The bread truck rolls into the villages with its loud air horn blaring; the villagers pop out of their houses, bread bags in tow, and head to the truck. It’s surprising how fast some of the oldsters get up the hill to the truck!
Bread!
The kindness of villagers
Vega del Valcarce
On October 08, 2019: I was very sick with a bronchial infection and stayed in this village for two days of rest. At a sidewalk table across from my lodging, I was having my morning cafe con leche and feeling extremely sorry for myself. Homesick. Sick. So far from home. All alone. Waaaaa.
Up walks this man who hands me a fig. I thank him, set it on the table. No! He says. And gestures vehemently that I am to eat it NOW! I did. And I snapped his photo. And his small act of kindness turned my day around. That was the end of my self pity. People are kind.
This year, I am staying an extra day here to find him (I’d learned his name is David -Da-veed). I brought a 5×7 copy of the photo from 2019. The pharmacist spoke English, so I showed her the photo and told her my story. She called Mrs. David, and I walked up the street to meet David and his wife. They gave me a tomato and a small jar of honey. David let me know he is 84.
Mrs David is now carrying the photo down the street and showing it to all her neighbors and business owners.
I am so happy this worked out. That I’m here precisely two years from the date of the fig gift is absolute serendipity.
9/15 Stage Ten: Navarette to Najera
A lovely day for a walk. Mostly flat, cooler temps, early cloud cover.
Leaving Navarette. Road construction in the old villages looks a lot different!
Villagers are so helpful. These guys happily obliged my photo request.
And then, there’s the pretty kitty.
Finally, the path leaves the village.
9/12 to Los Arcos: Animales del Dia
One shepherd, two dogs, and a bunch of sheep.
The excited dogs raced to the water tank. One finally got so excited he dived into the tank. Then panicked because there was no climbing out. The shepherd shook his head, sauntered to the tank while the dog is thrashing and wild-eyed, grabs the dog by the scruff, and hauls him out of the tank.
9/11 Wildlife!
*Came across a very happy black dog leaping and rolling in a deep mud puddle.
- A dog who plays fetch with passing pilgrims. He drop his toy over the fence to us and wait for us to throw it back in the park for him to fetch.
- A yard full of happy dogs pushing their noses through the fence waiting for pets and coos from pilgrims.
This Just in from Spain
Pantxo
Pronounced Poncho. This fellow is the host/owner of the gite where I stayed in SJPP. A wonderful guy full of humor and good will. He cleans the place by himself everyday. He prepares our breakfast, and when I returned from dinner, I learned he had arranged for my bag transfer and for transportation back down the mountain to my lodging (and for a ride back in the morning. And he gave me a Coke on the house!
October 8 Vega de Valcarce – While their mother tends the Mercado
October 5 Ponferrada – Villager Angel
Approaching Ponferrada. Citizen angel: A French couple and I were about to cross the street to follow Camino signs.A lady out for her morning walk started shouting to us, No! No! Then she, who spoke only Spanish, communicated to me (only English), and the couple (only French) that we were about to take the route that was 4 km longer than the walk in front of us. Then she proceeded to walk in front of us until we came to the intersection where the longer route met our route.
Here she is leading the way.
September 30 Astorga Here, There and Everywhere
There is hardly a piece of litter anywhere. In part, I expect, due to the efforts of people like this street cleaner walking around with his push broom.