The second night on the Camino we stayed with the police.

Don’t worry mom we are just fine and not in jail!

It wouldn’t have happened if it weren’t for Marcos. Let me back up a little bit. Our first night the albergue (home for pilgrims) was full so they put us in overflow housing. That’s where we met Marcos and 4 other Spanish women. We went to dinner and started out the next day with them.

After lunch the women went on and we slowed our pace and walked with Marcos. He has walked some version of the Camino every year for 20 years. At lunch someone asked him if he had ever not had a place to sleep? And he answered no it hadn’t ever happened.

WELL, because we were a little slower and stopped a couple of times when we got to the albergue, it was full. No problem, we thought, there will be overflow housing. No! So while Jim stayed at the albergue Marcos and I walked to town to find a solution. He was determined that we would have a bed.

First the Visitor center-No everything is full in town

Then the church, certainly they won’t turn away a pilgrim! No, they had a bad experience once.

Then the bar, it’s not how you picture it. In the small villages the bars are the restaurants and meeting places. No luck.

Let me explain that in each of these places Marcos did the talking all in Spanish and my job was to look desperately tired (which I was).

Also I need to explain Marcos has total faith in humanity- that someone will be kind and generous.

Ok so next stop was the bench of older people in the town square. Certainly older people will have compassion and understand. Nope not these ones.

Ok another bar…the bartender sounded promising and she made a call to her boss…but sorry no.

I was ready to give up, and get a cab to somewhere? Not sure where.

Then Marcos saw the police officer. He told her the story, something like this:

“This very kind couple need a place to sleep. They are Americans and speak no Spanish. Her husband is 68 (not true, but if it helps) and they shouldn’t sleep outside. They have no mats or tent and they have walked all day.” I think it got more exaggerated each telling.

Next thing I know Mikal (the officer) is on the phone, then Marcos is hugging her and I start crying.

She called her husband and told him she was bringing home two English people who needed a home for the night. (According to her husband, Jakes, she wants to bring home lost puppies too). They not only gave us a bed (their son’s bed) they fed us and incredible dinner, fed us an amazing breakfast, offered us a shower, dried our clothes AND made us lunch to take with us today.

Unbelievably kind, hospitable people. We sat around their table for over an hour and visited, with Jakes translating for Mikal into Euskara (language of the Basque area of Spain).

Tonight we are in an old convent set up for pilgrims who knows where we will sleep tomorrow, we will sleep somewhere, that’s a guarantee of the Camino.

And my lesson… Marcos is right there are kind, hospitable people, you sometimes just need to trust and not give up asking.

Peace