Day 54 - Bercianos - September 7- Day 7 of 15

Day 54 - Bercianos - September 7- Day 7 of 15

Well it's been a crazy day with many unexpected lessons. We three went to Sahagún this morning. To our surprise they were having a mercadía, which is like a farmers market with clothes too. It made it little crazy trying to get to the bulk market we were going to because they had the streets blocked off around Plaza Mayor.   That was of little consequence in the end because it was Saturday and the bulk market apparently isn't open on week ends. So we decided to go to El Día, a supermercado. We got there and got a parking place but it wasn't open yet. So we went to Plaza Mayor to have coffee, once we got there we decided to check out the mercadía instead. That was fun. I got an apple and we got cheese and so vegetables for the Albergue. Then we went to the Bazaar Chino, which are kind of like our 99 cent stores only more crowded. I got my Star Trek pants at one last year and I have them with me again this year.

While driving to and from Sahagún we saw lots of pilgrims because the Camino runs along the road we were on. We went by the place of the police encounter it felt a little strange seeing the Camino and pilgrims from the car. I kept wondering which of them we would see tonight. We also saw some pilgrim's in Sahagún and called out Buen Camino to them. One time I also said, "hasta luego" thinking we'll probably see them soon. 

I got a fake purple flower for Berry's bottle. Berry greets the pilgrims every day, even the day after he fell off the wagon and had a terrible headache. :) we also got some ice trays and sink strainers. Then we went to El Día and got groceries. There bread wasn't very good so we went back to the Plaza Mayor to the panadería. We got bread and caramelos.  Then we went home. 

We were late getting back and were hurrying to get the cleaning done b

Shortly after we got back, at about 11:30 the first pilgrims arrived. We don't open until 1:30. Before we got open a man came through the door with a lot welts that looked like he'd fallen into a pool of mosquitos. But we didn't think they were mosquitos, we thought they were bedbug bites. So we asked Jorge to look at them, having been in charge of the albergue for a few years, he had definitely seen more bedbug bites than we had. 

By this time there were already about twenty pilgrims lined up. So we had him get in line in his regular place, thanked him for bringing this to his attention, and explained that after he was checked in we would take home to the Capilla, which is a pretty empty room without beds. That he would empty his back pack and we would spray it and most of what was in it. Then he would take a shower and put on as few clothes as possible. We would then wash his clothes and after they were dry he would change clothes and we would wash them. The poor man was so embarrassed and kept apologizing. I assured him it wasn't his fault, that he wasn't the first to have this happen on the Camino and he wouldn't be the last, and that this happened to people staying in five star hotels. He came up to me later and told me he felt better after the shower and thanked me for our kindness. 

We got two more people in the same condition before the day was over. So it meant lots more laundry and spraying, but we got through it. They were all embarrassed about having this condition, loke they were lepers or something. I don't think the bites bothered them much. It was the internal stigma and embarrassment. Tomorrow we will search for bugs and kill any ones we find. Rosa does a daily search any way. 

Meanwhile we have a mass of pilgrims. We finally had to say were full and this young Korean girl shows up all alone who speaks English, but no Spanish and a Spanish young man on a bicycle. It was another "Nancy Please" situation. We had been sending people to the other albergue, Santa Clara. But some off the pilgrims said they were full too. So I said I'd walk down there with them and check it out. If they were full we'd figure something out. The young man on the bike said if there was only one bed, she could have it because it would be a lot quicker to do the 7 km on a bike than walking. What a genuinely nice guy. It took us a while to find the place, I haven't had time to do a lot of exploring. 

It turned out they only had one room, not a bed. But they let her have it for the same price as a bed (I think) it was ten euros. The hospitaleros seemed very nice and I was satisfied she was safe for the night. I thanked the young man for his help and left, praying I would find my way back to our albergue without getting lost. Did I mention it was cold and windy and looked like it was about to rain?

So I get back to our albergue and we are dealing with a few cranky and argumentative pilgrims. I mean most of the were just delightful, but there were three that tried everyone's patience. One of them was a woman who slept in the Capilla last year and wanted to sleep in it again. I told her it wasn't available and she wanted to know why. I told her it just wasn't available. So when I get back from Santa Clara she has just found out somehow that the bedbug guy is staying in that room. And she says to me, "oh, so now it is available to stay in. I didn't even smack her. I just said yes he is staying in the room. 

But we got through it, had a lovely dinner, a quiet moment of reflection(they are getting better) and then listened to a young man who brought his guitar play and sing. Some young men insisted on helping is clean up and referred to us as "chicas" which won my heart. lol

Because there was a fiesta last night with a Movil Discoteca. As far as I can tell a Movil Discoteca is a DJ is a large trucks with huge speakers. These fiesta music events don't start until 11:30 pm and end at 7 or 8am. So we extended the closing of the doors to the albergue to midnight. Shortly before dinner it started to rain, the wind increased, lightening, thunder, the whole shebang! I thought surely they would cancel the Movil Discoteca because water and electricity do not mix well and besides it was very cold. But no, the show must go on! At 10 pm the rai, wind, thunder and lightening stopped and at 11:30 the music ( I use the term loosely) began. 

No Peregrinos came through the door between 10 and 12, so I assume they all chose sleep over Movil Disco. 

Milagros: this morning the cranky woman told me she was very grateful to me because I opened up something in her, and she cried and the women pilgrims held her and she felt the community. This morning she was happy and full of Camino spirit. What the Rolling Stones said is true, you don't always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, you get what you need. My plan is usually not the best plan. But I'm glad I didn't smack her or get rude. It might have all turned out differently. 

The pilgrims with the bed bug bites were happy, grateful and smiling this morning. All is well as we start another day.