Wed, Aug 16th, 2016

3rd day as Hospitalero’s in Grado, a small country village in Northern Spain.

Its 10pm. Lights go out at 10pm, and peace descends in the albergue. Or usually does. Tonight the washing machine is on, there’s a sick man sleeping in the dining room, pilgrims are restless looking for their forgotten washing, overflow pilgrims are getting their camping gear organised to sleep in the park across the street.  One pilgrim’s gone to bed hungry as he walks into the kitchen at 10 minutes to 10 starting to set out his dinner, he either didnt see, or choose to ignore the sign “kitchen closes at 9pm”.

The Spanish tend to eat their dinner very late – usually 9pm or later.  Kitchens here open at times that our Blackheath ones close!  We had to leave one cafe bar as it’s kitchen only opened at 9pm, we found one that opened earlier, at 8.30pm – whew!

Tonight we had an amazing pasta meal cooked by an elderly french pilgrim. He bought enough foor for 4 people, so we didnt turn down his dinner invite. We contributed fresh fruit salad topped with a soy yoghurt jam mix. Very delicious meal, made rather special with french, norwegian and australian accents around the table.

Yesterday was a calm day at the albergue, today turned out the opposite with a young pilgrim arriving quite unwell at about 7pm. We suspect sunstroke. Heidi’s experience as mom and nurse came in handy & she had him set up with bed & food in no time. She loves mothering the pilgrims, give her a situation and she’s in her element!

Heidi is Norwegian but speaks fluent Spanish. Tomorrow we start Spanish lessons.  Australians who have been hospitalero’s advised us that the challenges we will likely have here is not with the pilgrims, but with fellow hospitalero’s.   They are right. Our first day working with Heidi was rough going, she’s hyperactive (more than me!) and domineering. But well intended.   We let her run the show. Again, we’re doing cleaning – fortunatley we are experts at it!!