Hello everyone. I am sitting in the back yard of the Alburgue wherewe 

are staying in Belorado. Thank you Gerri Myers for the suggestion of 

this alburgue called Cuatro Cantones.  It is a beautiful place with 

a restaurant as well and from the smells coming from the kitchen a 

good one.  When you are walking every day and depending  on the 

kindness of other pilgrims and the local villagers and life flows 

in a generous way you become tuned in and aware of the small gifts.

This might sound silly  but today a gift showed up through good 

ole ATT my phone provider.  I' ve been having trouble with my phone

working in a consistent manner but today she came through. 

We had a long day today of about 14.2 miles  through rolling 

golden cut wheat fields and sunflower fields ready for harvest

but it was also on dirt gravel track parallel to a big  highway

similiar To 81 and in full sun.   We decided we would stop at a 

village before Belorado called Vilamayor del Rio but there were no

available alburgues.  We stopped at an upscale restaurant that also 

sells local food and art where we came in contact with our first rude

local.  Maybe he figured by looking at us that we were not going to 

be big ticket customers.  He was rude however the food was awesome. 

I had a tomato onion tuna salad no lettuce with olive oil and it was 

the biggest tomato i've ever seen.  I mean it was the size of a melon.

Mmmmmm   And fresh squeezed orange juice so full of pulp it was like 

rocket fuel for my energy.  Anyway. Back to my story. While at this 

restaurant i decided to try to call the Refugio AGAIN as I was not 

successful in earlier attempts.  Here is the Camino gift.  I got through, 

he had 3 spots and we were in !!!!!   Sometimes if you don't get into 

town by 2 or 3 the choices for a nice place to stay diminishes and you

end up Ina place that is minimal at best.    Well the funny part of all 

this is we are staying in a private room. Gay Connie and I on mattresses

on the floor , but get this, it's the massage room!! How synchronistic 

us that?   It smells great and I've been sniffing the potions but I think 

they are only mSaage oils and not hallucinogenic.   When i get to Santiago

and don't have to carry everything win me I'm going shopping for some 

Spanish potions. So that's my story.  Gay and Connie went off to the 

pharmacy to get some help for Connie's feet she has a nasty blister 

blooming. I have red feet and a small hot spot on one toe but so far 

so good. Last evening in Santo Domingo they had a festival celebrating

the culmination of a week of festivals in the region honoring the wine 

harvest. There were people roaming about the streets everywhere with a 

wandering brass band playing what sounded to me like German polka music. 

In fact one German friend and I attempted a polka.  They were handing 

out free sausages and the men were swilling wine from glass pitchers

with a thin spout. I got pictures of all of it.  Check out the rooster

and chicken myth of santo Domingo on line.  They really do keep a coop

and have the cock crow in the church.   Because we had such a late lunch

today we will probably snack for dinner.   They offer a  pilgrim meal here 

tonite  as a community dinner but they were full when we got here. Tomorrow 

might be a light day as we haven't had one since we started and today was our

14th day of walking. If we walk the suggested route tomorrow it would be a 

total of 15 miles over some high elevation so we will more than likely divide 

it up.  I will close for now. Oh I am soooo into cafe con leche.  How  can

I ever drink coffee with cold milk again?    Love to you and and as always

I carry you all in my heart.   Camille on the Camino oh at the festival

I walked around the corner into the plaza and It was full of kids jumping 

in those big inflatable jumping things we have at festivals.  I love the 

similarities of our lives. Bit is truly a small world and heartfelt

connection is the binding thread.  Bye for now.