Our Camino Guidebook recommends taking a bus out of Gijon because the route follows dangerous roadways through uninteresting industrial areas. After not heeding a pharmacist’s advice to use public transportation earlier in our journey, and after appreciating the bus ride into Gijon yesterday, this time the decision was easy. We slept in, I shot a couple portraits, and we caught a bus with our friend Kevin making today very enjoyable.
Marco is from Sicily, Italy. “People from an island,” he said. He has lived in many countries and is trying to decide what to do when he reaches Santiago. For the past year he was living and working in Finisterre at a popular Camino Cafe. He is torn between following his heart and following the expectations of others. I sent a friend to see him in Finisterre in May, but his coworkers said that he was in Morocco. He is definitely following his heart.
Cristina is from Barcelona, Spain. We met in April 8, just before she left for home. She rearranged her schedule and returned a couple days ago. She works as a psychologist and arranged to meet clients via Skype. Before reaching Santiago de Compostela one day after us, Cristina left the camino and returned once more. The camino journey is unique for each person.
Mark and I, and nine more of our extended Camino family are staying tonight with our host Maria. Maria is from the Azores Islands in Portugal so I get to use my Portuguese language skills again. Maria operates this Albergue in the rectory building attached to the 10th century San Martin church, perched of course on a hill above Salinas, a beautiful beach town.
She has a four year contract, extendable to seven years, to operate this building as an albergue. She is in year two and says she loves it. It is a Donativo, a by donation albergue that feeds pilgrims dinner and breakfast. She lives in the building rent free and works online in the off season and when not busy catering to pilgrims. The season runs from April to October.
There are three types of albergues: municipal – inexpensive, simple accommodations run by local governments to house pilgrims who spend money in their communities; private – owner operators offering accommodation exclusively to pilgrims, sometimes with meal options; and Donativo. Donativos are the least common but the most rewarding to visit. I feel humbled every time I experience the generosity of the Donativo hosts. It is their love of the Camino that leads them to care for other pilgrims.
Tina is from Germany and she has hiked many trails including the fabled Appalachian, the Pacific Crest, and the Continental Divide Trails in USA. When someone completes all three, they are referred to as a “Triple Crowner”. She jokingly said that we can address her as, “Your Highness”.
Maria is from Azores, Portugal, but is now living at and operating the albergue. She prepares a lovely meal every night in a very welcoming place. She works online when not busy to support herself.
Jitesh is from the UK. He is walking a camino section to Ribadela. After that, he is going to live at a Buddhist monastery.
Patrycja is from Poland. She started her camino in Bilbao and is walking to Santiago de Compostela . She is a speech therapist.
Gozsef is from Hungary. He started his camino in Irun like me. He has walked Camino Frances before.
Tomorrow Mark’s girlfriend Shelagh joins us. It turns out that she can fly into Oviedo to save 8 hours on busses. We just happen to walk past the airport tomorrow. Mark will meet Shelagh at the airport and accompany her in a taxi to our albergue just 10 km away. It will give her the afternoon to get adjusted and catch up on sleep. Then the next day we will begin walking as three. With only 300 km to go, we are savouring every day.