Magical evening at Orisson (Th 5 Sep '13)

Dinner is served en masse at 6:30 pm. We were among several hungry pilgrims hovering outside the door when out came the chef shouting in French, "a table, a table" and in we went.  We sat ourselves at the long table running through the middle of the room, and were pleased to be joined by folks from Denmark, Ireland, Norway and the USA.  The meal was served family style: steaming hot pots of food are placed at the centre of each table from which we'd share.  Also, a carafe of red wine and one with water at each table.  All the food and beverages was available in unlimited supply and we ate and drank to our hearts content.  No one seemed to go overboard with the wine  -- we were all tired, and we'd be up early in the morning to start out long hike over the mountain into Spain.

First course was a hearty vegetable soup that was delicious -- I had three bowls of it.  Next, the main of cassoulet (classic french bean dish) and roast pork and bread to swab up the remains of the sauce. Finally, a hot almond cake.  We all stuffed ourselves and there were plenty of leftovers.  

After the meal, the hostel host came out and announced it was a tradition at Orisson that everyone stand and introduce themselves, telling their name, where they're from, where they are walking to.  There were over 60 people at dinner so it took a while but it was such a warm and encouraging feeling in the room -- after each person introduced themselves, there was a hearty round of applause.  An international crowd -- Ireland, lots of Canadians, El Salvador, Hungary, Australia, NZ, Korea, USA and Japan and a nice mixture of first timers (at least two had never worn a backpack before!) and veterans, young and old. 

Two highlights of the evening:

The first is a young man named Oswaldo from El Salvador, who walked the Camino last year and returned this year to walk a longer version, starting in Munich, through Switzerland and France -- he'd already been walking two months!  He's at the head of table in the picture above, just in front of the fireplace.

The second is Mike (aka Cimarron) from the US - the fellow in the pic below with the bright blue shirt standing and introducing himself in the photo below. He is NINETY-ONE years old and he is walking the Camino!  He holds the record for the oldest person to ever complete the 2200 mile long Appalachian Trail, that runs along the east coast of The US, which he walks almost every year.  

After dinner, many of us went outside to enjoy the fresh twilight air.  We noticed some cows grazing up the road from us and gradually, one-by-one, they walked right by the dining hall and front door of the hostel, cow bells a clangin'.   I had so wanted to see some bell-toting cows up close -- great way to end the day.