Small unexpected kindnesses on the Camino

[Br. David]

There seem to be so many times that people we don't know and most likely will never ever meet again surprise us with an unexpected kindness. Just small things really, but they stay with us.

for example - a blistering hot and still day and I went into a small shop and bought a chilled container of juice. The shop keeper looked rather concerned when he was serving me (I had sunstroke but didn't yet know it - I did that evening and next day! - always wear a hat now!).
I left and must have walked fifty or so paces away when I heard him shout to me. I stopped and turned and he came running up and, still looking conerned, thrust a bag of oranges into my hands. Then just turned away and walked back to his shop.

I liked that, it felt like an act of love from a stranger.

Only a small thing of course - but big to me at that moment.

 

[Anniesantiago]

On our walk on the VDLP, we again reached a place where the guidebook promised water and there was none. I was so overheated and concerned about making it to the next place. As we sat and rested in the sun, a man in a field beckoned to us. He told us to follow him, up a hill, to his small home, where he invited us inside. It was a very modest place, one large room, and I remember thinking how funny that his motorcycle was parked indoors.

All around the windowsills were bottles of a red liquid.

He opened an ice chest, pulled out a bottle of the liquid, poured two glassfuls, and handed each of us one.

We drank and it was the BEST home made gazpacho in the world! It totally revived us! We laughed and chatted in my broken Spanish for about 1/2 hour. He was a somewhat famous wood carver. He showed us newspaper clippings of his shows and art. He reminded me of a young Anthony Quinn.

When we left, he walked us down to the road and on the way, he stopped to pull two precious peaches from his young peach trees.

He was a Camino Angel... and we were very thankful!

 

[dutchpilgrim]

My best memory on this item was in France.
After a long day's walk I was tired, sat down in a little bar annex shop and arranged my sleep-over.
Next morning I had my breakfast at the same bar and had a little chat with the owner of the bar, an elder lady, Thérèse de Paris. She wanted to go on Pilgrimage to Santa Rita, but she thought herself to be too tired, too old.
She went into the little shop and brought me a sausage, specialité de la region.
On leaving I wasn't allowed to pay anything at all.
"Prier pour moi dans la route", she said. "Pray for me on the way"
After a warm hug I left the bar with tears in my eyes...

Ultreya,
Carli Di Bortolo

 

[Anna-Marie]

In Aldeanueva (a town I loved) on the Via de la Plata, I asked an old woman for directions to a bar that was supposed to have Internet. It was raining at the time. The woman grabbed my hand and put it on the handle of her umbrella, so we'd both stay dry as she walked me to the bar.

Much closer to Santiago, just before Silleda, I was walking past a small church with a friend. As you all probably know, churches in Spain are almost invariably locked. But there was a man in the door of this one. He called us over, invited us to look around the church, gave us an orange to share, and even apologized that he didn't have one for each of us.

Those are only two examples that come to mind of the many, many small kindnesses I experienced along the way, from local people, hospitaleros, and other pilgrims.

 

[mmm042]

There are so many of these, aren't there? Also in Aldeanueva: I stopped a man for directions to my inn. It was a bit confusing, so he asked another man to help explain. I understood 99% of what they said, and walked off with confidence. But right in the area of the inn, the streets split in many directions and I wasn't sure which way to go. I turned in one direction, when suddenly the man I'd originally stopped appeared next to me on a bike and steered me down the proper street. He must have known I wasn't positive which way to go, so went and got his bike and caught up with me to make sure.

And somewhere near Santiago I, too, needed water. I made it to a town, but it was siesta time and the shop was closed. The next town was 4 or 5 miles away, and I didn't think I could make it. Out of nowhere a man appeared on the deserted street. I asked if he knew where to get water, and he pulled a set of keys out of his pocket, opened the closed store, and sold me a liter bottle of water for .20 euros!

One last story. My husband and I had walked many miles one day, plus had gotten slowed down by mud. It was now night, and we were on the highway going toward Almendralejo. A very aggressive dog charged us, and despite my husband waving his trekking poles and it and shouting, it just wouldn't go away. We hadn't seen another person or car in at least an hour, but one suddenly appeared so I flagged it down. I asked the man to give us a ride just down the road so we could get away from the dog. He totally cleaned out his car seats, despite my protestations that it didn't have to be clean, then insisted on driving us to our inn's doorstep several miles away.

Such encounters are a huge part of why I love the Camino so!

Melanie

 

[Anniesantiago]

I just love hearing these stories!
They make up for the one or two bad experiences people may have along the Way.

