Carmen’s Dinner

Today requires two entries. we couldn’t get a room in Fromista, which is the normal end of stage city. We had to go to the next town, Poblacion de Campos. We got a room at a small nondescript hotel. It seemed clean enough, the water was hot and it has a nice courtyard. All day long, I smelled incredible aromas from the kitchen. Dinner was at 7 PM. It smells so good I showed up at 6:30 to wait by the door. I wasn’t disappointed. The proprietor of the hotel, Carmen, made one of the best paellas I’ve ever eaten. This was by far the best meal I’ve had in Spain. We ate with Sally and Moira (S&M) from New Zealand, Renae, a travel writer from Santa Barbara, who is writing a book about the Camino, and a couple from Romania who are traveling with their dog, an Akita. As I sat in the courtyard before dinner, talking to fellow Pilgrims, I noticed how confident I felt. I haven’t felt that confident since before I retired. I used to feel that kind of confidence in my office. I felt in control of the situation and a sense of power. Somehow, the Camino has allowed me to get that mojo back. I wish I knew how I lost it and what caused it to come back. Is this part of finding out who I am? Will it stay with me when I leave the Camino and come home? Love, the bear