La gente

I continue to be amazed by the warmth of the spaniards. Even in the cities that we pass through, most give right of way to pilgrims and wish us a buen camino. The real spirit, I have found however, is in the small towns. People express genuine interest in our journey and want to make sure that we feel welcome. Yesterday, we had the good fortune to meet Cesar, a bartender/ waiter at a restaurant in hospital de orbigo. As we all chatted over a glass of wine. His children, grandchildren and dog arrived, as it seemed they did daily, to spend time together. It was a remarkable thing to witness, their closeness. No one was talking on a phone or watching a television, they were just enjoying each other's company. The whole scene, though a common one here, made me smile.