Highs and Lows

So Iḿ in Portomarín today, and Iḿ feeling the burn from a long ascent and steep descent. But it was a good day. Back to where I left off:
I forgot yesterday to describe the albergue where I stayed. Let me just say, it was the most expensive (€9) but worth every centivo. It had a fountain to provide a nice background noise, a reading room, free massages (except on Sundays, gosh darn it), a centrifugador (thatś a device that spins your clothes to get the water out of them) which meant my clothes dried very fast, and at night a fire to sit by and talk.
Since everything was closed for Sunday/Pentecost/something related to St. Anthony that involves loud fireworks in the middle of the day, my German friend and I had the cheapest pilgrim menu we could find (since theyŕe all pretty much the same, thereś no sense in spending extra money on them). We had a very good conversation and concluded that on the Camino, you see people as they really are because when people walk 20-30 km every day they can maintain the façade they have at home. As an example, I used the German guy who told me he hated me because of my walking sticks. Not very pleasant of him to say, but he was being open and honest. So it is with almost everybody. I've noticed it with myself as well, that I see some raw emotions rising up in me that I have to pray to squash. For instance, I get extremely angry at people who turn the light on when there are still people trying to sleep, even (usually) when Iḿ already up. The temptation to hate them and snorers (even though they can always help themselves - they are asleep after all) is very fierce at times. Yet there are others who are so extremely peaceful that they are a true testament to the grace of God. I have never seen another place where both the fallenness of humanity and the power of God grace are so apparent at one time.
Anyway, after dinner I went to the mass at the somewhat disturbingly Mary-centric church. But it was a good mass nonetheless. After that I spent some time with the group by the fire and then went to bed and slept very well.
Today was a good day, full of sights and smells. I walked for a while with a Hungarian girl and an older woman from Canada that I've seen for a few days now. I hope to speak to the Canadian (from Toronto) more about Christianity because at one point while we were talking about the sorry state of the media and the news she said something that pricked my ears. To be more specific, I referred jokingly to the threat from American liberals that they would move to Canada and she said that she loves Americans and that theyŕe welcome "as long as they don't bring any hard right Christianity." I didn't get a chance to pursue that vein any more, but hopefully I can get a sense of her thoughts about Christians in the days to come.
Now Iḿ staying in the municipal albergue here in Portomarin, and itś nice but the room Iḿ in already smells like feet which might be a problem if we can't open more windows. Something else a bit disconcerting about both municipal albergues in which I've stayed is that neither have curtains or doors for the showers, so privacy is basically down to zero unless you count the deviders between showers. The waterś hot, though, and I sang Amazing Grace both times (one older guy hummed along and thanked me in OĆebreiro as I left), so it could be worse.
Tomorrow I have my last big climb and after that it will be all gentle downhill to Santiago. So far the crowds are not nearly as bad as I feared, but that is subject to change the closer we get. Iḿ praying for you all, especially my Soulsters serving the Jacksonville community this week. God bless!