** Villafranca del Bierzo et al **

Ave Phoenix, small looking, huge on heart!

Ok, so I'd heard this place was kinda special.  I'd heard that a fair bit.  But, being me...I approached with caution.  In addition to having had a seriously bad day walking..heat, heat and a bit more heat.  Then getting slightly off the track, feeling like I was late for something...just a bad day that was about to get... Incredible!  So...for example...

And the vineyards kept rolling on....

Shortly before I got into town, I'd been sitting on a rock by the side of the road...alone.  Eating my lunch and to be brutally honest...having a good old fashioned cry in my beer.  I had some seriously odd dreams the night before, and was tired.  Very tired.  I pull my self together...look down the road and who should I see but Emmanuel, who walks up to me and says " I have a gift for you" whereupon he hands me a hairbrush!  Now this might not sound like much, but I started to cry again.  No I wasn't insulted, far far from it.  I, good pilg that I was, had weighed everything in my pack and decided to bring a comb instead of a brush.  Said comb was lost about four days back.  I've got wavy hair....so finger combing will get me thru in a pinch.  But when your tired, and feeling completely neutered and genderless, this can be a bit rough on the ego.  So having a friend handing me a brush and say keep it was wonderful.  I promptly sat there combing my sweaty hair and feeling girlier than I'd felt in days.  Emmanuel, happy to be rid of something he wasn't using...at all!  Win win!  That boy is an angel, who now floated down the road, having rid himself of a small weight in his backpack.

Shortly before town.

On the road again,  my pack didn't feel heavier, but I was still having a dicey time breathing.  Heat and my asthma are an ugly combo especially going up hills.  As I struggled up one in particular, I hear voices coming from behind and suddenly on either side of me.  Two fellow pilgrims, whom I'd never seen before or ever saw again, grabbed my pack on either side and took the weight all the way up the hill and then walked on laughing and waving....Blessed yet again.

and off they go, never to be forgotten...

As I finally enter the town of Villafranca del Bierzo, I was weary.  And what to my wondering eyes should appear but a friendly face from South Africa.  Sil was helping a group of pilgrims with their journey, as well as walking herself.  She's got quite a bit of experience (to put it politely!) so of course I, weary, sweaty and tired, looked at her and asked where she would recommend.  Without a seconds hesitation, she simply pointed behind her to Ave Phoenix and said I absolutely had to stay there.  Settled.

Ok, more baldfaced truth again.  I was so tired and worn that day, that I just kept crying...every kindness, essentially left me bawling.  Sheesh...messy day!  The hospitelero, essentially tucked me into a bunk, put his hand on my forehead and said a prayer for me.  I was so worn though, that when he tried to massage my aching feet, I nearly screamed.  I think nearly every pilgrim has one of "those" days and this one was mine.  I had a two hour nap...easily!  Later another pilgrim,  gave me that foot massage and I was able to actually tolerate the feet being touched...that beer may have helped...but the nearly Lamaze like breathing didn't hurt either!!   Who'd a thunk it, walking with a pack and whatever else your carrying that day, would be like childbirth!

The afternoon and evening wasn't over yet..by a long shot.  There were many pilgrims with talents this night.  One brought an Indian flute, one a didgeridoo (pics to follow!) another group had bagpipes and juggled.  In fact the jugglers were from a Catholic high school in Scranton, PA!  These boys had started in France, were riding bikes and had to earn their way to Santiago, busking...performing!  So now, without further ado...the promised pics from my most wonderful day on the Camino!  Damn...I could nearly cry all over just thinking about it!  If you were a part of this day and I didn't name you...know that I love you none the less...or as my favorite green girl in the world, Elphaba, the Witch, from the play Wicked, says, "you'll be with me like a handprint on my heart" and "because I knew you, I have been changed...for good!"

This thing is remarkably light for it's size!  Oh...and that is my beer! :-)

Everyone gathering...

This isn't normally part of their routine, in open settings it's too dangerous.  But for us, pilgrims all together...pull out all the stops!

 

Sorry bout the quality of the video above but it was twilight after all!  Can't seem to fix the size either...at least not with my skills..so there we have it!

This one just a lovely and surprising duet.  So this one is for my friends, Simone, Laurena, Emmanuel and Mike.  To memories!