Another cloudless sunrise came over the little square which our Hostal faces and it is market day! The trucks started arriving around 5:30 and now everyone is set up and there is the usual friendly banter between merchants and buyers. They have been accompanied by church bells and the chiming of the hours from the Ayuntamiento! Do any church bells sound in Calgary every day? I will miss that for sure!
Last night will be a classic Camino story amongst our little pilgrim family! Our friend, Dave Shenton, who started out walking but had to return home Sept. 19, is back to finish the walk with Dave. There had been some uncertainty about his job and when he got back his branch was closed! Dear Cheryl took on the Camino spirit by pointing out this is a gift of time. So, we managed to keep it a secret until he arrived at the restaurant last night! Such excitement! Hilariously funny because Dave had to get up to get Dave S. at the train. He made it look like he had gone to the bathroom. I'm getting texts under the table from Dave S. wondering what's going on. Then a phone call I managed to get by the others. Then a phone call from Dave D.; I'm back at the hotel because I got lost and never found the train station! By this time, Greg keeps wondering if Dave D. is alright - should I go and check on him and I keep saying no, no he'll be fine. But when I get up to take the phone call, I don't go in the direction of the bathroom which really worries the group. I call Dave S. to say he'll have to walk. When I come back to the table, Dave waits a little longer and then comes in sheepishly. Not ten minutes later, Dave S. is leering at the group through the window and they are completely taken aback! It is great to have him back and a little relief for me as Dave will have someone to spur him along when I have to leave the group on Thursday.
My walking begins on Friday and I am both excited and nervous! I was able to settle where the car will go in Santiago which was also a story as Mercedes, our hostess at the Casa Rural yesterday, phoned the number I had, well, thought I had, for the hotel. No we have no reservation but we have room. I got her to check that this was the hotel and no it was not! Another number was found, yes we have your reservation, you park your car in the underground parking at Juan XXIII. Oh, look at that, I'm parking at a garage named for a Pope!
Must go out now to get a few pictures and then meet the group "up the page", I'll explain later, for lunch.
Buen Camino!
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