Dieter

Hello all,

Again, sometimes it´s a bit difficult to find a computer so it´s been awhile since I last updated the blog. Many apologies.

Anyway, in this entry I would like to write about my travelling companion, Dieter. It´s funny, the camino is a lot like life - some friends come into your life for only a season and others, if your lucky, are around much longer. I have met many pilgrims, most of whom I would share a meal, perhaps a glass of wine, spend an afternoon walking. And its the fellow pilgrims that make walking the camino so delightful. I have met wonderful people from Norway, France, Italy, Germany, Canada, Spain. Of course, English is always the lingua franca and I feel fortunate to speak it as my first language. All of these pilgrims just blow me away with their language skills.

Most often I would walk an afternoon with one group, or meet another couple of pilgrims during dinner. All delightful encounters but most somewhat fleeting. But Dieter has been a bit different.

We met about a week ago. Sometimes we walk together and sometimes we walk alone. If we don´t walk together, I always know that I will definitely see him at the pilgrim hostal. Its a nice feeling to know that even if you begin your day on your own, at the end of the day there´s someone to hang out with.

Dieter is from Germany but he speaks English very well. When I first saw him, I thought he was British. And, when we spoke he seemed to be a bit hesitant in English. I thought to myself, oh, seems like a nice guy but too bad we won´t be able to hang out much. But, ás we walked together, to my surprise his English just seemed to improve with each passing day.

On the road we talk about many things like the differences in American and German politics, the importance of religion in one´s life, the philosophy of the camino, and our most favorite topic - our blisters! And one more thing - he is a whiz with maps, distances and schedules. he has saved me many times from going the wrong way. That is always nice in a travelling companion.

Dieter is only walking from Pamplona to Burgos. Many pilgrims in Europe just do part of the journey only to start up again the following year to complete another section. He will be leaving on the 16th.

I will miss him.

Hasta luego,
Andrea