Sunday 15th June 2014..Camino Day 12!!!

So last night i joined some fellow pilgrims for the pilgrims dinner which was wonderful I had a salad, fish dinner and this eat your heart out Ms.Scholey!!!!! The conversation was a mix of English and Spanish and sign language....the two ladies in the back are from Holland and Sweden and we are in a room together I took them aside after dinner and explained to them that I was a huge soccer fan and England were playing Italy and I had found a bar where I could watch the game the problem was that the game did not start till midnight so i would be returning to the room around 2am and they said this was no oproblem as long as I was not shouting like a crazy football fan...so off i went to the bar. At 11.30pm I realized I was not totally patriotic as I was falling asleep and there was no way I was going to watch the game so I sauntered home and was fast asleep by midnight.....so much for being a sports nut!!! Had a great sleep and was awke by 6.00am feeling refreshed and happy to be doing this amazing journey.....a sentence you have read here often and I am sure will read every day is "the Camino will provide" see how many times you count today that the way did actually provide..... after my morning ritual of feet, gear and food I was on the road by 6.30am and the Swedish lady asked if she could walk with me and of course I said yes and was happy to find she walked a good pace....I went to get my camera and turned it on and all the lights and things came on but the lens shutter would not open.....and the sign said turn power off and back on which I did but still no lens openeing now this is a problem because i love the camera but I do have a camera on my Nexus but that is really hard to stop put my Wolf down and then take it out of the case but I was prepared to do this for any great shot. We walked and talked for 10 km when the signs stopped and we came to a junction and I had no idea which way to go but Corrine the Swedish lady had a road map and she decided which way she was going to go and i said i trust you and off we went and of course it was the right way...shortly after she said she had to have breakfast and went into a small village I said i was going on so we said our buen Camino and off I went. I kept trying my camera periodically all with the same results but there was not really anything to take a shot of as the walk was all on pavement until i came to the ferry dock in Somo to take the boat to the big city of Santander. I missed the boat by seconds so had to wait 30 minutes so i got my camera out and turned it on and yes the lens opened up so now pictures.... I thought I was back in Mexico these kids waiting for th ferry singing and paying games!! and who comes along but Corrine...the cost of the boat was 2.6Euros and about 20 minutes! Amazing that all these people would come out on a sunday morning to welcome me to their city!! No it was NOT the dragon boat races they had come to see!!!! Some shots on the street of this big city!!! Last night i did some research and booked a hotel on line in what I thought was the area where the boat docked..I knew it was a risk a big city not knowing where to go but again with research I found my way in the general direction of the hotel and stopped to ask a man for directions he walked no more than 10 yards to a junction with me and pointed to my hotel!!! The cost was 28 Euros and it is great I also always ask to get my Camino passport stamped as I need to show that in Santiago ..small but I do not need much it has a fridge, freezer, stove and a wonderful shower!!! Did the usual routine of laundry and then went out about 5 minutes to a small market I had seen I was lucky as most stores are closed on Sunday.....I bought milk, OJ and some ham and then off to another store I wanted to get 4 eggs and some cooking oil and a tomato...in this store I told the owner i was a pilgrim and could i buy 4 eggs and a tomato and she got the eggs and tom and put them in a bag and gave the bag to me and I asked how much and she said "Nada, Buen Camino". Now I just needed oil so i went into a bar and told the lady there i was a pilgrim and showed her my stuff and asked to buy some oil and of course you know what is coming..she poured some into a plastic cup and gave it to me and would not take any money!! Came back and laid down and slept for about 45 minutes but not before having a cup of tea....then did my research for tomorrow and booked another 28 Euro hotel and had a great long hot shower and a shave so tomorrow i shall be a handsome Pilgrim......some one HAS to say it!!!!! Cooked a great omelet and now relaxing with this. For two days i have not seen Eliza..if you are reading this where are you girl????? So how many times did you count the way provided??? Happy father's day to all the great Dads out there.....I skyped my family tonight and that is always a treat and asked Malc to e mail the watch directions and he did and I set it so now no arithmatic to tell the time!!!!! Things I learned today. If I take care of my feet they take care of me. I had a fabulous Dad. I really love bananas and apples. My friends are the absolute best. Another 28 km total now up to 285!!! Yashi Kochi!!