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Random Acts of Kindness

Juspassinthru

in our minds, we're vagabonds, you and I
Time of past OR future Camino
Camino Francés 2017, Inglés 2019, Aragónes 2024
I'm a regular reader of the Forum and over the years I've (we've) seen all kinds of post. What boots/pack/poles/phone plan/socks? What should I avoid/not miss? What are the best alternate routes? Blisters, shin splints, sun burn, etc. From last week I'd read the thread about Pilgrims behaving badly and the impact that we Pilgrims have on the locals we cross paths with as well as the impact they very often have on us. Personally, during the course of 3 Camino's I've not had a bad interaction with any local residents and only 2 issues with fellow Pilgrims.

So, I'd like to know about the random acts of kindness you've received from a local or Pilgrim on your Camino(s). Conversely, without blowing your own horn, have you provided a random act of kindness to a local or other Pilgrim? I'd be interested in hearing those stories and what impact they had on you.

To kick it off, I'll start:

Early this past spring, my friend and I started our journey across the Chemin de Arles/Aragónes/Francés. On our second day we were walking from Sarrance to Borce, some readers and a few other pilgrims who walked that route may remember that there was part of the GR route washed out around Cette-Eygun requiring either bypassing it by bus/taxi or a dangerous road walk on a busy road with very little shoulder. We walked to Accous where there was a bus stop and hoped to catch a bus to Etsaut, the next stop past the washout.

This was April 2nd and the buses were still running on their holiday schedule which meant hours til the next bus. We went into a small café to see if we could call a taxi but none wanted to come that far from Sarrance. As the bartender was explaining this, a women began talking to him. When she stopped, the bartender said she would drive us to Etsaut in her car.

As we walked to her car, she asked in French if we were Pilgrims going to Santiago, we said oui (she spoke no English) and off we went about 12k to Etsaut. When we arrived we offered to pay her and she refused but asked that we say a prayer for her when we arrived in Santiago. That prayer was said for Jackie [sp] a month and a half later. While we had only a very brief encounter, she could have easily left us standing there and she chose not to. I will never forget her or her random act of kindness.

Maybe I'd paid it forward and I mention this only because I received far more than I gave.

In 2017, coming down from the Cruz. I saw a man sitting on a boulder, looking dejected and totally defeated on part of that wicked descent. I asked if he was okay. He told me they'd just started in Astorga the day before and was not in shape and had not carried enough water or anything to eat. He didn't think he could make it.

I sat with him and talked. I had a banana and an extra bottle of water which I gave him and we talked a bit longer, maybe 10 minutes total, his name is Henry from Puerto Rico. I asked if he was okay and if he wanted to walk with me, he said his friend Juan should be coming along soon. We said our goodbyes and I set off.

Several days later in Triacastela I ran in to Henry cheering and clapping for the Pilgrims coming into town. He told me he owed me a beer, which I accepted. He told me that he'd given me a nickname and that it sounded better in Spanish, I jokingly asked if I really wanted to hear it, he assured me that I did. El ángel del camino de la cabra, the angel of the goat path. I was touched, I did nothing that I think most people would have done and I did not feel worthy of such an honor, I was a bit embarrassed. Henry didn't need the banana or water, he needed some interaction, encouragement and support. I saw Henry and Juan in Santiago, we enjoyed a glass of wine and talked about our Camino.

Later that same year, Puerto Rico was devastated by a massive hurricane and I hoped that Henry and his family were safe. Henry's gift to me will never be forgotten. Henry, if you're reading this, thank you!

Jackie and Henry reminded me of how much we're capable of with kind words or a bit of compassion. A lesson I try to pass on to my grandchildren.

Please, share your stories.
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
€2,-/day will present your project to thousands of visitors each day. All interested in the Camino de Santiago.
Please make it stop. 99% of people in the world are great and help but do we need to keep telling everyone about it. I stopped my LinkedIn account because I couldn’t stand anymore virtue signalling. Can we avoid it here please!
If you want to avoid tales of kindness here, it isn't hard to. The thread isn't exactly hiding what it is. It's right there in the title. Just skip by and don't open it. If others want to share stories of kindness they've received on the Camino, personally, I'm not bothered. This Forum welcomes all kinds of Camino-related conversations.
 
