Day 15 – Los Arcos Day 16 – Viana

Day 15- The simple life, eat, walk, sleep and along the way talk with people from around the world. Walked this morning with a few Swedes, lunch with a mother & daughter from Quebec, then sisters from Austria, and later Marco from Brazil.

Some conversations are brief, some longer and personal. All are honest and are filled with love. There is a line in one of the pilgrim prayers which states that “we come to find ourselves in each other.”

The mornings walk was a mix of  farmland, city, & industrial with moody weather.

The village Irache offers a unique attraction. A free wine faucet! A must stop for most regardless the time of day. I took advantage of the free agua faucet.

We soon walked passed a monastery which appeared closed. Once passed, I was stopped by an elderly woman walking in the opposite direction. She asked in very broken English if I had visited the cloisters, and suggested that I should. As she seemed to single me out I felt compelled to follow her lead. I discovered the building in the process of restoration and happy I listened.  I am learning to say yes to whatever the Camino presents…..

My Swedish friends were not feeling well so we parted ways at Monjardin. The albergue they chose was run my an American. Just their luck, they ended up trading one chatty American for another.

Finally the terrain became gentle rolling hills, vineyards, olives, etc. This area, Riojo, is well known for its wine.

My day’s destination was Los Arcos were I’d been offered a private bedroom by fellow pilgrim from Alaska who had booked a 3 bedroom house thinking it was just an apartment. My luck. It was a treat not to share a bedroom or a bathroom, and the price was right.

We wandered to the main square in search of dinner and were treated to the ringing of the massive bells in the church tower. After dinner we had the additional treat of an illuminated vision of the same church.

Day 16 –  Another UN day as I chatted with people from Austria, Poland, Brazil, Canada, Scotland, Ireland, USA, and of course, Pepe of Spain giving his blessing to passing pilgrims and providing nourishment as well.

I walked most of the day with Marco from Brazil before deciding listen to my feet and stop early today.

I treated myself to a night in a real hotel. Fortunately the bathroom came equipped with a pilgrim clothes washer. …

The main square was busy with locals enjoying a social Sunday visiting at the cafes.  I greeted a few fellow pilgrims and stopped to chat with some at the next table who sounded American. A father and two daughters who said they were from San Francisco. When I told them I was from Connecticut one of the girls said she had attended Yale and now works & lives in New Haven! Small world.

Time for some rest. Buen Camino my friends.