1) A made Aussie who kept calling me grandfather and saying that Americans were arrogant. Spent a delightful week walking with him. Still keep in touch
2) A nice couple (wife was a beekeeper and husband an architect/restore of old houses and a folk singer) who I also had the pleasure of walking off and on for about a week.
3) Italian couple from Milan (in their 80s) who argued very loudly as we walked. When I asked why, I was told "she always talks loudly when she is wrong"
4) Spanish couple who spoke no English and who I passed and then they passed many many times. Our entire conversation was "Hola, buenos dias" for about 3 weeks. On the last day, I was sitting at a table at a stop with some Americans that I met and the lady came up behind me and pulled my pony tail. I looked at her in surprise and she pointed at her husbands exceedingly bald head. Seems like he was envious of what little hair I had back there.
5) German college student or post college student who was desperately trying to nicely pick up any female who would speak to him. Very nice guy, very bad pickup lines and luck
6) Spanish pharmacist who we went to when my previously mentioned Aussie had some bad blisters. The pharmacist spoke no English but had a great sense of humor. When my friend showed him his blisters he said something in Spanish. My friend didn't speak Spanish. I speak a little so he asked me what the Pharmacist had said. I said (loosely translating) - You're going to die but not from these
.
7) Standing in the pouring rain with a Dutch couple that spoke no English. A pilgrim struts by us and shouts out "Why are you standing there, pilgrims are waterproof and invincible" and just kept trudging on. The Dutch couple looked at me, gave the universal shrug and we went back out into the rain.
8) An unnamed pilgrim who spoke no English but who couldn't get his poncho on over his pack without help. During a two day rain I think I helped him with that 20 times. But he bought coffee so I had no complaints
9) All the people who pointed at me and said "GoPro man" (since I was videoing the entire walk).
And on and one. I only hope that I provided as much merriment to others as they provided to me and that I dispelled some of the thinking that all Americans are arrogant and unaware of anything outside the U.S.