The Song in My Head: I Keep Forgettin’ - Michael McDonald
Word of the Day: Donativo
Today’s (Random) Craving/Memory: SUSHI
Total Steps: 33,115 steps
Total Walking Distance: 11.8 miles / 19.0 kilometers
⏰ Wake Up: 7:30am
💤 Sleep: 11:30pm
Hi!
Today we woke up at 7:30am.
Max and I slept in so late but we only have a 23km day so we weren’t worried. Max was also taking his sweet time so I left on my own at 8am.
Today’s walk was very bland but beautiful.
Open fields, some sunflower patches, and one big town to pass through.
I stopped in Santo Domingo to get a stamp at the cathedral and to get a half sandwich for 2 euros.
When I got back on path I ran into the Kiwis.
Liz, Emily, and Brydie.
We continued on until we got into Grañon. We went to the donativo, and checked in. It was exactly how I remember it looking when my mom showed me pictures of it a couple years ago.
Super cool, literally in a cathedral, and extremely welcoming.
But maybe a little too welcoming.
Brydie and I felt like the vibe was a little weird and off putting. It felt very staged, and forced, like the volunteers were trying to sell us something on a spiritual level
Anyways, we checked in, showered, and got our bed space. We are situated on the bottom floor which is the coolest in temperature. So nice, hopefully no sweatshop this time.
I also went up to the attic to do laundry. Boy was that room creepy. I met Pablo and Hugo while washing my clothes, two boys from Madrid. They are super cool and friendly.
Then I got back to the squad and we went out for food. Brydie and I got 2 euro ham and cheese sandwiches to hold us over until the big pilgrim dinner we will have tonight in the donativo albergue.
Emily and Liz got big salads, and by the time they finished those, Max had hit town so he came to join us and got a big plate of French fries.
We ate, and then went back to the albergue, changed into our swimsuits, and Max and I went to the pool with Hugo and Pablo, and Ludovigo from Italy.
I left my phone to charge during this time, but the pool was packed. Compared to the town, which is extremely dead, the pool had so many people I was so curious where they came from.
We swam, and got back to the Albergue around 7. Just in time for mass in the church.
Mass was great, and then we walked out and came across a little show in the plaza. A man was putting on a show for a young crowd of kids. Pretty hilarious.
Then it was dinner time at 8pm.
This was such an amazing experience.
Everyone at the table, eating, talking, etc. the vibes were so high, and everyone was having a great time.
We had to all first sing a song, then we began to eat.
We started with bread and some WONDERFUL hummus. I ate so much. Then we had a delicious salad. I also sat next to a French man, his name was Sebastian, or something like that. (Names have been so hard to remember because there are so many people but I’ll ask him again tomorrow morning)
Also, there was so much wine at the table. More wine than water.
We ate so good, then we cleared the table and they brought us pasta. Made by an Italian Peregrino named Mateo. It was delicious. And it tasted even better knowing it was made by people in our pilgrim community.
Then they brought out dessert: watermelon.
This was some of the juiciest watermelon I’ve had.
While we were eating it( they tried to take away my bread and hummus but I asked them to keep it out because I was still eating it.
So good.
Once all the meals were done being eaten, we began dishes. They set up 4 stages.
Washing, rinsing, drying, and quality control.
I was quality control. With my other friends I had just met.
We chilled at the end of the assembly line. We mainly only sent back forks because it’s hard to clean in between the prongs.
They also played music during this, which was very fun.
I wish it was me on the piano, but that’s fine. I never got to play it sadly.
After washing, we took down the tables and folded chairs, and went back to the cathedral for reflection time.
We sat in a circle and had a candlelit reflection. It was very emotional.
After, we all hugged, and went outside to relax, and grab our clothes that were drying. It was 10pm and it was sprinkling rain outside.
I talked with Mateo, Martina, Brydie, and Emily, and reflected on our journeys. I really enjoyed that.
We then brushed our teeth and got in bed at 11pm.
After all, the donativo was not creepy, not off putting like my friends had assumed. But I have reflected on how quick we are to put up walls when someone’s just being nice. That is absurd, and something I will spend the rest of this pilgrimage unlearning. We don’t need to have a reason to be kind to one another. There’s not always an ulterior motive behind everyone’s actions. Sometimes you need to take them at face value and respect someone as who they are, no questions asked.
Anyways, today was a 10/10 day. Tomorrow we walk 27km to Villafranca. A lot of my friends said they’re joining me at 4am to get on our way since tomorrow is the hottest day. We’ll see who sticks to their word hahaha.
See y’all then,
David