Three Ladies arrive in Villafranca del Bierzo, one now tells you her story

Only the names are changed to protect the innocent




As we arrive into Vilafranca del Bierzo it is late. The albergue is full to bursting, Senor Jago gives us the key for the old hospital to sleep in. I had read somewhere, that this was the place where the pelegrinos who were sick, exhausted and near to death or unable to go on got the "exemption "or the last sacrament. From somewhere Marie has read of that too (as a nurse she knows what it means) she is not keen on sleeping there. But Paulette says " the elders don't snore " and we have to laugh, now Maureen, Beryl and myself leave to go to see this hospital. Even Maureen has decided to have a look at this" place of the dread " as she calls it!

It's a large room similar to a church. One hall, no windows but around the room a row of holes in the thick walls. As we stand there in the dim light in the middle of the room it happens! I can hear the groaning, I can smell the stink of the wounds, I swear that it was not my imagination. Its really happening! I must go outside I feel sick! They both follow me outside as I grumble something about feeling bad and wanting to stay alone for a while and they leave me.
Alone now I sit down on the stairs. I want to smoke a cigarette. On the bottom of my pocket I find an old biscuit (better maybe to say the crumbs of an old biscuit). I begin think the reason of my strange feeling could be my hunger, so I decide to eat this feast. At this time a crow comes from the tower of the church, I throw it bits of my meal, it comes close to me and to my surprise it trustful perches on my shoulder! I am fearful for my eyes!! Its mighty beak is maybe 2 cm away, near my ear! The old stories of crows that pierce the eyes of the damned, races through my mind but somehow I feel no fear! It seems as if it wants to tell me a secret! After a while it carefully feeds on the crumbs in the palm of my hand, never hurting me. When there are no crumbs left, it flew away.

Maureen and Beryl come looking for me. They worry if I am sick I but cannot explain better than say I feel soothed (yes some how that's the right word)
They both tell me they have found 2 mattress and a place where to put them in the hospital. I think its better I should sleep in the albergue tonight!! Although the others will snore in the albergue, I give the key back.
Together we go into the city and have warm bocadillos as big as my head and beer and have some fun before bed
That was in the year 2002, just one year after the separating from my husband. Hard to explain but just at that moment I felt I had left behind all the anger that had poisoned my life for all of that year