Tidal Waves And Other Unnatural Disasters

Well, Bea left yesterday. She bought me a melón, the kind you can only get in Spain, and some Chupa Chups as a going away present. I gave her one of my knotted designs.  The night before she left we had one last ovejas feeding session. She left by taxi, early the next morning. I had a tear in my eye as she got into the taxi. After she left, Elidio and I fell back into our routine. It was calm and comfortable. 

Then it happened, Heidi swept in on a rush of words and movement. She is the hospitalera who will be serving with two Australians, Margaret and Rowen. Heidi is Norwegian and speaks several languages, including Spanish and English. 

She is in constant motion both bodily and vocally. I was having a nap on my bed when she arrived. Elidio came in looking distressed and said,"Nancy, venga!" Half asleep, I walked into the kitchen and a conversation with Heidi, that went faster than the speed of light. At the same time two English speaking pilgrims arrived. I'm trying to wake up, greet the pilgrims and talk to Heidi, who is talking right over me. 

I got the pilgrims checked in and Heidi settled in. I started explaining how we had been doing things. Suggesting that she will certainly find a way that is comfortable for her, but I would just show her what Elidio and I had been doing. She had brought books to start a library, rags for cleaning, two bottle brushes for doing dishes because she works in public health and things need to be clean. We somehow got "Happy Hour" tea, coffee and snacks set up. She had brought a bunch of teas to make cold tea infusions, whatever that is, and pots of hot tea. Bea ordered an infusion at the cafe the other day. I think I was too embarrass by my ignorance to ask what it is. 

Heidi has more energy than anyone I've ever met. I felt like I had been run over by a train. And, I'm not exactly a shrinking violet. Though I think all the work I've done on becoming the softer gentler Nancy must have changed me. In my former life, this would have been an epic clash of titans. Instead I just tried to stay out of the way. 

She settled in with some knitting and talked to the pilgrims in Spanish, English, and German. She got a conversation going in three languages.  It really worked well to get everyone talking. I went back to bed. 

Every new hospitalero has their own style and way of doing things. It is part of the process to turn it over. I showed her around town today, and we went to Chino to get some things she wanted for the Albergue. I have yet to be able to complete a sentence. lol Those of you who knew me ten (10) years ago, probably find this hard to believe. God always has a plan, maybe this time it was for me to see some change in me. 

I miss Bea. I am sad about leaving, but simultaneously, ready to go. Margaret and Rowen showed up today. They are Australian and just delightful. They are trying to learn Spanish "on the fly." I think they will be great hospitaleros once they get their feet wet. They are tea drinkers also. So, they are enjoying Heidi's teas. 

Yesterday was crazy busy. We could have filled sixty beds if we had them. We filled up the other available beds in town and then helped pilgrims arrange taxis to go on to the next two towns, allowed about ten young people who were going sleep in the park to take showers, and did some laundry for a couple of the young people who had bed bugs. The Norte and Primitivo are crazy busy right now. It's been a zoo here this evening. 

As I left the Albergue this morning, I hugged everyone good bye and when I hugged Elidio I started crying. I cried all the way to the bus. I can't believe I was that emotional after just two weeks of being there. I also said good bye to the ovejas. 

Here are the pictures of the mountains I failed to get on my way to Oviedo two weeks ago. This morning, on my way back from Oviedo, I tried to take time out from gawking to take pictures.

I'm in Burgos now. Yesterday was so tense I didn't eat much. So I had a bag of Riquettos on the bus and a cheeseburger and fries for dinner. : ) This evening I got an ice cream cone and Padron along the river. Now there is something very loud going on in the plaza in front of the cathedral. It is some kind of skit about the Camino. I may have to go check it out. 

Meanwhile, here is a picture from my hotel window.