Day 18: The most beautiful sunset on the Camino

Dear traveler, 

Today's story won't have any pictures. Therefore, your imagination can roam freely towards distant worlds while you will be reading these words. 

We have breakfast along with Berndt and on the TV they are talking about rainy weather. 

-"I wonder if it's going to rain on our way."

-"I don't know, but I won't be checking the weather today, just as we agreed."

Before hitting the road, we say goodbye and Mamarmot and Berndt talk again about what they agreed upon last evening. 

We start walking under a grey light, that doesn't let us see that far, as in other days.

One, two, twenty steps and the first drop of rain touches my nose. Come on, gear up. 

While my folks are preparing the raincoats, I look back towards the place we slept in. It was so cozy in bed! But I know we have to continue walking. 

To be honest, it's not that bad. It's just a drizzle and the air outside is so nice.

Mamarmot walks next to me, eyes on the road and her mind elsewhere. She already made it almost one hour without taking one photograph. But if you ask me, it wasn't the best day to take photographs so she's already got a big advantage. 

Nevermind, I'll make sure she has fun today. We start with some word games and then we end up talking about my parent's funny childhood memories. 

I see dad with his phone out from time to time. He must be thinking at Mamarmot, not to end up without any memory from today, otherwise he is not usually taking pictures. It's fine, as long as she doesn't take any, I don't have a problem. 

The light outside is getting darker and darker and for some time, the wind started to blow too. But my folks are smiling, putting one step in front of the other.

-"Mamarmot, is this rain not bothering you at all?"

-"Not really, Marmot, it's actually nice. I like walking in the rain."

Ok, Mamarmot is weird. I wonder if Berndt feels the same. I wonder where he is. He stayed for a while at the albergue and I wonder if he'll catch up with us today. 

Truth is, that this day really has something special. In its own way, without the shiny yellow and light blue blend which I got used to by now. 

I like to jump into the puddles on the road as my feet are already wet so it doesn't matter anymore. 

Sometimes, rain is beautiful. Or the world is prettier when it rains outside. One of these two. 

That thought barely leaves my mind and outside it starts raining cats and dogs. The raindrops come from all sides because of the wind and no matter how hard I try, they still end up on my face. Hello, rain, I just said you are pretty!

In front of us, a pilgrim fights the wind that just tore up his raincoat. Dad offers him his extra raincoat. 

-"And how can I give it back to you?"

-"It's ok, use it and we'll see about it. Buen Camino!"

We find a small coffee shop where we can warm up until the rain is over. 

-"Ntz, Mamarmot, I saw you, you wanted to check your phone."

-"Yes, Marmot, I want to see if it's still functional after all this rain."

-"No, no and no."

Mamarmot listens to me and puts her phone away. We get something warm to eat and drink and we enjoy the mood around us. The scent of hot chocolate and baked bread is a delight for our senses. Some pilgrims are lying next to a warm heater. A guitar is propped on a shelf. Did I tell you that here, on the Camino, almost everywhere you go you can find a guitar that you can actually play if you have the skill?

I wouldn't leave this place!

But the rain is starting to thin up and soon it's time to go. If the sound of my steps wouldn't resemble a fish jumping in a pond, it would be good. But it's fine. I've got dry socks now, covered by two garbage bags, in case the clouds decide to shake off a bit more.

However, my folks decide to shorten the day, so we won't end it looking like some dried up plums.

Straight forward, a small village awaits, that we know nothing about. But we must find an albergue in it as, in the last two, it was quite empty. 

Look, it's the albergue sign! We follow it up to a pretty big stone building. Inside, two nice ladies greet us.

-"Welcome to Bercianos, the place where you can see the most beautiful sunset on the Camino!"

Mamarmot's eyes are glazing already.

Looking at me, the two ladies talk to each other and lead us to a room that is separate from the one where all the pilgrims sleep. 

-"Stay here tonight. It's better for you!"

We thank them and we start unpacking and later on, we go down for dinner. 

Everyone is cheerful although everyone around here had their share of rain today. 

It is true, rain really makes the world prettier!

Someone calls us to get outside and everybody gets out to see what's happening. It's for the first time I see the sun today, that was brave enough to shine through the rain drops. Two rainbows appear on the horizon, looking as they're holding each other. 

-"God, how I'd want to photograph that, said Mamarmot!"

But Mamarmot holds on. About two minutes..then she runs into our room to get her phone. But until she returns, the rainbows are swallowed by the clouds that started to get a pinky shade. 

-"What did you do, Mamarmot?"

-"Oh well, if I hold on an entire day, when I saw this beauty, I couldn't help myself. But now it's gone. I should've enjoyed the rainbows while they were up on the sky. Oh. I will settle instead with the most beautiful sunset on the Camino."

Back to the dining room, we enjoy the delicious dinner. A girl takes the guitar that was hanging by the wall and starts playing. We all sing along and we enjoy this family and home feeling the camino gives us. This is how the longing for home fades a bit, that gets bigger and bigger everyday.

Mamarmot is happy about today, even if at the end of the day she still checked her phone. The photograph was not taken so, somehow, she kept her word.

I wonder where Berndt got to today and if he was able to keep his part of the deal. 

And thinking about the most beautiful sunset on the Camino, I slip into the world of slumber.