Dessert Coffee and Singing
I started early again this morning. I walked next to a canal for about an hour, able to just barely make it out in the dark. I had to cross it at a lock near Fromista. That was the spookiest part! The bridge was very narrow.
I decided to bypass Fromista even though I had yet to have coffee, because it was still dark and quiet in town. When I reached the next town, there was more light, and more people around. I had a coffee. The first of the day, and after 10km of walking!
As I was leaving the cafe, Canadian Benjamin from day 2 walked by!! We walked the next section together. He voted that we take the river alternate, which was nice, because it bypassed much highway walking. We got another coffee together in the next town. He decided to stay there and I pressed on to the next town. I will stay tonight here, in Carrion de Los Condes.
Ravi managed to beat me here!? She is so fast, and I never saw her pass me. We went to the supermarket and bought so many vegetables!! We made a big salad for mid-afternoon meal. We had a ton, so we shared around. Another group shared watermelon. I’ve now snuck away for an afternoon treat – decaf cafe con leche with kinder chocolate dipped in it….
There is a wild game of poker happening behind me.
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At 5:30, we were invited for some time singing with the nuns. There were songs in every language.
Pilgrims were invited to share.
A young man from South Korea sang a beautiful song with the guitar, though I could not understand anything he sang.
I met Fem from the Netherlands. We helped the nuns prepare the group meal. The idea was that there would be pasta made for everyone, but for everything else, people were asked to bring something. We brought a big bag of apples. People brought things for salad. There was fruit, wine, cookies, ham, cheese, you name it.
They specifically asked us not to take pictures of the singing, but I extended that to the whole Albergue, and took no photos inside.
We went to the pilgrims blessing, where the nuns gave us each a paper star they had colored and cut out. It was very sweet.
After this, 50 people sat down to a large group pot luck meal. The nuns sang a Grace at the start, and a goodnight at the end. They really care about this place, and about the pilgrims passing through. It is very inspiring.