the table I was at. He had his phone ready to show me videos of him playing the accordian for Three Kings Day in a marching band. He's from Brasil. He spoke Portuguese and I would answer in Spanish. We understood eachother well enough. Except for his name. I don't remember that. He serenaded me with a few Spanish and Portuguese love songs he knew. I nodded along as I smiled back at his round, bristly face and soft brown eyes behind his large glasses. It was a sweet moment. His gentle demeanor reminded me of my beloved Uncle Ted.
I spotted Camille heading our way up the small hill. She arrived and pulled out a nectarine, cheese, bread, and cucumbers to share. Uncle Brasil headed on his way.
Camille and I spent an hour or so chatting at the picnic bench before continuing on. As we were putting on our packs, I heavy guy from Madrid rolled up on his bike with a face full of twitterpation. He shared with us that he'd fallen in love on the Camino with a lady and her son who were just now coming up the hill. "True love," he said. We congratulated him and continued on.
We talked and walked, Camille and I, through the towns, past the fields, and along the gravel roads under the piercing heat of the sun for the next 3 hours.
We came to a small town called Boadilla. I wanted to get to wherever the others were, and Camille happened to see Lainey's clothes hanging outside the municipal albergue to dry.
"We're staying here," we both agreed.
We got inscribed and were taken to the same room as our friends.
After Camille and I showered and washed laundry, the five of us went to dinner at another albergue. This town didn't even have a mini-mart. Just bars and albergues. The other albergue had better food. First I just bought and orange for dinner, but then when the others decoded to go into the restaurant, I also decided to eat. Camille and I split the Pilgrim meal for 6€ each. Three-course. Three big bowls of soups to choose from (lentil, potato, and ranch beans). I had a bowl of each. Bread to soak it up. Then a salad with beef pot roast. Reminded me of how my mom makes it. Ice cream bars for desert, but I was already stuffed. And I had 2 glasses too many of wine. It took away my piercing headache at least. Wine is in surplus in Spain. So cheap. So good. Often times water ends up being more expensive than a glass of wine or pint of beer.
Camille and I headed back to the albergue and the other three followed. I managed to get my teeth brushed and flossed, part of my blog written, and then I must've crashed. I woke up in the early hours of the morning with no idea where I was. I had some funny/disappointing dreams last night, too. That I was on some kind of mission in another country, but left everything right before my responsibilities would start and fled for home. I officially got out of my top bunk at 7:56 feeling bummed and like a failure. Just because of the dream. Everyone else had left.
So today I'm walking alone. And it's really good. I'm getting back into needed prayer time. I'm at a bar right now where I had an overpriced breakfast of coffee, juice, and a chocolate croissant. I'll head on my way again.
I'm trying to decide of I'll double up distance on certain days (walk 50km rather than 25km) to maybe finish with Camille (she might take the bus for a little section to make it to Santiago by the 16th because it's a sentimental day for her). Or even I might like to just finish sooner.
I feel like I'm resolving a lot of emotional and personal struggles from talks that I'm able to have--and obviously that was one of a few objectives on this pilgrimage--but there's more. There's more God wants me to do for someone else, I think. I'm praying and trying to maintain that "praying without ceasing" state that I've always longed for, but even being extracted from distractions of life can still make it a conscious struggle to maintain. Because there will always be distractions. But I'm learning.
And I'm healed! My legs are so good now! Just residual discoloration/scaring that will fade within the next few weeks. Isn't that great?!? So good.
I'm glad you mentioned your legs! As I was reading I was thinking you hadn't mentioned them in your last few blogs and I was getting worried! Glad they are much better! ❤️ You!
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