On the Frances an offer of bread and cheese from a pergrina when I was sitting on a bench feeling rather depressed, and on the VDLP after I had lost my hat, walked into a bar and asked if there was a shop nearby where I could buy a hat. The barman went out back and came back with a straw hat ( beer promotion item I think) and gave it to me, refusing payment.

These unlooked for acts of kindness are what I believe are the meaning of "The camino provides"
 
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Most people walking the early stages tend to look out for one another, but there are examples that stand out.

The recipients really appreciated the guy who, as he walked, repaired trekking sticks from parts he found in Albergue waste bins.

The one who left the most lasting impression was the person carrying a second pack for someone who needed help. As I walked with them for a few hours, between Carrion and Calzadilla, I discovered that they had never met before he offered to help, well over 14 days earlier. True Camino spirit.
 
Ideal pocket guides for during & after your Camino. Each weighs only 1.4 oz (40g)!
Please make it stop.
Sorry, no.
What in the world is wrong with people telling stories about how kind we humans can be? Virtue signaling? Hardly. Merely people's genuine experience.
(You needn't read the thread if it annoys you.)

99% of people in the world are great and help but do we need to keep telling everyone about it. I stopped my LinkedIn account because I couldn’t stand anymore virtue signalling. Can we avoid it here please!
Nope. I'm going to gleefully annoy you with another happy story.

On the first day of the Invierno, I was a bit nervous for having set off by myself onto this quiet path. Coming into a small pueblo, I noticed the many cherry trees hanging with fruit, and thought how nice it would be to have some. Coming around a bend in the road, I met a tiny elderly senora carrying two buckets. One look at me, and her face lit up. "Peregrina!" She tried to give me a whole bucket of cherries, and laughed as I tried in broken Spanish to thank her and explain that I could only eat so many and couldn't carry the rest. The compromise was two big handfuls, a total delight. And if course I said a prayer for her in Santiago as she requested.

That single interaction set the tone of the whole Camino, and reminded me that small sincere acts of generosity and kindness can change everything for another person, in ways that I might never know.
 
I'm a regular reader of the Forum and over the years I've (we've) seen all kinds of post. What boots/pack/poles/phone plan/socks? What should I avoid/not miss? What are the best alternate routes? Blisters, shin splints, sun burn, etc. From last week I'd read the thread about Pilgrims behaving badly and the impact that we Pilgrims have on the locals we cross paths with as well as the impact they very often have on us. Personally, during the course of 3 Camino's I've not had a bad interaction with any local residents and only 2 issues with fellow Pilgrims.

So, I'd like to know about the random acts of kindness you've received from a local or Pilgrim on your Camino(s). Conversely, without blowing your own horn, have you provided a random act of kindness to a local or other Pilgrim? I'd be interested in hearing those stories and what impact they had on you.

To kick it off, I'll start:

Early this past spring, my friend and I started our journey across the Chemin de Arles/Aragónes/Francés. On our second day we were walking from Sarrance to Borce, some readers and a few other pilgrims who walked that route may remember that there was part of the GR route washed out around Cette-Eygun requiring either bypassing it by bus/taxi or a dangerous road walk on a busy road with very little shoulder. We walked to Accous where there was a bus stop and hoped to catch a bus to Etsaut, the next stop past the washout.

This was April 2nd and the buses were still running on their holiday schedule which meant hours til the next bus. We went into a small café to see if we could call a taxi but none wanted to come that far from Sarrance. As the bartender was explaining this, a women began talking to him. When she stopped, the bartender said she would drive us to Etsaut in her car.

As we walked to her car, she asked in French if we were Pilgrims going to Santiago, we said oui (she spoke no English) and off we went about 12k to Etsaut. When we arrived we offered to pay her and she refused but asked that we say a prayer for her when we arrived in Santiago. That prayer was said for Jackie [sp] a month and a half later. While we had only a very brief encounter, she could have easily left us standing there and she chose not to. I will never forget her or her random act of kindness.

Maybe I'd paid it forward and I mention this only because I received far more than I gave.

