[Gocamino] Day 11 -- Salamanca -- Sinking Feeling

[claire]

Greetings,

Yesterday was an incredible day in many ways: The Camino/Godde sent us `angels´ to help us on our way, but then the Camino also gave us a scare.

Yesterday morning, we were in Hostal Asturias on the N-630, 8 km away from el Arco de Cáparra. We were going to catch a bus to Herwas (the second largest Juderia -- antique Jewish compound going back to the Arab days) to find an optician to fix my glasses. We went and waited for the bus, across the street from the Hostal. The bus came, stopped, and the driver told us he was not going to Herwas. And he left. So we crossed the road again and went back into the Hostal. Turns out the driver was wrong: He should have taken us to Herwas. The owner of the Hostal told us he would take us himself to the town. But he was obviously so busy how we could ask him to take us there?
The cafe was getting more and more crowded. Paul & I were at a table. I saw a man who needed a seat and invited him to seat with us. His wife joined him. It turns out the two of them had lived in France, and spoke French. They had stopped for a coffee on their way back home. They knew where Herwas was and offered to drop us there. They were our first angels.
In Herwas, sure enough, I found an optician. The lady fixed my glasses in two minutes, having the right little screw to tighten the glasses. She was our third angel.
Herwas was 3 km away from the N 630 where we were to catch the Camino again, this time to go to Baños de Montemayor, where we were going to stay for the day. Only 8 kms, easy peasy. I noticed that Paul was walking more slowly than usual. At the mainroad was a cafeteria where we stopped for a coffee and met an older English couple (well, older in the sense that they were our age). The woman told us that Salamanca seemed to be booked up this coming Friday, just at the time we expected to stop there. The couple left and not long after we resumed our walk. This is when it became obvious that Paul was not well at all. His left ankle basically did not want to work any more. So we went up to Baños very slowly, taking our time.
We reached Baños and found a lovely man who help us around to find an hostal where we could stay a couple of days... Our fourth angel. We got to the Hostal, and no one answered (I must also admit I did not like its smell and really did not want to stop there). So,. we trudged back up, this time to the Albergue, to which our fourth angel had wanted to take us to in the first place. The Albergue was closed, but gave a number to call. I did. A bit later, the hospitalero arrived. We asked if we could stay in the albergue for two or three days. To make a long story short, he called a pensión and took us there. A fifth angel, in a way.
The pension was ultra basic, but really fine for our needs then. A bit later, I walked ´down town´, if such a thing can be said of Baños. The consultorio medical was open from 8 to 1. The biblioteca (where maybe I would find a computer) was open from 3 to 5 (too late). The tourist office did not want to open at all. The small pharmacy (botiquín) was open at 5:30. I bought a bandage for Paul and the lady told me I could get bus information at the Cafe Tari down the road.
Baños de Montemayor is a small moutain spa, where the Romans were already taken baths. Retired people come here for a week stay, paid by their medical insurance... So, everyone in the town looked really old, out of shape... Not much to do there and my heart sank below my heels...
In the course of the afternoon, Paul and I decided to spend only one night in Baños and take the bus to Salamanca the following day, ie today. Our favorite little hostal, Hostal Sara, had room for us. We nearly feel part of the family now there.
In the course of the afternoon, Paul put some of my ´magic´ cream on his ankle (tobillo in Spanish) and he stayed off his feet. We had had a rather bad lunch so we skipped inner all together and watched some TV. In the evening, he felt that his ankle was not as bad. This morning when we got up, he felt it was not too bad either, but still definitely in need of rest.
So here we are in Salamanca till Friday morning. We both have a good feeling now about continuing our Camino. Santiago is three weeks away. Paul is going to rest his ankle for a couple of days. I´ll take care of finding an extension to our creancial. I´ll clear up my e-mails and check Facebook.
I am at a great Internet Cafe, with cool music. A lady my age is on Skype next to me, speaking English with a relative in Japan in believe. She may be a pilgrim as well. I´m not sure.
This is all for today.
I wish you to meet angels during your day as well. Or to be an angel to someone.
With all my love, claire


Welcome the present moment as if you had invited it. 
Why? Because it is all we ever have.
~Pema Chodron

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