We also had a man show us the way to an albergue (I'd forgotten about this). My journals are all in storage and I can't recall the town, but it was on my 2006 Camino. We were exhausted, got to the albergue and it only had room for one person more. We didn't want to get split up at that point, so we set out again... We must have looked tired and confused, because a man came out of nowhere and literally walked us to the albergue instead of trying to make me understand his Spanish.

The local people along the Camino are so gracious and kind, for the most part.
Keep sharing stories.. they really warm the heart and remind us of the good in people!

 

[Deleted member 3000]

needed water. I made it to a town, but it was siesta time and the shop was closed

There is water in Spain that does not come from a store, and there is no plastic bottle to recycle afterward. Just sayin'.

 

[Br. David]

needed water. I made it to a town, but it was siesta time and the shop was closed

There is water in Spain that does not come from a store, and there is no plastic bottle to recycle afterward. Just sayin'.

Yes, but doesn't that rain in Spain fall mainly on the plain? :lol:

 

[daesdaemar]

On one of those long and hot days, I came to a park area where there was a public fountain. There was a group of men having a picnic. I asked if the water from the fountain was safe to drink. They said yes, but then invited me over to share their picnic of stew, cheese and wine. I had a wonderful visit and rested before continuing on.

 

[Beverley]

I believe, from experience, the rain is Spain falls mainly in Santiago :lol:

My story is that I left my walking poles at a cafe and wouldn't ya know an hour later the cafe owner shows up in his car with my sticks!

 

[Portia1]

One little story among the many......I was walking alone from Samos toward Sarria. Got to a place on the road with arrows pointing in opposite directions. I should know by now that I need to go left rather than right (every time I got lost I had turned right rather than left!) but I went right. I walked and walked and walked, seeing nary another pilgrim though there were faint arrows here and there. But then the arrows stopped and I had no idea where I was and none of the few houses were occupied. Kept walking and walking and walking. Crossed over a small bridge and in the distance there was an elderly woman sweeping the road in front of her tiny house with a twig broom. I stopped and asked "Esta El Camino de Santiago?" She nodded yes. I practically wept with relief. When she saw my reaction, she reached up to the tree next to her and picked an apple. She presented it to me with a bow and said: For your Spirit and Go with God. Buen Camino! And gave me the largest smile.

I didn't see another pilgrim until after I reached the Sarria Tourist/Pilgrim office. I asked there if I had taken the wrong road--apparently I had taken the old route which was longer than the usual one but got me there all the same, thanks be to God!

 

[mariposa627]

I can't wait to go next JUNE.... the Camino truly does provide! Love this thread, fabulous stories!

 

[mspath]

I can't wait to go next JUNE.... the Camino truly does provide! Love this thread, fabulous stories!

Indeed. The Camino does truly provide. For me some of its happiest memories and great joys are the gracious kindnesses of strangers along the way who offered their smiles, water, conversation, help and hospitality.

Late in January 2009 the famous Arga River where Hemingway liked to fish was churning with high water. Walking towards Pamplona I worried about one area on the route remembered from past Caminos where it mounts steeply and then clings to a cliff for a stretch before leveling out. It could be very dangerous in the pouring rain! Suddenly approaching me out of the distant mist appeared a guy holding an umbrella. Nervous I walked closer.

At first I was leery since it was hardly weather for strolling! We greeted each other and chatted mixing Spanish, French and English. Best of all he knew another level path which would join that to Trinidad! He then kindly walked me safely to the monastery at Trinidad de Arre. I fondly remember him with his umbrella as a helpful Narnia faun!.

Margaret

 

[Deleted member 3000]

I found that the people of the Camino, pilgrim and local (and, I suppose, myself), did most of the providing for me. The weather and the terrain, not provided by the people, were the most difficult for me. Rely on yourself, and then the Camino can fill in a few gaps.

 

[Bookworm58]

My friend and I walked the Camino Ingles in April and we met with many small kindnesses but the following one really made an impact. On day 3 we left Pontedeume and after half an hour had our first hail stone and torrential rain storm of the day which persisted on and off for the next 3 hours or so. We arrived in Mino wet, miserable and just wanting to get out of the rain for some respite. Consequently we stopped at the Cafe Vidal for a well earned coffee and and a passport stamp. As we sat dripping over our drinks feeling pretty miserable we heard a voice behind us say "you like?". We turned round and the lady from the behind the bar put down a plate of egg and bacon on toast in front of each of us. It was an amazingly kind and generous gesture that was totally unexpected and it really lifted our spirits. We left the bar on a real high, having had what I suspect will be the best bacon and egg we will ever taste, and feeling so grateful for her kindess. Amazingly once we'd left the Cafe the sun came out and weather cleared up for the rest of the afternoon. It is a day and a kindness I know we'll never forget.

