Vino Camino

I took an alternate path that lead to a mud-brick albergue in El Burgo Ranero. I told Frank I would be stopping in a different city by mistake. I wonder if I will see him again along the way. It is sad when Camino friends part ways. Such is life.

Gil, John, and Gretchen cooked community dinner for the group. We had salad, pasta, ice cream, bread, and wine. For the seven of us it was forty-two euros. It was a much needed family, home-cooked meal.

Villarente was my next destination. I spent the day with Belinda from Australia. We stopped in a lovely, rustic albergue with a beautiful garden. It was a calm, easy-going night. I went to a little market to pick up dinner, and when I asked for bread, the woman told me to go up the way to the bread shop. There I spent 80 cents for a baguette, and I thought to myself that the market should sell it for 60 cents. I am such a little capitalist!

Tom is graduating from university when he gets back from the Camino. He is from Canterbury, which is where I studied abroad. He loves cricket, beer, and being English. He studied American history and knows a lot more than I do. He does really terrible impressions of American presidents. He loves a girl named Lucy but won't admit it.

Belinda was laid off from her insurance job, so she took her severance and has been travelling for nearly a year. She trekked in Nepal. There was not one bad photo! It made me very excited for Charli. I invited Andy to come do it with me next summer. I hope it works out! Trekking may be my new thing. Belinda shared with me that her mother died at age 68 with a ton of money in the bank. She had always wanted to travel abroad but never did.

Gil lives in Indiana and spent part of his childhood in Mexico. He is very polite, thoughtful, and likeable. He translates at an elementary school and is going to night school. He plays five or six instruments and used to tour. He's a gem.
John is from Ireland. He is frequently shirtless and is always searching for a pint. He looks out for me, and acts as a fun camino dad. He lost his business and then his wife divorced him, so he decided to go to college. It sounds like he has come a long way in the past couple of years.

I have decided to walk an extra three days to the "end of the world." What's another fifty-five miles when you've already walked five hundred? I also have been invited to run with the bulls, so I may do that too. I am terrified of dying, but Frank told me that fear leads you to the direction you need to go, so Pamplona, here I come!