In 2017, coming down from the Cruz. I saw a man sitting on a boulder, looking dejected and totally defeated on part of that wicked descent. I asked if he was okay. He told me they'd just started in Astorga the day before and was not in shape and had not carried enough water or anything to eat. He didn't think he could make it.

I sat with him and talked. I had a banana and an extra bottle of water which I gave him and we talked a bit longer, maybe 10 minutes total, his name is Henry from Puerto Rico. I asked if he was okay and if he wanted to walk with me, he said his friend Juan should be coming along soon. We said our goodbyes and I set off.

Several days later in Triacastela I ran in to Henry cheering and clapping for the Pilgrims coming into town. He told me he owed me a beer, which I accepted. He told me that he'd given me a nickname and that it sounded better in Spanish, I jokingly asked if I really wanted to hear it, he assured me that I did. El ángel del camino de la cabra, the angel of the goat path. I was touched, I did nothing that I think most people would have done and I did not feel worthy of such an honor, I was a bit embarrassed. Henry didn't need the banana or water, he needed some interaction, encouragement and support. I saw Henry and Juan in Santiago, we enjoyed a glass of wine and talked about our Camino.

Later that same year, Puerto Rico was devastated by a massive hurricane and I hoped that Henry and his family were safe. Henry's gift to me will never be forgotten. Henry, if you're reading this, thank you!

Jackie and Henry reminded me of how much we're capable of with kind words or a bit of compassion. A lesson I try to pass on to my grandchildren.

Please, share your stories.
Thanks for such a lovely and thoughtful post. These random acts of kindness are certainly a huge part of the Caminos. I walked the Winter Route recently (mostly for fun but researching also for a newspaper article I'd been commissioned to write) and met some of the friendliest, most hospitable, villagers I've encountered anywhere in the world. I have too many of these stories to recount them all but one sticks in my mind particularly. I'd already been walking for a week from Gibraltar and was about to 'start' on the Via de la Plata. I had tried, unsuccessfully, to find a way to walk over the ribbons of railways and highways that separated the town of Dos Hermanas from Seville. Unfortunately, I needed to take a bus for the bare few kilometres into the edge of the city. A schoolgirl (who had walked 200km the previous summer on a camping trip) was at the bus-stop and absolutely insisted on paying my ticket! It was a little embarrassing. I had money and could have paid myself but she was so incredibly insistent that I finally had to accept graciously. It was part of the constant chain of giving and accepting (paying it onwards) that is part of any long hike through backcountry Spain.
 
Hiking 20 km up to the 1060 meter Ibaneta pass via the Valcarlos route to Roncesvalles the first time in September 2004 at 65 was one of the most difficult days on the Camino and certainly the most physically exhausting day of my adult life then to date. I was pooped!

After hiking about 5 hours I finally staggered over the pass into a picnic area filled with a munching mob; they had arrived by bus and cars!

A kindly couple from Scotland offered me a folding seat and the best ever cup of hot tea from their thermos. Refreshed I continued on to the monastery.
...All these years later I still remember the kindness of their gesture and the impact of that simple cup of tea.
 
...and ship it to Santiago for storage. You pick it up once in Santiago. Service offered by Casa Ivar (we use DHL for transportation).
I saw the title and couldn't wait to read about people's Camino magic. Thanks for sharing this. (and it doesn't surprise me a bit that the flock of pigeons shows up to poop on the post).

So much Camino magic and so many stories. Any time someone was on the side of the trail-fixing shoes, rebandaging blisters, looking for something in the pack-everyone that walked by asked if everything was ok. Sometimes just a thumbs up.

The Camino is a beautiful place full of kind and generous people. I guess those who aren't stay to themselves.
 
With the constant bombarding of negative news it is refreshing to hear and read about random acts of kindness. Thank you for starting the thread 🙏🏼.

I know for sure that multiple acts of kindness by hospitaleras and fellow pilgrims during my first Camino in 2010 were the reason that I became a volunteer hospitalera.

