Lavacolla - Santiago 12km

I sat around most of the afternoon wondering what to do with myself, Lavacolla is small with two bars and a restaurant.  My accommodation isn't anything to write home about either.  I cleaned up then headed for the bar looking for food.  One was closed and the other said the kitchen was closed.  I ordered a vasa of vino Tinto and sat in the sun listening to a pilgrim play his guitar.  John, Raye Mike 'n Jackie called me to clink glasses and chat.  The only other option for food was the restaurant.  San Paio wasn't serving dinner until 7:30, more wine and potato chips held off the hunger.

As dinner was being announced in walked Kathleen 'n Jessica.  We sat at a table for 4, Patrick from France joined us, he's walked the Camino 4 times.  Only once from SJPDP though.  There was the menu del dia or ala carte.  After looking at the ala carte  I chose the safest one, I wasn't brave enough to order the meat mud!  I had the soup and boiled meat with fried potatoes 😏  by the time I get home it will almost be 2 months since I've used a kitchen.

I didn't head out until after 9, since I only had a short walk and my people weren't getting in Santiago until 3ish.  It was uphill to Villamaior, I stopped in at San Marcos and had me some handmade banana cake and a cafe.  There was a mom n pop souvenir stand next door, it was only 10am so more time wasting was needed.  I dressed up as a pilgrim 😄 and bought a few trinkets.

Off to Monte Del Gozo, it overlooks the city and has 400 or more pilgrim beds, glad I didn't stay in the snoratorium on my last night on the Camino.  I stopped in the tiny chapel of San Marcos before I headed into the city.

I arrived at noon, still too early so I got my glasses fixed and found a bar to sit in just outside the Praza Obradoiro.  I had a few beers and chatted with an American who was singing Donald's praises, she was a conspiracy theorist and despised Hillary.  I had enough of that and went out to sit in the sun and await my people.  I ran into Kelly.  She had finished two days ago and she was heading to London to meet her husband.  I told John to listen for the bagpipes cause that's where I'd be.  As I was chatting with Kelly my people arrived.  What a site for my sore eyes.

We all had our sunglasses on so you didn't see the tears.  I said my goodbyes to a few pilgrims then we (Me John, Raye & Jackie) went through the tunnel, passed the piper and into the square.

We found Mike sitting at a corner bar, he'd was securing our accommodations. Let the party begin!  A few rounds of beers, olives and potato chips later we headed to our apartment.  Kathy came over and we consumed more libations.  At some point we went and found some food.  Some good some not. Until I check in to the pilgrim office to receive my Compostela - Buen Camino.

Brea - Lavacolla 18km

I enjoyed my evening at the pension, I sat out on the deck for a bit, then looked at my pictures and read my blog, chatted with Liz before she heads to Maui while I finished off the bottle of wine.

I left about 8:15am, It was clear and just getting light.  I walked for 8kms before I stopped for a cafe.  I just love the smell of the eucalyptus trees.  There was plenty of pilgrims at the bars but I was fortune to walk pretty much on my own.

It's so hard to sit and wait, I know Santiago is up the way 10kms but I will go find something to eat and rearrange my pack. I slowed the afternoon by stopping in at a few bars and having a cervaza. You can feel the excitement, I'm sure there will be a few parties in Santiago.  Until then Buen Camino 👣👣👣👣

Castaneda - Brea No 36 22km

When I reached my pension "The Way" the marker said 25km to Santiago 😄👣👣 They say the 1st part of the Camino is physical, the second emotion and the 3rd spiritual.  Today I must say I did feel  spiritual.  As I walked through the pathways lined with chestnut and eucalyptus trees I really felt that my grandad was taking a walk with me, he would have loved those trails.  It was a drizzly day and I can just see him in his surrey sweater,  cap and gum boots having a smoke.  It's weird when you walk for hours and hours what the mind conjures up.  Maybe it was all those nut trees.

When I was leaving Ribadiso there was a woman on the hill struggling, she was limping badly,  when I approached her I asked if she was ok, she said she's fallen a few days back, her ankle wasn't broken. Maryanne from Germany was gonna walk 5km an then get a taxi.  I offered to tape her ankle, which I did and then carried on.  She managed to get to Arzua.  Crazy!  I also saw Kathleen n Jessica. Kathleen had been singing my praises and calling me Joan of Arc, the first aid supplies I'd given her was working.  She's slowed her days down but at least she'll finish.

I'm back walking on my own, and I love it, I booked a pension on booking.com.  I'm in a single room with my own bathroom and a balcony.  The host Roger doesn't have a pilgrim menu but he's got all kinds of takeout menus.  Once I was showered I went down to the kitchen for some wine. 3 Euros for the bottle. 🍷🍷🍷 I ordered a ham n pineapple pizza and chatted with Roger.  He opened The Pension on The Way 3 years ago. It's open from May 1st till end of October then he goes home to England. My pizza arrived hot, I ate 1/2 a large so it must have been good.  Roger booked me into Casa Lavacolla, it's about 15 Kms.  Hopefully it won't rain.  John, Raye, Mike and Jackie are in Madrid.  I wasn't able to meet up with Kathy and her musicians, maybe in Santiago.  Until Lavacolla Buen Camino 👣👣👣👣

San Xulian - Castaneda 19.1km

Wow Albergue O. Abrigadoiro was a diamond in the rough!  The owner was a wonderful host, he kept the fire stoked for us cold Peregrinos, he fed us an amazingly good cena, vegetable noodle soup, mixed salad, empanadas and grilled pork and for desert chocolate mousse plus the never ending vino tinto.  He had classical music playing too.

