Fright

[jim allen]

I can second and third Felipe's message.  My wife and I got lost in Pamplona
late at night (2:00am) walking back to the apartment where we were staying.
It was during the running of the Bulls in July.  A gentleman who spoke some
English offered to drive us to our apartment if we would just walk a couple
of blocks with him and wait for him to get his car from an underground
garage.  Should we go with this stranger?  We did.  He had to ask others for
directions and eventually found the address a short distance away.  He
insisted on waiting until we unlocked the door and entered the apartment
before he would drive away.  I am not sure I would have gone with someone in
the USA under the same circumstances.
Jim Allen


----- Original Message -----
From: "Felipe Sanchez" <felipsanaOLYPEN.COM>
To: <GOCAMINOaPETE.URI.EDU>
Sent: Monday, February 11, 2002 5:27 PM
Subject: Fright


> From: "Andrea Innes-Michailov" <andreaaCORP.IDT.NET>
>
>
> > I can see that El Camino will be chalk full of interesting people and
> ideas.
> > I am scared to death but excited too!
> > Andrea
>
> Andrea:  From one hyphened name (Aue-Sanchez) to another please let me
> assure you that you have no reason to feel the least trepidation in regard
> to spending time on the Camino.  My view of Spain is that they have a
> society that functions, i.e., works.  You will find the people on and off
> the Camino to be supportive not predatory.  In addition, the number of
towns
> and facilities along the C. Frances  is sufficient to aid you in almost
any
> contingency.  I really think that you will be very much at home while
having
> a distinctly unique and transforming experience.  The next paragraph might
> be of interest to you.
>
> The following is an excerpt from a Camino diary by Carl Sesto of New York.
> He is a photographer but has a great ability to describe in interesting
> detail
> his "adventures" along the Way of ST. James.  I selected the following as
it
> reflects my comments on American culture in at least one respect. "The
> Spanish know how to party. At this hour the paseo is in full swing, with
> families and young adults mingling with boisterous teens in the streets.
> With hundreds of people out to enjoy themselves the noise is deafening.
> Impromptu bands erupt every few minutes adding to the mayhem yet no one
> seems to become violent and no one is threatened. My impression is that
this
> could never happen in America. There appears to be a social code of
conduct
> here by which everyone conducts themselves, drunk or sober, and which
> disallows threatening others or destroying property. In my experience,
when
> Americans congregate and drink, they inevitably become rowdy, violent, and
> destructive."
>
> I might append another thought or two.  While there last year I was
> surprised and pleased to see several Spanish men with their young sons.
And
> I made the acquaintance of a wonderful woman from Northern Spain who was
> hiking with her daughter.  Also, may women walked alone.  I even met two
who
> were on their way back to Europe proper after having traversed the route
in
> the normal direction.  So I advise you to forego fear, embrace enthusiasm,
> feel secure, and you will live in such a way as to etch the Camino time
into
> the mnemonic tablets of your mind and heart. Felipe