Day 9 I injured my knee during a descent along a Calzada Romana. I was on my way to the parochial albergue in Grañón on that day and at the outskirts of Santo Domingo I met up with a young Argentinian using walking poles (I was 53 at the time and never thought I would need poles 😂). When I told the guy about my knee he handed over his poles and insisted I use them till we arrived. Upon arrival I have them back and asked the hospi where I might purchase poles. She went into her room and came back with hers. Here she said, take mine. She insisted.

By the time I reached the parochial albergue in Viana my knee was still in pain. Do you have any ice? I asked the volunteer. No, he replied but wait a moment. He actually went out to a café and came back with a bag of ice! Later that evening a French pilgrim gave me her knee brace which had been given to her during her walk from Paris.

By the time I reached Nájera I bought a better fitting knee brace and gave the original one to a pilgrim in need when I was in Sarria.

Those two hiking poles got me all the way from Grañón to Portomarin where one broke. The remaining pole made its way to Finisterre and I still have it 14 years on. It continues to remind me of the extreme kindness I experienced during that first Camino.

Since then I have had many other experiences but none which have had the same impact as that summer of 2010.
 
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I was walking on the Camino Sanabres in June. I was sitting down on the side of the path having a rest and snack when two people from a nearby retirement home came out on the patio and called out to me - offering me a coffee. They were the manager and the cook of the home. I went in and was served a lovely coffee and some snacks and offered the use of their facilities! Camino Angels for sure!
 
I could write pages about all the kindnesses done me on the Caminos by local people and all the delicious fruit given me. But here's just a few: Jusspassinthru, on your same Camino Arles/Aragones/Frances last October, my son in law and I walked into a small French village hoping to find a cafe. A lady saw us from her door, said there was no cafe, but come on in for a cup of fresh coffee! A few days later we (me, very tired and desperate for a cold beer) descended into to the overwhelmingly huge ski resort of Candanchu hoping for food, drink and a bed. We found the cold beer but our waiter said it was off season and not a bed available at any of the many towering hotels. He then said he would be off work in half an hour. If we could wait he would drive us down to the (wonderful) albergue in Canfranc Pueblo. Like your French patron, when we got there he wouldn't take any money for the drive.

A couple of years ago on a rough section of the Frances I was passed by by a man on bicycle. An inexpensive street bicycle. A few hundred meters later I came upon him with a problem. The flimsy rack above the rear tire had broken at the attachment point to the seat stem. His "backpack" was a small bag on top of the rack. I removed some extra nylon cords from my backpack and was able to adequately re-attach it. Off he went with many muchas gracias. At the next town there he was eating breakfast at an outdoor cafe table. When he saw me he leaped up, dragged my to his table and disappeared. Minutes later one of the biggest breakfasts I have seen on the Camino appeared on the table in front of me. Buen Camino
 
I'm a regular reader of the Forum and over the years I've (we've) seen all kinds of post. What boots/pack/poles/phone plan/socks? What should I avoid/not miss? What are the best alternate routes? Blisters, shin splints, sun burn, etc. From last week I'd read the thread about Pilgrims behaving badly and the impact that we Pilgrims have on the locals we cross paths with as well as the impact they very often have on us. Personally, during the course of 3 Camino's I've not had a bad interaction with any local residents and only 2 issues with fellow Pilgrims.

So, I'd like to know about the random acts of kindness you've received from a local or Pilgrim on your Camino(s). Conversely, without blowing your own horn, have you provided a random act of kindness to a local or other Pilgrim? I'd be interested in hearing those stories and what impact they had on you.

To kick it off, I'll start:

Early this past spring, my friend and I started our journey across the Chemin de Arles/Aragónes/Francés. On our second day we were walking from Sarrance to Borce, some readers and a few other pilgrims who walked that route may remember that there was part of the GR route washed out around Cette-Eygun requiring either bypassing it by bus/taxi or a dangerous road walk on a busy road with very little shoulder. We walked to Accous where there was a bus stop and hoped to catch a bus to Etsaut, the next stop past the washout.

This was April 2nd and the buses were still running on their holiday schedule which meant hours til the next bus. We went into a small café to see if we could call a taxi but none wanted to come that far from Sarrance. As the bartender was explaining this, a women began talking to him. When she stopped, the bartender said she would drive us to Etsaut in her car.

