Friday 20th June 2014...Camino day 17!!!

I challenge you to read this post and tell me the Camino does not provide!!!!! But first let me tell you about those English boys playing soccer last night losing to Uruguay by a score of 2-1 and making their way to the next round extremely difficult. I did enjoy watching the game in a big easy chair large screen TV my leg on a chair and I was the only one. I was asleep by 11pm and had another good sleep till 7.45am......did my usual morning chores and had tea and was on the road by 9am this time overcast skies but great for walking except my left shin felt uncomfortable and I walked quite slowly for 4 km to this town......can you imaging living in a town with this name!!!!! Where do you live oh me I live in>>>>>>>> Anyway I decided for maybe the third time in my life to be smart...I needed to go 19 km to the next stop and I could have walked it very slowly but knew it would just cause more wear and tear on my leg.....so I took off my pack and exercised my thumb...took about 5 minutes for a car to stop and Silva, who is so very cute, and her Dad Martin to pick me up they were heading in the same direction but to a village about 10 km before the town I was going to. Martin spoke good English and we talked of many things....he told me he was going to the pharmacy to get some pills for Silvia and that I should buy some of this cream there it would work on my leg I used to use this cream and had forgotten about it so it was good of him to remind me. We then got back in the car and he took me to his house he said he would leave Silvia with her Mum and then would drive me to Ribadesella....he asked me to wait in his garden for a couple of minutes...his produce looks so good and his horses behind the fence. He then came and drove me to the town he drove me around showed the supermarket to me and dropped me off at the Tourism office. another person whom I shall never forget such acts of kindness to strangers!!! The lady at the tourist office was so helpful and I told her i was looking for an apartment for one night with a kitchen and fridge and she showed me on the local map three places and how to get to them......the first one was 2 minutes away but was full...the next one was around the corner and here the story gets interesting. I went into the small office and with my limited language skills asked if she had what I was looking for.....she told me she was full but then picked up the phone and 30 seconds later another lady appeared and from what I could understand this lady had an apartment for me it was 20 Euros and I was to follow this lady which I did. We walked maybe 3 minutes and entered by key an apartment building and took the elevator to the 6th floor and then into this apartment.. she gave me the key said goodbye and walked out leaving me in a two bedroom fully equipped beautiful home!!!!! No money changed hands and no talk about paying or returning keys obviously later on I will go back to the original lady and settle all this..can you believe this??? First thing was to put my clothes in the washer and then I went just around the corner to the supermarket and this Pilgrim boy is going to have real chicken and potatoes and carrots and mushrooms for dinner because there are enough pans!!!!!! Bought some milk, yogurt, treats, bread and rice pudding and came home and had a great cup of tea...applied some cream and now on the couch it is 12 noon and I cannot believe my luck to get such a place and to be able to rest because I am sure after a good lazy day and treating my leg I shall be good to go if not I could always stay here an extra day but I hope tomorrow will be good to go. All my wordly possessions are now on the balcony!!! So on the couch reading , planning and thinking listening to the pounding rain outside hard to see in this photo and my music on the inside.....so really a great day not to be on the road. I can write e mails on the Nexus and save them and when I get Internet send them so that is what i did......had more tea and a long hot shower in the super modern bathroom with one of those huge and hard shower heads!!!! Around 5pm after being an utter and complete lazy Pilgrim I walked back to the office to see the lady and pay the money and arrange about the keys I rang the bell and she came down and oh so pleasant I really expected her to charge me more but no 20 Euros and she stamped my passport and told me to leavethe keys on the table in the morning as the front doors are self locking....again the Camino provides!!! ..then walked slowly around town it is lovely the statue reminds me of the cowboy pilgrimage I attend evry year in SMA on 3 King's day!!!! and found the library with Internet and now I am going post this and then go back home, see calling it home already and relax for the evening. Truly I believe I was provided for today by the Camino in every which way!!! So only walked 5km today to bring my total to 411km and I am not feeling any guilt about what i did today it was a very smart move I knew my body needed R & R and this place was more than perfect. Just checked my book and realized I am officially at the half way point on my Camino...what a thrill!!! So night another hot shower, ice on the shin and cream and a good sleep and back on the trail BUT if it does not feel right will stay an extra day!!! What I learned today. Some people in this world are just KIND!! To listen to my body Ice tea and chips once in while are delicious Nobody has better friends than me. I am so lucky and blessed!!! Yashi Kochi!!!