MY CAMINO: Day 9 -30 août: dédicace à mon oncle Jean-Marie

Day 9 - Viana to Navarette- 22.7 km - full moon as we left at 6:17 am. We saw no other pilgrims for an hour. Ce jour est dédié à mon oncle Jean- Marie, qui a fait mon beau bâton. J'ai eu beaucoup de compliments et les gens, en majorité, quand j'ai dit que c'était mon oncle qui l'avait fait, on dit "Alors, il est fait avec amour, non? 

We organized supper for 8 different nationalities tonight, at our local restaurant in Navarette.  We were three French Canadians - Québecoise, Acadienne et Franco-Manitobaine, one German lady, a couple from Reunion whom I mistakenly said in a previous blog were from Madagascar, when they are from south of that island. Our waiter was German. I met my first Dane at that dinner and Marie-Claude from France rounded out the group. At another table was an American veteran with  his dog Lischka- like a seeing eye dog but for people with PTSD. They had their eight year old son Adler with them. A very interesting and really likeable couple. We did not pry by asking about the PTSD. We assumed he was an soldier from some missions.

Albergue Pilgrims in this small village of Navarette has the best food on the Camino. John from Missouri- always says we are so kind ¨Canadians"  if we ask if he is doing this or that with us, he always says he will do whatever I tell him, no problem!  I invited him to join us in Viana at dinner, when I saw he was by himself. Albert from Germany- we see on and off every day - just beginning to crack a smile and talk to us. Alone and so serious. Two women from Slovenia- separately. Too bad I couldn't hook them up. More women alone than men- someone said it is because women have more hope. Hope for everything? Hope for a better world maybe.

We also met a French Canadian who has quite a reputation on the Camino already, as "She who knows everything" and "Talks a mile a minute ALL the time". She is sweet and tries to be helpful, but everyone who has met her once, gives her a wide berth after that.  I am not making this up.

Nancy's been a trooper through less than feeling 100%, and with more foot problems than me. I am fit as a fiddle; knock on wood.  I have had two small blisters that don't even countas such.  I just wish I could sleep. We get up around 5:30 and are on the road by 6:30.  This heat

wave is supposed to end soon.  It saps your strength. We can't hike as many km as we would like.  We think we have done about 25% of the Camino.  Alleluia!

Bonne nuit mon oncle Jean. Merci encore pour Fidèle.  Malgré le fait que je l'ai laissé ici et là, en oublie, j'ai toujours pu aller le retrouver. Chance a Nancy aussi, qui me demande souvent ou est Fidèle.

En reconnaisance et amour de Navarette, en Espagne.