As we walked to her car, she asked in French if we were Pilgrims going to Santiago, we said oui (she spoke no English) and off we went about 12k to Etsaut. When we arrived we offered to pay her and she refused but asked that we say a prayer for her when we arrived in Santiago. That prayer was said for Jackie [sp] a month and a half later. While we had only a very brief encounter, she could have easily left us standing there and she chose not to. I will never forget her or her random act of kindness.

Maybe I'd paid it forward and I mention this only because I received far more than I gave.

In 2017, coming down from the Cruz. I saw a man sitting on a boulder, looking dejected and totally defeated on part of that wicked descent. I asked if he was okay. He told me they'd just started in Astorga the day before and was not in shape and had not carried enough water or anything to eat. He didn't think he could make it.

I sat with him and talked. I had a banana and an extra bottle of water which I gave him and we talked a bit longer, maybe 10 minutes total, his name is Henry from Puerto Rico. I asked if he was okay and if he wanted to walk with me, he said his friend Juan should be coming along soon. We said our goodbyes and I set off.

Several days later in Triacastela I ran in to Henry cheering and clapping for the Pilgrims coming into town. He told me he owed me a beer, which I accepted. He told me that he'd given me a nickname and that it sounded better in Spanish, I jokingly asked if I really wanted to hear it, he assured me that I did. El ángel del camino de la cabra, the angel of the goat path. I was touched, I did nothing that I think most people would have done and I did not feel worthy of such an honor, I was a bit embarrassed. Henry didn't need the banana or water, he needed some interaction, encouragement and support. I saw Henry and Juan in Santiago, we enjoyed a glass of wine and talked about our Camino.

Later that same year, Puerto Rico was devastated by a massive hurricane and I hoped that Henry and his family were safe. Henry's gift to me will never be forgotten. Henry, if you're reading this, thank you!

Jackie and Henry reminded me of how much we're capable of with kind words or a bit of compassion. A lesson I try to pass on to my grandchildren.

Please, share your stories.
Some unknown local who brought my personal item to my hostal after I left it in the previous Albergue. The doctor and nurses who stopped to help me when I fell and injured my hand. The local who shouted ultreia! as I was powering along at the halfway point. For the person who listened to my foot woes and was gentle and encouraging…and more and more 🙏
 
Perfect memento/gift in a presentation box. Engraving available, 25 character max.
I'm a regular reader of the Forum and over the years I've (we've) seen all kinds of post. What boots/pack/poles/phone plan/socks? What should I avoid/not miss? What are the best alternate routes? Blisters, shin splints, sun burn, etc. From last week I'd read the thread about Pilgrims behaving badly and the impact that we Pilgrims have on the locals we cross paths with as well as the impact they very often have on us. Personally, during the course of 3 Camino's I've not had a bad interaction with any local residents and only 2 issues with fellow Pilgrims.

So, I'd like to know about the random acts of kindness you've received from a local or Pilgrim on your Camino(s). Conversely, without blowing your own horn, have you provided a random act of kindness to a local or other Pilgrim? I'd be interested in hearing those stories and what impact they had on you.

To kick it off, I'll start:

Early this past spring, my friend and I started our journey across the Chemin de Arles/Aragónes/Francés. On our second day we were walking from Sarrance to Borce, some readers and a few other pilgrims who walked that route may remember that there was part of the GR route washed out around Cette-Eygun requiring either bypassing it by bus/taxi or a dangerous road walk on a busy road with very little shoulder. We walked to Accous where there was a bus stop and hoped to catch a bus to Etsaut, the next stop past the washout.

This was April 2nd and the buses were still running on their holiday schedule which meant hours til the next bus. We went into a small café to see if we could call a taxi but none wanted to come that far from Sarrance. As the bartender was explaining this, a women began talking to him. When she stopped, the bartender said she would drive us to Etsaut in her car.

As we walked to her car, she asked in French if we were Pilgrims going to Santiago, we said oui (she spoke no English) and off we went about 12k to Etsaut. When we arrived we offered to pay her and she refused but asked that we say a prayer for her when we arrived in Santiago. That prayer was said for Jackie [sp] a month and a half later. While we had only a very brief encounter, she could have easily left us standing there and she chose not to. I will never forget her or her random act of kindness.

