The Tower of Babel

 There is linguistic etiquette on the Camino. Everyone is greeted in Spanish, either with a Hola or a Buenos días. This is then followed up with Buen Camino. 

After this you can try your own mother tongue, or try and speak theirs. Walking with an Italian women called Christina, from Milan, we began our exchange as above. It then became like the Tower of Babel, with Italian, English, Spanish and French all being used. At one point I fell back on my Latin, thinking that it must be close to the Italian words. 

Caecilius et Metella thermas Romanas visitant cum Quinto filio eorum. Eheu, mons erupit!

There is only so far your conversation will go, with GCSE Latin. In fairness, Christina didn’t give a monkey’s who was going to the baths, or that they were about to be covered in ash.

Other friend who come from Germany and Hungry, speak English so perfectly amongst themselves, it is staggering how linguistically capable they are, particularly when we are tasting wine. 

Walking with Danny, from Madrid, his English is incredible too. He still beats himself up, when he can’t find a word, however our conversation's are deep and varied. It all puts me to shame. 

In my defence, when passing a group of French people, I did speak French to the lady. She was stunned but pleased, questioning how an English person was able to speak French, in Spain.

My point is that the Camino is the best of the Tower of Babel, where fellowship and friendship communicate above all. 

To confuse thing further, last night, after a gorgeous meal of Octopus and beer with Danny, I watched regional dancing and bag pipes in the town square of Palas de Rei. Please tell me that this could not be similarly passed off in the Trossachs?