 

[Tincatinker]

In Itero de la Vega, early-ish in the day. Nothing obviously open. I push the door of a Bar/Hostal more in hope than anything more. The door opens but into a cool, dark passageway. no-one about but sounds from deeper in. I try a "Hola". A woman appears and asks what I want. I say "cafe" and she says "cerrado" (shut).

I must have looked as I felt because she smiled, said "follow" and lead me out of the back door, through the yard into another yard and through another door into a dark, deserted bar still littered from the night before. The coffee machine was still switched on! Minutes later I had cafe con leche and a packet of biscuits, and a bar to myself.

A few minutes later a bleary eyed man appeared, showed me the street door and wished me "buen Camino".

 

[Peronel]

In Trinidad de Arre I went into a greengrocers. I bought one orange and one tomato to put in the pack, and an apple to eat then. (Fruit is heavy - I really dithered over what to buy.) After I had paid, the greengrocer gave me a bag of strawberries along with a solemn "Buen Camino!"

I walked towards the door, he called me back, pressed a second orange into my hand and bowed to me.

I ate the orange, but carried the strawberries to Cizur Menor, where we sat in the first weak sun we'd seen all camino and shared them.

 

[Tia Valeria]

Kindnesses, just a few examples from our recent time on the Primitivo:-

The elderly lady who stopped to talk to us while we were packing up our rubbish from the picnic to take back just up the road to the bin. She took it from us to take to her home to save us walking back up the hill.

Another elderly lady who when asked if there was a possibility of a simple meal produced soup and a very ample (half) rabbit stew very quickly. We wondered if we were eating their next night's supper.

The priest on his way to Mass who stopped his car to ask if we were alright as we walked in the rain, and then remembered us when he stamped our credenciales in Lugo cathedral office a few days later.

The many locals who stopped to have a few words, or point out the Way.

Terry and Valerie

 

[dazzamac]

I remember arriving having a cafe con leche and biscuits prepared for me by a woman in Calzada de Coto. I'd been searching the small town for a bar to satiate my cafe-con-leche addiction only to find that the bar was closed. As I was about to turn away, a woman came out of the house next to the bar and asked what I was looking for. I said that I was looking to get a coffee. At that she gestured me inside and made me coffee in her own kitchen.

Myself and a young man from Israel both benefited from her kindness that morning and in return helped her carry some of the half-ton of firewood that had been delivered to her house that morning. While we were carrying the firewood inside, she and an elderly neighbour told us a little of the history and current economic plight of the village. The elderly woman was particularly delighted that myself and the young Israeli had taken the less walked Roman route that lead through the village.

 

[journeycakes]

I experienced many kindnesses, grace notes and gifts of the Camino on my journey, such as late one day after an exhausting 18 kilometer walk in the sun as I approached the small town of Hontanas I learned from an acquaintance that the first two lodgings had no vacancy. As I neared the first albergue (with great trepidation) I heard the sound of my name being called by an Australian woman I'd come to know and whose quicker pace than mine allowed her to catch up to me and pass me on the trail earlier that afternoon. She said that somehow they'd reserved one bed too many for their group of six so they’d saved it for me. With my situation alleviated through the thoughtfulness of these fellow pilgrims my gratitude was immense. Our friendship was strengthened and I benefitted from the experience by becoming better prepared for the days ahead by planning earlier arrivals and frequently making reservations for a bed at my next destination.

 

[freescot]

On my first Camino, which I started in Seville, I felt very moved by the people who wished me "Buen Camino". Those words were new to me and when they came from a lorry driver, then a police car, shouted out of the window and next a group of gipsies camped under one of the motorway bridges, I was really touched. Several Caminos later I still feel wonderful when I hear, "Buen Camino".

 

[BeatriceKarjalainen]

When I walked from La Virgen del Camino and came to Villavante I sat down on a bench outside the town and pulled out my sandwiches. I had used Bimbo gluten free bread. I took the first bite and realized that the bread was so dry that I could not eat it. I pulled out a sausage I had carried for some days. It smelled funny. So there I was a little bit hungry and I was not sure of the way either as there was arrows pointing in two directions. Some men from the village came up to me and told me to go straight and not into the village (found out later that they showed me the wrong way as the new goes through the village and over the railway on a bridge). I walked on and a man was in a small garden plot picking plums. He called for me and gave me 4 yellow plums. Wanted to give me more but I didn't have any place to put them. He said to me to be strong and Buen Camino.
I wanted to hug him but I took a picture instead.

