Romaine, you commented that you found the Ice Cream Man kind of creepy but I think he's only trying to help. On our way out of Burgos yesterday we were passed by two pilgrims on bikes, Spanish girls, I think, who looked maybe in their 20's. A little while later we came upon the girls again. They had stopped and one of them was helping a very small, very old Spanish woman get across the street. The girl was tall so that she had to stoop so that the woman could lean on her arm and the girl walked very slowly with the woman. Later when the girls came whizzing by us again I called in English after the girl who'd helped the woman that what she did was very nice and kind. "It's nothing," she called back with a laugh. But for those pilgrims who witnessed her kind deed, it did all our hearts good. Many pilgrims do the Camino by bike. Biker Dudes and Dudettes, I call them. . Dressed in spandex, their gear in saddle bags attached to either side of their bikes, the Biker Dudes and Dudettes come zipping past us walkers, weaving between us if we don't move aside in time, speeding downhill, flying over the jagged rocks, peddling to beat the band up the steep hills. When you hear behind you the "jing-jing" of their bike bells, you'd best move aside, fast. They almost always travel in packs, so when one Dude or Dudette comes zapping by you, you can be sure that a few more are close behind. In the afternoons the Dudes and Dudettes come bouncing into the albergues, all sweaty and cheerful and peppy. They then bounce around the albergues in their undies, guys and gals alike, chatty bundles of energy next to us tired, draggy foot soldiers. They're the first ones to hop into bed at night and in the morning they're gone with the first light. Some of the walking pilgrims find the Biker Dudes and Dudettes annoying and a hazard on the Camino. Me, I like the bikers, but I sure as heck jump out of the way when I hear that "jing-jing". Yesterday we walked 13.3 k's -almost 8 miles- ...from Burgos to the pretty little village of Rabé de las Calzadas. We stayed at a homey little albergue called Liberanos Domine, ...owned by the sweetest hospitliera and her friendly husband, who gives each pilgrim upon their arrival a miraculous medal of Mary the Blessed Mother, the patron saint of the town's monastery. We took the "completo" bed-dinner-breakfast package, as we generally do at the albergues that offer one. The cost of the completo was 8€ for the bed, 8€ for dinner, and 2.50 € for a breakfast of toast and jam with coffee or tea for a total of 18.50€ -about $20.75 - each. After we were showered, settled in, and had handed our laundry over to the hospitaliera to wash for us, we walked to the town bar, which is also owned by the hospitaliera and her husband and run by her husband. We had lunch at the bar, our usual fare of tortillas and bread, then hung out for a while, enjoying how the sociable bar owner greeted each pilgrim who entered the bar, giving each one a miraculous medal, asking each where they were from, then showing them a wall hung with mementos and currencies left by pilgrims from different countries. Dinner was a delicious meal prepared by the hospitaliera and served family-style. The first course was a tasty noodle soup made with saffron; next was a pasta salald followed by a tortilla festively topped with red pimentos. Dessert was yogurt. The hospitaliera told us that there would be vespers at 8 pm sung by the elderly nuns who live in the town's monastery, which these days is a hospital and retirement home for the nuns. About a dozen pilgrims including Tom went to the vespers service. They said it was very nice. We really liked the Liberamos Domine albergue.. Except that we couldn't quite figure out the logic of the bathroom. Can you? Two sinks, two showers and one potty?
5 Comments
Romaine
9/26/2015 04:30:23 pm
Two showers, two sinks, one potty - obviously this facility was built to accomidate five pilgrims.
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Holly
9/26/2015 07:43:02 pm
Wow - $20.75 for dinner, bfast & a bed sounds awesome! Love the look of that place you are staying!
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Rikke Olsen
1/11/2016 08:19:03 pm
I am up to this day of your trip....and enjoy all the daily details.
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Great to hear from you, Rikke!
1/11/2016 11:59:09 pm
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AuthorPatti Liszkay Archives
November 2015
CategoriesThe sequel to "Equal and Opposite Reactions" in which a woman discovers the naked truth about herself.
A romantic comedy of errors. Lots and lots of errors. "Equal And Opposite Reactions"
by Patti Liszkay Buy it on Kindle: http://amzn.to/2xvcgRa or in print: http://www.blackrosewriting.com/romance/equalandoppositereactions or from The Book Loft of German Village, Columbus, Ohio Or check it out at the Columbus Metropolitan Library
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