A Rainy Day

"Le dijo el peregrino al maestro:

- ?Que es la libertad?

Maestro:

- La libertad es vuestro alimento.

- Maestro, y ?que es de los suenos?

- Ay... los suenos... los suenos son vuestro sostento.

- Maestro, por ultimo, ?y las fronteras?

- Las fronteras son barreras a saltar.

- Gracias, Maestro.

- !!Animo!!"

             by Juan FraBlazques, aka "Canillas y Royehuesos", a pilgrim, on August 29, 2002, in Vega de 

                     Valcarce

I spent the night there on October 18, 2003. On the very rainy afternoon of that day, I sat on the ground floor of the albergue, in the dining room, with Robin  "del Bosque" from England, and we poured over the cliche' entries left in two books by pilgrims before us.  We had some rather nice but silly idea of leaving our comments on a margin by every entry.  I do not know, why we gave up on that...

Perhaps the reason was that I suddenly was overtaken be a need to call home.  

I found a phone that would accept my calling card at a bar in the next village going back were I came from.  On the way, in the pouring rain, I met the two American girls that have begun their pilgrimage almost with me, in Roncesvalles.  I do not recall their names, only that they both just graduated from Washington State, and one was from there, the other one from New York.  I have not met them for weeks, then saw them in Astorga, and now here again for a fleeting moment, just long enough to exchange few words and smiles.  One last time I will see them at the Cathedral in Compostela.  Somehow all the pilgrims meet there for the last time.    You don't  see people for weeks, and then you meet them at the Cathedral anyway.

The village's name was Ambasmestas, I think.  There was a small hotel there, and not too far from it - a bar.  It was full of men when I came in, all drinking beer (contrary to popular belief, beer seems to be more popular a drink in Spain than wine) or beer with milk.  One of the men was drunk, and kept on ordering more beer with milk. I felt lucky that he left the bar before I ended my 50-minute plus on the phone with Richard and the girls.  

There was not much space, and so I ended up next to him.  I always order something at a bar if I want to use either phone or a bathroom.  So, after the drunkard left, and the remaining balance on my calling card was zero, I ordered my corto, and had with it some citrus soda on the side.  I was very thirsty, and wanted more and more and more of the soda, but it was so expensive!  I should stick with wine.  Or beer.  

A trip is always something else that what we imagined before actually setting out, embarking on it.  Did I say that?  Who said that?  Hmm...  Maybe I did, after all.

All changes, even if anticipated, will be unexpected and surprising.