Mission(s) Accomplished

Today, all goals were achieved. Paula got her taste of the Camino, I completed the three stages I missed first time around, and I picked up my new Camino guitar.

The first part of our walk out of Fromista was nice. We took an alternative route and walked along a river shaded by trees, feeling sorry for the folks who took the unshaded trail along the busy country road. We met an interesting pilgrim walking the other way; he was returning from Santiago. He told us he has been walking the Caminos of Spain for many years and has seen many changes. He did not have kind words for the turigrinos who are noisy, deface walls and trail markers with inane graffiti, and have little respect for the Camino etiquette. But he accepted the way it was, finding joy in the moment, not the destination, and in meeting interesting people along the way.

Eventually, the trails met. We had a drink and a bocadillo and met another interesting character from Frankfurt, Kentucky who often sleeps on benches, in the field or under a bridge when it rains. That’s his thing! Paula and I bid him adios, and then had our share of walking under the sun as the temperature rose to 85 degrees along the road into Carrión.

We were both feeling the effects of the heat and headed straight to the Bar España for our arrival beer. Then we hoofed it to our hotel on the other side of town. We had a nice light meal. We were still too overheated for anything heavy. After a short nap, we headed to La Ermita de La Piedad, on the other side of town, to find Federico Sheppard the luthier.

Freddy took us outside to see a part of the Ermita that would be restored with the help of funds from my guitar purchase. He then took us back inside, and voila! there was Rene Izquierdo, a well known classical guitarist playing my new guitar. This private concert, which lasted about 45 minutes, was an unexpected pleasure. It was my guitar’s baptism.

We will not set the alarm tonight.