Tuesday we wrapped up our stint managing a pilgrim albergue near Leon. It was hard, but rewarding work. Almost 100 pilgrims passed through our doors with a high of 17 for one night, and two nights with a lone guest. We did our best to make everyone feel welcome, even when there was a language barrier. As Laurie likes to say, “We want to welcome the disenfranchised.”
A perfect example was a Korean woman who stayed with us near the end. Her English was limited and our Korean is limited to Google Translate. We were pleasantly surprised with this heartfelt note she left in our guest book. This is what Google Translate rendered from her beautiful, handwritten Korean:
I feel as though I have been invited on my weary and exhausting pilgrimage. Coming here from so far away, I found healing for my heart through the warm hospitality and selfless kindness. I had a comfortable rest and send my heartfelt gratitude.
And, after an overnight trip we managed to arrive in Saint Jean Pied de Port where we started our very first Camino ten years ago. On that Camino we had to take the lower, and easier, route out of Saint Jean because the higher, and more difficult “Napoleonic” route was snowed in. Not an issue in September so we started off with an easy day of just 5 kilometers. That was good because it is rather hot and we have not been able to do serious training since June.
Check out Laurie’s Relive video of our short day here.
Our reward is stunning vistas and an overnight stay in one of the best facilities we have had on any of our seven previous Caminos. The balcony on our private room looks down over the valley from our perch on the north side of the Pyrenees. The other guests seem interesting and fun. And frankly, it is the other pilgrims that make the Camino.
While we have made it a habit to make a daily post, including a Relive video, on recent Caminos, we are going to scale it back a bit on this one. We’ll share when we have something interesting to share, but want to take more time to be in the moment.
I applaud your decision to be more “in the moment,” and trust that will bring more meaning and value to this year’s Camino experience. God bless each step of your journey, you two!
Thanks, Morlene
Off to a good start today.
I recently joined the valley of the sun FB group and I’d love to know more about your experience as hospitaleros. I’m interested in volunteering in some way
Welcome to the Valley of the Sun group. Great pilgrim group. Let’s talk in mid-October when we return about the experience and application process.