This is tonight's alburgue, a place that is teaching me the meaning of hospitality. Nothing is too much trouble for David and Pepito. Beer, coke and mint infusions are all freely available, we will later all sit down for a communal meal, they take our dirty clothes and bring them back clean and dry in the morning. The charge for all this luxury - a donation of whatever we are willing and able to pay. This place is something special
This is David, my fourth angel of the camino. For him running an albergue isn't a job, it's a ministry of hospitality.
As I walk today I repeat the Jesus prayer in time to my steps. Then after a few repetitions I miss out the last phrase, repeating again after a few more repetitions until finally only one word is left. So it goes: Lord Jesus christ, son of the living God, have mercy on me, a sinner.
Lord Jesus christ, son of the living God, have mercy on me
Lord Jesus christ, son of the living God, have mercy
Lord Jesus christ, son of the living God,
Lord Jesus christ, son
Lord Jesus christ,
Lord Jesus
Lord
Today I passed through Tineo and while there saw that today was the festival of San Antonio and there was a special mass and procession. I went to the mass and the structure of the service was very much like ours except the music was produced by local instruments: asturian bagpipes and drums. I couldn't understand what the epistle was until the last few words, which were names of places. It was the pentecost reading in which people from many different countries understood what the apostles were saying, which I found ironic, given that I hadn't understood anything up to that point.
Today I will be walking the 'hospitales' route, known as one of the hardest days of the camino. Nearly 20 miles with no water sources and no houses other than ruined albegues (hospitales), pray for me and others taking this route today.
Yesterday I realised that I had lost my debit card (fortunately I still have a credit card) and before I knew it Debbie had phoned up the bank and cancelled it for me, so today Debbie is my 5th angel of the camino.
Walking to Grandes de Salime today and will be reflecting on the road to Emmaus story and Jesus walking beside me.
So I reflected on Jesus walking beside me and instead got a Bishop - Peter Bishop, an 82 year old from Llandudno on his fourth and final camino.
On the way to Fonsegrada today and reciting the Jesus prayer I got the words mixed up and ended up saying :
Lord Jesus Christ, son of the living God, have mercy on me and make me slimmer.
I know this is a prayer Debbie says for me.