We left Lourdes for Dax at 9:15 AM on 15 August, hoping that by the time we made it to Irun, a miracle would take the form of a means of getting to Madrid. Int he train station, we met a group from Kentucky and Tennessee, led by an overly chatty but friendly middle aged priest.
Upon our arrival on the border, we were greeted by a closed-for-siesta train ticket booth, so we ran right to the pilgrim-filled bus line. By a rare stroke of good fortune, we were able to get tickets to Bilbao and then to Madrid. Before we left, we grabbed lunch at a little sandwich shop (we're so sick of sandwiches). As we were leaving, the twenty-something year old who took our orders called us over and handed us each a miraculous medal - one with Mary and the other with the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The random act of kindness left me beaming, and I decided that I would wear the medal as a constant reminder to engage in similar random acts of kindness.
Our bus departed promptly on time, was super comfortable, and had an in-transit attendant, who brought us water and headphones. The train from Bilbao to Madrid was equally timely, and brought us into la Avenida de las Americas at 9:45 PM. We wandered around the station trying to find Santiago, our host father, whom we eventually found with three of us seven children.
They brought us to their home in a Mercedes van that seats nine (the size of their family). We were showed to our own bedroom, where we promptly set up our new home for the week, and then went downstairs for a late and delicious dinner in their yard by the swimming pool.
Santiago and his wife Ana are beyond accommodating and friendly. Their seven children - Ana, Marta, Teresa, Ines, Jaime, Javiar, and Juan - are exceptionally well-behaved. We are incredibly lucky to be received by such a loving family, and we are so excited to be staying with them.
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