The custom of storytelling has been ubiquitous in all cultures over all eras in all parts of the world. Among other very important roles, storytelling is a powerful means of fostering community and cooperation.
Wednesday Sept 18th, 2019
Ponferrada to Villafranca
22 km, 38,000 steps, walking day #28
and
Thursday Sept 19th, 2019
Villafranca to Las Herreirras
20km, 32,000 steps, walking day #29
It's very easy to start a conversation with any pilgrim on the way. People are very open, very friendly and very ready to be approached. People don't even wait to be approached. They will do the approaching, and begin any type of conversation.
If I start the conversation, it's usually by introducing myself with my name, and the other person will respond with their name. The next few minutes are usually concerned with:
A brief interaction about the weather or the path i.e. "sure is hot today" or "that was a long hill, wasn't it?"
This is followed quickly by:
Where are you from?
Where did you start your camino?
How many days have you been walking?
Where did you start walking from this morning?
Where are you stopping for the day?
How are you feeling/how are your feet doing?
What do you do back home?
Any trouble finding a place to stay? This is usually followed by reports on the most recent places, and how good/bad they were, how well/poorly one slept there, and the behaviours of other people there if there was anything remarkable about it.
Did you see the amazing statue/museum/church/pomegranate tree/garden yesterday/in the village we just passed/this morning?
This is then followed by surprising and much more interesting conversation, initiated by questions such as:
What are your reasons for doing the camino?
Have you had any "camino moments" and what were they?
What have you learned about yourself/about life/about others along the way?
What places have you liked best and why?
What lessons are you going to try to take home with you?
These questions frequently result in the sharing of long, complex and very personal stories.
It is possible to learn a great deal about another person very quickly with conversations like these, and bonds can develop very quickly. I've made some great connections and had some very interesting and stimulating conversations. We walk, and we talk. We share what we think, what we know, what we believe and what we hope. We greet, we support, we encourage and we celebrate. The pilgrims form a unique and caring and beautiful community that I am so happy to have discovered and to have had the great honor of joining and participating.
Sometimes someone will come up to me and just start talking. The other day I came up a very steep street and emerged onto a plaza. A woman, who I think was trying to determine the value of descending the steep slope, came right up to me and asked me "is there anything to see down there?" I was happy to fill her in. It turns out that "down there" was a part of the village that she had been trying to find, and she was happy that I helped her find it.
If anyone is stopped on the route, the next pilgrim along asks if they're ok, and if they need help. Usually the response is: "Thanks, I'm just taking a break". If they need help, out of the pack comes the med kit, water, tools or food. I had an irritation on my shoulder, and before I knew it, I was tended to with someone's Vic's VapoRub - the European cure-all.
As I am travelling solo, I am often sitting alone. It's not unusual for another solo pilgrim to ask if they can join me, and the conversation and stories begin.
In this part of Spain, red peppers play a very important role in the cuisine.
Here is the Red Pepper Story:
Wednesday Sept 18th, 2019
Ponferrada to Villafranca
22 km, 38,000 steps, walking day #28
and
Thursday Sept 19th, 2019
Villafranca to Las Herreirras
20km, 32,000 steps, walking day #29
It's very easy to start a conversation with any pilgrim on the way. People are very open, very friendly and very ready to be approached. People don't even wait to be approached. They will do the approaching, and begin any type of conversation.
If I start the conversation, it's usually by introducing myself with my name, and the other person will respond with their name. The next few minutes are usually concerned with:
A brief interaction about the weather or the path i.e. "sure is hot today" or "that was a long hill, wasn't it?"
This is followed quickly by:
Where are you from?
Where did you start your camino?
How many days have you been walking?
Where did you start walking from this morning?
Where are you stopping for the day?
How are you feeling/how are your feet doing?
What do you do back home?
Any trouble finding a place to stay? This is usually followed by reports on the most recent places, and how good/bad they were, how well/poorly one slept there, and the behaviours of other people there if there was anything remarkable about it.
Did you see the amazing statue/museum/church/pomegranate tree/garden yesterday/in the village we just passed/this morning?
Starting a conversation with Martin, the gardener from Begium,
was very easy
This is then followed by surprising and much more interesting conversation, initiated by questions such as:
What are your reasons for doing the camino?
Have you had any "camino moments" and what were they?
What have you learned about yourself/about life/about others along the way?
What places have you liked best and why?
What lessons are you going to try to take home with you?
Paul from Montreal sat down beside me,
now we're camino buds
These questions frequently result in the sharing of long, complex and very personal stories.
It is possible to learn a great deal about another person very quickly with conversations like these, and bonds can develop very quickly. I've made some great connections and had some very interesting and stimulating conversations. We walk, and we talk. We share what we think, what we know, what we believe and what we hope. We greet, we support, we encourage and we celebrate. The pilgrims form a unique and caring and beautiful community that I am so happy to have discovered and to have had the great honor of joining and participating.
Did you see the baskets of grapes by the roadside today?
Didn't they look beautiful?
What? The farmer gave you some? That's awesome!
Sometimes someone will come up to me and just start talking. The other day I came up a very steep street and emerged onto a plaza. A woman, who I think was trying to determine the value of descending the steep slope, came right up to me and asked me "is there anything to see down there?" I was happy to fill her in. It turns out that "down there" was a part of the village that she had been trying to find, and she was happy that I helped her find it.
If anyone is stopped on the route, the next pilgrim along asks if they're ok, and if they need help. Usually the response is: "Thanks, I'm just taking a break". If they need help, out of the pack comes the med kit, water, tools or food. I had an irritation on my shoulder, and before I knew it, I was tended to with someone's Vic's VapoRub - the European cure-all.
As I am travelling solo, I am often sitting alone. It's not unusual for another solo pilgrim to ask if they can join me, and the conversation and stories begin.
Kicking through autumn leaves is a fun conversation starter
We all need to tell our stories, and some can't help adding their comment to the mix
(zoom in for the comment)
In this part of Spain, red peppers play a very important role in the cuisine.
Here is the Red Pepper Story:
People devote large parts of their gardens to red peppers
They grow very well here
If you can't grow enough of your own,
large amounts can be bought at the street market
Nonna roasts them outside on the street
Then the roasted peppers need to be peeled and cooked into regional stews
The End
Some view from Thursday Sept 19, 2019:
The cock of the walk...... protecting his flock
Hops - the first time I've seen them growing
The man in the red car is herding his sheep
Very disturbing attic window
My story continues that way....
The attic window is like one I walk past in Cabbage Town - a teddy bear is looking out as if seeking to get free! (Hops - first time I've even thought about what they might look like was with your picture. Wow!)
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