The plums were cold and sweet. So lovely.


When I was in the woods around Boavista (had walked from Melide) I met a man with a plastic bag. He came up to me and opened the bag and said please have some. I looked down into the bag and tried to figure out what it was. Small ugly fruits. I got 2 and said thanks. He was trying to get me to have some more. Almost angry as I didn't know what was best for me. I said thanks and that I didn't have anything to carry them in. He said Buen camino and waved when I walked. I tried one of the fruits had still no idea what it was. It was do delicious and I turned around and screamed to him "Gracias, bueno, muy bueno". He smiled and waved again. I had the other sweet and cold thing. I got some seeds between my theets and I think I walked for a km before I realized what it was. It was figs.


Both of these men didn't want anything for their fruit I asked them both how much. They both just did it of pure kindness. Giving pilgrims a little boost on the way.

 

[indyrem]

I found that the people of the Camino, pilgrim and local (and, I suppose, myself), did most of the providing for me. The weather and the terrain, not provided by the people, were the most difficult for me. Rely on yourself, and then the Camino can fill in a few gaps.

M

Kindnesses, just a few examples from our recent time on the Primitivo:-

The elderly lady who stopped to talk to us while we were packing up our rubbish from the picnic to take back just up the road to the bin. She took it from us to take to her home to save us walking back up the hill.

Another elderly lady who when asked if there was a possibility of a simple meal produced soup and a very ample (half) rabbit stew very quickly. We wondered if we were eating their next night's supper.

The priest on his way to Mass who stopped his car to ask if we were alright as we walked in the rain, and then remembered us when he stamped our credenciales in Lugo cathedral office a few days later.

The many locals who stopped to have a few words, or point out the Way.

Terry and Valerie

On my first Camino, which I started in Seville, I felt very moved by the people who wished me "Buen Camino". Those words were new to me and when they came from a lorry driver, then a police car, shouted out of the window and next a group of gipsies camped under one of the motorway bridges, I was really touched. Several Caminos later I still feel wonderful when I hear, "Buen Camino".

My friend and I underestimated how far we still had to go before the next town walking from Portomarin. We both exhausted our water & food. Being a diabetic I needed food every 2-3 hours. There were no pilgrims & no cafe or bar that we can see in the distance. I told my friend I needed to take a break so I sat on a rock and just like that a couple of pilgrims appeared , saw me, wished me Buen Camino & asked in Italian if I was resting. I replied I had to since "no mangia, no agua"-both of them took out a bocadillo, a power drink then a bottle of water for me & my friend. I told them I don't want them to run out of food & water. In broken English they said they have lots of food & the husband carries them in his backpack. They would not take money for them either. I got teary-eyed for their kindness, thanked them. These complete strangers showed up out of nowhere and helped me. They were my angels on the Camino. Never saw them again. This is just one of the many kindnesses I experienced on my Camino.

 

[jmcarp]

The first thing that comes to mind is when my wife chipped her tooth while eating a piece of hard candy as we were walking between Viana and Logroño. It was a weekend, and there were no dentists available in Logroño, so we walked on. When we arrived in Grañon a couple of days later, we decided to check with the local farmacia to see if they knew of a dentist in one of the towns ahead, such as Belorado (we didn't expect to find a dentist in a small village like Grañon). Cristina, the pharmacist, and her husband, Gustavo, were unable to find a dentist ahead of us, but said they would call their personal dentist back in Santo Domingo, the next town back, and said to check with them as soon as they opened the next morning. Sure enough, they were able to make an appointment with their dentist, and not only that, Gustavo volunteered to drive us back to Santo Domingo and to wait for us while the dentist repaired her tooth, then drive us back to Grañon, saving us the several hours of walking that would be involved. He had us back in Grañon by 11:30am, and after a quick bocadillo at the tienda/bar next to the farmacia, we were on our way again by noon. Not only that, neither he nor Cristina would accept any form of payment for their service (although we did buy a few items from the farmacia that we really didn't need). Saludos to Cristina and Gustavo at the Farmacia de Grañon!

