Reunion Time

I got up early Monday because I thought I would prefer spending the day in Santiago as opposed to Muxia. The only thing I forgot to do there was visit the holy rocks, and I might have inadvertently done it and not known.

Bev messaged me last night; she is still in Santiago. I saw Chris when we got off the bus this morning. I will hopefully see Bjorn and Julia when they walk in tomorrow. I am excited.

I’ve been recharging my phone in the hotel but I can’t check in till 3. I can leave my pack though, and I think I will. I took apart my poles and they are in the pack.

My poles haven’t been apart in almost two months. The walking really is over. Ryan tells me I’m going to need at least three days to adjust. I’m sure he’s right.

But it might be longer. I haven’t lived in the Middle East for over ten years, yet I still sometimes look at a shopping mall and think, “Why? Why do we need all this?” I think the Camino will have a similar effect. I’ve lived with only what I could carry on my back for almost two months.

But I am not sure I will ever again underestimate the value of a bathtub you can fill with hot water and a soft fluffy towel.

I know I am a different person. Stronger. Tougher. And yet kinder. Gentler. I think I might really be a turtle.

Self-contained, not needing a home because I carry my house with me. Having a hard tough shell but sweetness within. Deceptively slow-moving on land, but put me in my element and watch me go!

Yep, I’m a turtle. Juanita Tortugita. Dalilah said she could call me “Latita,” which means “aunt.” So then I would be “Latita Juanita Tortugita.”

Nah, too much of a tongue-twister. I actually prefer, “Juanita Tres Colores” because I am about three different colors right now.

While sitting in the hotel I got interviewed! Nothing official; a Spanish teacher working on an article told me one of the three things she wanted to do in Santiago was talk to a pilgrim. But apparently I’m going to be in the article. Wow.

I met Enrique in the square; he is going to his family today. The square is chaos, pilgrims, protesters, and tourists of all kinds. They will close the square at 8 for the fireworks that begin at 10:30. I had lunch with Bev and Nora, whom I had met before. They split nachos we agreed we did NOT want the square. My hotel is very close (my mommy did GOOD) but it doesn’t have a terrace and watching from my room isn’t an option. We went to an Asian fusion restaurant that was AMAZING! We watched the fireworks from their garden. The waitress warned us the cinders sometimes fell in the garden but none did.

It was breathtaking. And not just because we had finished two bottles of white and were working on a red.

Now it’s Tuesday and I am sitting on a wall waiting for Julia to walk in. I could have had a free breakfast at the hotel (possibly still can, when is checkout time?) but friends are more important.

I met Julia for breakfast; she is with a lovely group of fellow Germans. She may once again share a taxi to the airport. She isn’t leaving, but has some questions about her backpack as a carry-on.

Now I am in a plaza sipping tinto verrano and waiting for Bjorn. The only conejito I won’t see is Dalilah. She and Davide are positively dawdling and will arrive on the 27th. Still, my heart is happy.

When I met Bjorn he was with some traveling companions. Here’s one.

The Guy’s trail name was “Cat Man.” I don’t know how he managed. Camping, probably.