The Camino – Elizabeth Arroyave-Pitts

I walked from Foncebon to Villfranca de Bierzo… As always I woke up early and started walking alone, when i got to Ponferrada, i noticed a man walking with a small backpack and saying hi to all the locals, I was intrigued and asked him if he was walking the camino… his name was Santiago, no kidding, and he is a friend of the camino, this is an organization that makes sure the signs are clear, most are yellow sprayed arrows on trees or sidewalks or rocks, anyway I walked iwth him for the rest of the day, he reminded me so much of my fathers dad, my grandfather Mariano, he took me to eat where the locals eat, shared storied with me about the camino, his life and was just a wonderful man… We walked thru vineyards, mountains, and he was not pleased with the albergue at Villafranca so he spoke to a freind of his, owner of a resturant where we eat lunch, and they got me a room at a hostal. This was the best meal I had had.  The owner wife had been a cheif at the Tops resturants in Spain and he was in think involved in government, after walking the camino, the camino called them to open a upscale palce to feed pilgrams, the back of the card says, when you open your doors to a pilgram with respect and love you open your doors to Santiago…. Amazing Grace how sweet You are….  As i was wlking around town i bumped into a German lady that had met the night before, and she was looking for a room to stay but the town was full, it happened that I had 2 beds in my room so we shared….Amazing Grace how sweet You are….