Maybe I'd paid it forward and I mention this only because I received far more than I gave.

In 2017, coming down from the Cruz. I saw a man sitting on a boulder, looking dejected and totally defeated on part of that wicked descent. I asked if he was okay. He told me they'd just started in Astorga the day before and was not in shape and had not carried enough water or anything to eat. He didn't think he could make it.

I sat with him and talked. I had a banana and an extra bottle of water which I gave him and we talked a bit longer, maybe 10 minutes total, his name is Henry from Puerto Rico. I asked if he was okay and if he wanted to walk with me, he said his friend Juan should be coming along soon. We said our goodbyes and I set off.

Several days later in Triacastela I ran in to Henry cheering and clapping for the Pilgrims coming into town. He told me he owed me a beer, which I accepted. He told me that he'd given me a nickname and that it sounded better in Spanish, I jokingly asked if I really wanted to hear it, he assured me that I did. El ángel del camino de la cabra, the angel of the goat path. I was touched, I did nothing that I think most people would have done and I did not feel worthy of such an honor, I was a bit embarrassed. Henry didn't need the banana or water, he needed some interaction, encouragement and support. I saw Henry and Juan in Santiago, we enjoyed a glass of wine and talked about our Camino.

Later that same year, Puerto Rico was devastated by a massive hurricane and I hoped that Henry and his family were safe. Henry's gift to me will never be forgotten. Henry, if you're reading this, thank you!

Jackie and Henry reminded me of how much we're capable of with kind words or a bit of compassion. A lesson I try to pass on to my grandchildren.

Please, share your stories.
It’s part of the Camino, I’ve walk a half dozen Frances and others and it’s one of the most rewarding parts of you can fix, clean , repair or treat a pair of injured feet of a fellow pilgrim
 
I'm a regular reader of the Forum and over the years I've (we've) seen all kinds of post. What boots/pack/poles/phone plan/socks? What should I avoid/not miss? What are the best alternate routes? Blisters, shin splints, sun burn, etc. From last week I'd read the thread about Pilgrims behaving badly and the impact that we Pilgrims have on the locals we cross paths with as well as the impact they very often have on us. Personally, during the course of 3 Camino's I've not had a bad interaction with any local residents and only 2 issues with fellow Pilgrims.

So, I'd like to know about the random acts of kindness you've received from a local or Pilgrim on your Camino(s). Conversely, without blowing your own horn, have you provided a random act of kindness to a local or other Pilgrim? I'd be interested in hearing those stories and what impact they had on you.

To kick it off, I'll start:

Early this past spring, my friend and I started our journey across the Chemin de Arles/Aragónes/Francés. On our second day we were walking from Sarrance to Borce, some readers and a few other pilgrims who walked that route may remember that there was part of the GR route washed out around Cette-Eygun requiring either bypassing it by bus/taxi or a dangerous road walk on a busy road with very little shoulder. We walked to Accous where there was a bus stop and hoped to catch a bus to Etsaut, the next stop past the washout.

This was April 2nd and the buses were still running on their holiday schedule which meant hours til the next bus. We went into a small café to see if we could call a taxi but none wanted to come that far from Sarrance. As the bartender was explaining this, a women began talking to him. When she stopped, the bartender said she would drive us to Etsaut in her car.

As we walked to her car, she asked in French if we were Pilgrims going to Santiago, we said oui (she spoke no English) and off we went about 12k to Etsaut. When we arrived we offered to pay her and she refused but asked that we say a prayer for her when we arrived in Santiago. That prayer was said for Jackie [sp] a month and a half later. While we had only a very brief encounter, she could have easily left us standing there and she chose not to. I will never forget her or her random act of kindness.

Maybe I'd paid it forward and I mention this only because I received far more than I gave.

In 2017, coming down from the Cruz. I saw a man sitting on a boulder, looking dejected and totally defeated on part of that wicked descent. I asked if he was okay. He told me they'd just started in Astorga the day before and was not in shape and had not carried enough water or anything to eat. He didn't think he could make it.

