When I left off, I was getting settled into the albergue in Belorado. Sets of bunks are pushed together, so it's kind of like a double bed, top and bottom, only you don't know who you'll be sleeping with. Tonight, my bunk mate was J., a middle aged guy from North Carolina. His afternoon siesta was full of snoring ... so that made me a little anxious for the night time.
The weather outside after we arrived was still a bit grim; grey and beginning to look like the rain was going to be more serious. Nevermind, the vending machine in the cocina has beer and 1/2 bottles of good red wine - 2 Euros for the wine. By the time supper was ready, the vending machine was down to a single bottle of vino tinto.
Beer and wine on bottle level - just to the left of the agua. I think I might like one of these at the office.
This afternoon I had an extensive conversation with R. (Brazil). I hadn't seen or met him before; a youngish (30's) married father of 2 and a biologist. He told me some of his Camino story which is worth sharing:
He has some sort of chronic knee issue which, of course, acted up on the Camino with the relentless miles. (Well, OK, kilometers.) He made it to Azofra, a one-burro town 6 km past Najera. Once there, he was in so much pain that the hospitalero took him to a Dr. In spite of speaking Portugese (his native tongue), his Spanish is little better than mine. If I remember correctly, the Dr. and hospital were in Najera, where he was x-rayed, and given a prescription medication, as well as an injection into his knee. The Dr. then drove him back to the albergue in Azofra, refused payment for any part of the treatment, including the taxi service. The Dr. then spoke to the hospitalero (the woman who ran the albergue) and explained R.'s medical issues. She, a dour looking senora, hid his hiking boots so that he couldn't leave before the Dr.'s prescribed 2 days of rest were up. She didn't charge him anything for his extra days, but he was concerned that he was in this small town and was low on cash, so a Canadian peregrino gave him some Euros ... just in case. And then, when he seemed to be bored, the hospitalero called her daughter and son-in-law and they took him on a family outing to Logrono, to a festival and to visit the small winery that they ran. R. was nearly in tears recounting the series of kindnesses that had been bestowed upon him as a peregrino on the Camino. And, although I have not required such measures, I can easily believe it.
Back to the evening in Belorado:
The communal meal in the 'upper room' of the albergue - fantastico! Red bean soup, vino tinto, chicken and potatoes, creme caramel ... those were the items I ate but there were choices for each course. The camaraderie, the noise (!) of people enjoying an evening of warmth, companionship (and no designated drivers required ... it was wonderful.
This is where I would insert a photo of the event ... if I had one.
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