Jim

 

[journeycakes]

I experienced many kindnesses, grace notes and gifts of the Camino on my journey, such as late one day after an exhausting 18 kilometer walk in the sun as I approached the small town of Hontanas I learned from an acquaintance that the first two lodgings had no vacancy. As I neared the first albergue (with great trepidation) I heard the sound of my name being called by an Australian woman I'd come to know and whose quicker pace than mine allowed her to catch up to me and pass me on the trail earlier that afternoon. She said that somehow they'd reserved one bed too many for their group of six so they’d saved it for me. With my situation alleviated through the thoughtfulness of these fellow pilgrims my gratitude was immense. Our friendship was strengthened and I benefitted from the experience by becoming better prepared for the days ahead by planning earlier arrivals and frequently making reservations for a bed at my next destination.

An important component of this story of my friends' kindness is that the six of them took turns waiting on the chairs in front of the albergue watching for my arrival to ensure that I wouldn't walk past it when I saw the sign out front saying "completo" indicating that no beds were available.

 

[cherrys]

Coming down from Acebo into Molinaseca, just before the bridge I heard an odd clunk, looked down to see the shaft sticking out the back of my boot, lifted my foot up to find the entire sole held on only at the toe. I dragged my foot cautiously across the bridge and stopped at the first cafe on the left, asked if there was a bus into Ponferrada (no, only taxi) and held up my foot. I was told to sit down and take off my boot. The owner superglued it and made me hold it for a few minutes (meanwhile it was pretty busy in there). Realizing that wasn't working, he left and returned a few minutes later with a hot glue stick, which he proceeded to set fire to and then smeared the molten glue all around my boot. He would not take any money for the repair (or my Coke), and it lasted me easily into Ponferrada, where I decided it would be prudent to buy new boots. He is a true camino angel. If anyone is passing there soon, please thank him again for me. It was on Oct. 1 I think - Cherry

 

[Gailsie]

I particularly enjoyed the Buen camino and a Santiago from the elderly men and women sitting outside in small villages when I passed through. I did not have the language skills to respond with much more than a thank you. However, they will never know how much they boosted my spirits as I was walking alone by choice. Also I loved it when the bicyclists called out Buen camino as they went flying by. Such a small thing but to me so thoughtful.

 

[Anniesantiago]

People really are kind and good, aren't they?
I'm still loving these stories!
I come back and read them when I'm depressed.
Good medicine.

 

[alexwalker]

One morning with cold drizzle I was sitting in a bar on VdlP for a coffee. The bar was actually 500m. off-track, but I needed the coffee. This was in May 2012 when all of May was wet, cold and windy. When I was about to leave, the owner approached me and handed me a raincover (with an Estrella logo on) for my backpack, and a plastic purse for coins (he had noticed that I carried my coins in my pockets). I told him I had a built-in raincover, but he insisted on giving it to me, saying that I would need it one day.

Two weeks later I was taking shelter in a barn during a terrible rainshower with a newfound Camino friend, Jurgen. He was a bit jealous of my built-in raincover, and very worried about the content of his own backpack, and rather shocked when I handed him a much needed raincover. The cover now has a new home in Germany: It was still in perfect condition when we walked into Santiago together. And we still have contact.

I still use the money purse on my travels. It has an ad for the bar on it:

BAR EL CRUCE (how appropriate!)
C/Ledesma no. 6
San Marcial (Zamora)

Edit: The Camino gives you what you need, not what you want... True.

 

[jmcarp]

[snip]...When I was in the woods around Boavista (had walked from Melide) I met a man with a plastic bag. He came up to me and opened the bag and said please have some. I looked down into the bag and tried to figure out what it was. Small ugly fruits. I got 2 and said thanks. He was trying to get me to have some more. Almost angry as I didn't know what was best for me. I said thanks and that I didn't have anything to carry them in. He said Buen camino and waved when I walked. I tried one of the fruits had still no idea what it was. It was do delicious and I turned around and screamed to him "Gracias, bueno, muy bueno". He smiled and waved again. I had the other sweet and cold thing. I got some seeds between my theets and I think I walked for a km before I realized what it was. It was figs.

Your figs story reminded me a very similar experience. My wife and I were walking along the road between Ponferrada and Cacabelos when an elderly woman with a basket of freshly-picked figs approached us from the other direction. When we met, she stopped, picked through the basket, and selected the four best figs she could find, then handed them to us with a "Buen Camino." Before we could even respond, she was on her way. Those were the sweetest, most delicious figs I've ever eaten. Such kindness is never forgotten.

 

[KiwiNomad06]

Such kindness is never forgotten.

I'd agree. When I think back on my Camino walking, what stays in my memory are the small unexpected kindnesses I received. It makes you think really, back home, about the way you treat people every day.
Margaret