I sat with him and talked. I had a banana and an extra bottle of water which I gave him and we talked a bit longer, maybe 10 minutes total, his name is Henry from Puerto Rico. I asked if he was okay and if he wanted to walk with me, he said his friend Juan should be coming along soon. We said our goodbyes and I set off.

Several days later in Triacastela I ran in to Henry cheering and clapping for the Pilgrims coming into town. He told me he owed me a beer, which I accepted. He told me that he'd given me a nickname and that it sounded better in Spanish, I jokingly asked if I really wanted to hear it, he assured me that I did. El ángel del camino de la cabra, the angel of the goat path. I was touched, I did nothing that I think most people would have done and I did not feel worthy of such an honor, I was a bit embarrassed. Henry didn't need the banana or water, he needed some interaction, encouragement and support. I saw Henry and Juan in Santiago, we enjoyed a glass of wine and talked about our Camino.

Later that same year, Puerto Rico was devastated by a massive hurricane and I hoped that Henry and his family were safe. Henry's gift to me will never be forgotten. Henry, if you're reading this, thank you!

Jackie and Henry reminded me of how much we're capable of with kind words or a bit of compassion. A lesson I try to pass on to my grandchildren.

Please, share your stories.
Back in mid May out in the mid maseta, I
misbooked. About noon the next day we stopped for lunch. We enjoyed company with Several others we had been walking with.
As usual we got to talking where we were heading. I took another look at my phone and all seemed ok.
So off we went another 7 km. Something nagged me to have look at our location. The Apple tag told me everything. Got on the phone with Jaco and in the background there was some good chuckling. Turning around we headed right back to our lunch bar. We know this was not the first time but these folks were the best you will find anywhere if you are ever lost. They listened to our story and insisted they drive us to our place. Even more they picked us up in the morning to get us back on the Camino. When offering to pay, they would only accept an agreement to carry forward their kindness to another pilgrim.
Not sure how many helped us along our Camino? We are truly grateful to everyone.
 
...and ship it to Santiago for storage. You pick it up once in Santiago. Service offered by Casa Ivar (we use DHL for transportation).
I like when I can reciprocate all the kindnesses granted to us on the Camino. We were heading out of Villafranca de Bierzo last time we walked the Frances, when a very, very old lady motioned us to come across the street to her whilst she sat outside her home. She told us she was in her nineties, asked us whether we were walking to Santiago and requested that we help her up off her seat and up the stairs so she could re-enter her home. Of course we happily guided her back inside, said our goodbyes and continued walking with a really nice warm fuzzy feeling from doing a good deed. Being helped or helping others, it's great both ways.
 
I like when I can reciprocate all the kindnesses granted to us on the Camino. We were heading out of Villafranca de Bierzo last time we walked the Frances, when a very, very old lady motioned us to come across the street to her whilst she sat outside her home. She told us she was in her nineties, asked us whether we were walking to Santiago and requested that we help her up off her seat and up the stairs so she could re-enter her home. Of course we happily guided her back inside, said our goodbyes and continued walking with a really nice warm fuzzy feeling from doing a good deed. Being helped or helping others, it's great both ways.
Experienced kindness on my first day. After leaving Barcelona at 4.30 am to fly to Bilbao,I had a wait of 3 hours at the bilbao intermodal for a bus that turned up late( apparently this is the usual). I had planned to look around whilst waiting but didn't go put of the station as unsure of entry into the station again
While there were boards up to indicate what platform to wait for your bus,my bus (bilbao to Paris,stopping at bayonne), the one for my route was very late appearing and when it did (40 minutes later) the driver made a mistake with the incorrect platform
Number( mad rush to the the other end of the station) to wait at the correct one. Was one if the last to board and found my pre booked seat was taken. The driver did not support me and said it was first come, first served. The only seat left was at the back, I sat next to a big guy who was sleeping and falling all over me. He also had the .blinds pulled,so I couldn't see any views( today in retrospect these are minor things but at the time they were somewhat stressful) The bus ride was somewhat rocky and windy. At the border the police stopped the bus to inspect the baggage hold .They had dogs with them. Was starting to get a bit anxious about getting to Bayonne in time for the last train to st jean. Finally got Bayonne and my watch had stopped, so I didn't know how late or not I was. Took an exhausting run walk from the bus stop to get to the train station. Once there, things started to get better. Patient staff, a friendly kiosk owner and met a fellow pilgrim .We chatted about many things and soon got to St Jean. As I was somewhat tired I lost my way to my accommodation After going round in a circle for three times, A very kind local rescued me and drove me to hotel Itzalpea, really nice place, the hot shower and comfy bed was bliss. Today I feel renewed and ready to go
 
