The Tasty Pilgrim

This a nice town with a beautiful cathedral and a museum for pilgrims in a palace designed by the famous architect Gaudi. Here in Astorga I stay in a private refugio. The lady who runs is comes from Germany. She used to be a nurse, but gave that up. Now she works in a refugio all year around. In winter she is in Barcelona and in summer in Astorga. I decided to stay here for two nights as my heel was too painful to walk. Next day I helped in the refugio. I observed how they run the place. They have a woman coming in to do the cleaning. Cleaning properly is a job and it takes skill. I saw how this cleaning lady worked and it gave me some ideas to follow. Rest of the morning I helped to receive the pilgrims that walked in. The weather was unfriendly and they were all tired and wet through. To be received warmly and find some sympathy is really how you should reach out to them. In the afternoon I visited the museum of the cathedral. Very impressive. Then I visited the musaum in the Gaudi building. Here I saw a copy of the Santi Jacobi, a nice surprise for me ! Outside someone was playing the guitar and singing. It is the first time that I meet a musician on the Camino.  In the evening I went to have a meal with some others in the Gaudi Hotel. Very enjoyable indeed. There is was couple from Alaska and a Dutch lady and another American lady Robin. She suffered from an upset stomag and could not eat for days ! But with so many people around you, you might easily pick up some germs. Then there was a Diana, who told me she was name dafter the Godess of the hunt.

Unfortunately she is a vegetarian ! But here on the Camino she started to eat meat again. Had slept very well after that meal. Next day I was going to do the last walk up to the place where I would run a refugio. I am really looking forward to it.

The Happy Pilgrim !