September 2016. It's not a suggestion of the first Camino. It was my fourth Camino. Salas, C. Primitivo. It was raining cats and dogs. I was walking alone that day. I entered a bar in Salas. I ordered a coffee and a sandwich and they offered me also a banana. That gesture warmed my heart and I was able to continue to Bodenaya in the rain and mud. On the way I met another pilgrim, sore in one knee. I waited for him and we continued together. So I reciprocated the gesture of kindness that had been given to me.
 
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If you want to avoid tales of kindness here, it isn't hard to. The thread isn't exactly hiding what it is. It's right there in the title. Just skip by and don't open it. If others want to share stories of kindness they've received on the Camino, personally, I'm not bothered. This Forum welcomes all kinds of Camino-related conversations.
There’s far too much goodness and warm fuzzy on the Camino and in here. We need the occasional curmudgeon for balance.

Well, maybe not.
 
While passing through a village I saw an old guy struggling to get into his garden as the gate had closed behind him and somehow secured itself. He was not tall enough to reach over so I went over and asked if he needed help. He spoke no English, I spoke virtually no Spanish but hey ho I managed to reach over and undo the gate. But as they say, no good deed goes unpunished. I didn't notice at the time!
 

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I have not walked yet but, like so many others, I have enjoyed and appreciated the varied conversations. One specific topic seems to be missing. I have not seen comments on the suitability or appropriateness of gifts for the many generous albergue hosts who make everyone's journey possible. I know some may say payment is enough. That's not my nature. I have been blessed beyond belief in my life. I'm not wealthy but try to be appreciative and generous... Thank you!
 
Excellent question! I struggled for years trying to bring something suitable -- and light. One year my wife brought 30 miniature Alaska flags on little poles. This was a big hit when we stopped at the Alaska Bar on the Camino Portugues route into the south of Santiago. We all got a little drunk from all the free orujo poured for 5 of us -- for one small flag. Our Anchorage Chapter of the American Pilgrims on the Camino solved the problem for me by developing a Chapter patch. First I carried 10 to give away to especially deserving hospitaleros and other kind local people. Bit hit! Next I carried 15 and had to rip my last one off my pack for a super act of kindness. A French couple in a motor home invited my son in law and me into their motor home for coffee, chocolate, fresh fruit then they opened a 70 year old bottle of brandy! I have 30 in my pack right now for my next Camino starting in two weeks. Maybe your local chapter has a patch. The American Pilgrims on the Camino also has a nice patch. IMG_5528.jpg Buen Camino
 
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Excellent question! I struggled for years trying to bring something suitable -- and light. One year my wife brought 30 miniature Alaska flags on little poles. This was a big hit when we stopped at the Alaska Bar on the Camino Portugues route into the south of Santiago. We all got a little drunk from all the free orujo poured for 5 of us -- for one small flag. Our Anchorage Chapter of the American Pilgrims on the Camino solved the problem for me by developing a Chapter patch. First I carried 10 to give away to especially deserving hospitaleros and other kind local people. Bit hit! Next I carried 15 and had to rip my last one off my pack for a super act of kindness. A French couple in a motor home invited my son in law and me into their motor home for coffee, chocolate, fresh fruit then they opened a 70 year old bottle of brandy! I have 30 in my pack right now for my next Camino starting in two weeks. Maybe your local chapter has a patch. The American Pilgrims on the Camino also has a nice patch. View attachment 177482 Buen Camino
Thanks... I'll tip my hand... I was thinking of short segments of ribbon like below. The inspiration is from the Spanish cadets we sponsor from AGA who have given us wrist ribbons.
 

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