I had a top bunk, but that's ok... The room was warm and the snoring is getting soothing 😂 or maybe entertaining in the wee hours.

We headed out about 8:15, I'm not a fan of fumbling around in the dark looking for yellow painted on somewhere arrows.  We didn't have a reservation for tonight but had our mochila transported to the next destination in hopes when we got there, we'd get a bed.  It only has 6.  I walked on my own today... I prefer that.. I took lots of rests and caught up with some people I hadn't seen in a few days.  I was sitting on a bench chatting and along came Virginia, she didn't want to stop and chat but that's ok...

The trail today was much the same as the previous two, woodlands with chestnut trees.  I stopped for lunch in Melide but I didn't try the pulpa.  I just can't eat a plate myself.  After crossing river valleys I arrived at my Albergue around 3, I ordered a king beer and sat on the veranda cheering the pilgrims walking another 7km.  I'm showered and and will finally have some clean clothes.  No pilgrim menu tonight.  Just gonna figure out the accommodation for tomorrow and the next.  So close, under the 50km.  My Cherie boarded a plane this morning!  Tomorrow I get to see and taste  nipple cheese 😳 bet ya can't wait to see what that's all about Patti!  Until Brea  Buen Camino 👣👣👣👣

Hospital de la Cruz - San Xulian do Camino 16.9km

Every day since St. Jean Pied de Port I have noticed a piece of green glass, it's not sea glass but it reminds me of Raye, it's like it's been planted there to help me when my body is weary, cheering me on, walk this way.

When I went into the bar I heard someone say they recognized my voice, it was Kathleen an her daughter Jessica, they were having a bite to eat before walking another 14km.  😱 Kathleen has some nasty blisters, she showed me a picture. Yuk, it was infected and thank GOD I couldn't smell it!  😳 Anyways I got my first aid kit and gave her the iodine, sterile wipes and some band aids.  I suggested she drain it asap, perhaps see a doctor too.  I'm amazed she can walk.  Actually I'm pretty surprised at the amount of pilgrims pushing through their pain, be it feet, knees or blisters.  The Camino is a tough trek.    Not sure my feet will ever forget all the stones I've walked over!

We had dinner with a couple that we've seen along the way, an Australian woman who was lamenting on the hot weather back home, a German fellow and one from the Chec Republic who had just become a great grandfather 3 hours prior.  Last night I had macaroni, fried chicken, green salad and a banana.  It was good conversation and good vino.  Tonight they say the second course is two meats, oh boy I wonder what parts of the animal will grace my plate tonight!

Last nights accommodation didn't disappoint.  We struck out a 7am.. It had rained heavy all night but the sky was clear although windy.  We walked the first 1.4km in the dark which is always fun trying to find the way markers.  I had a cafe in Ventas de Naron, where I met a young Italian who was on crutches do to tendinitis, he was told to rest for a couple of days but he opted not to.  He was walking 50km, how crazy is that.  The weather was pretty good, the track was favorable too.  But we have a major rain advisory for the next couple of days. 🌧🌧🌧

San Xulian do Camino is a classic Camino village, it's got great atmosphere so that makes me happy.  It's another 17km tomorrow to Castaneda. 👣👣👣👣 until then Buen Camino

Mercadoiro - Hospital de la Cruz 16.8km

Well that was an interesting evening.  The pilgrim menu offered  Galician soup. Chicken stock with potatoes, and a leafy green.  The Main was pig cheeks and potatoes, everyone at the table thought they'd be getting thinly slices pork with fries 😳 nope, a bowl with fist sized cheeks, boiled potatoes in a broth.  It actually wasn't to bad, if I was making it I would have taken the time to clean the cheeks, ya know get rid of the connected tissues and collagen.  Janis took one look at it and said "I can't eat that", she was lucky she was only served one, my bowl had two 😜. We sat with a couple of retired teachers from Australia, they've been on the way for 6 weeks.  After polishing off the vino it was time to head for bed.

When the hosperila showed us our bunks I couldn't help but notice the room wreaked of something rotten.  We'd opened the window in hopes the smell would disappear.  No such luck, but there was a young woman in the top bunk and I'd asked her if she could smell the smell.  Yes it's dreadful, she was sleeping down stairs in a 4 bed room all by herself and didn't feel safe.  I said I'd be willing to move down there, so we gathered our gear and vacated the rotten room.  I had a great sleep, probably the best night so far and I didn't even dream of dead mice in walls. 😄

I was thinking that rain we had yesterday was a good thing, we walked through lots of hamlets and villages with cows, the rain helped keep the flies and the Cow dung to a dull roar.
This morning we didn't leave until 8:30 again walking through small villages. Portomarin has some interesting history, they rebuilt the church of St. John as its original one is submerged under waters of the Balesar reservoir. Which was built in 1963.  We walked through a fair amount of woodlands and on track called senda, there was a fare amount of uphill but I don't mind that.  The top of the hill always provides an amazing view.  We stopped in Gonzar for some bacon n eggs, then it was a short walk to Hospital de la Cruz.  Tonight it's sheets, bedding, towels oh what a treat.  The weefee doesn't work here so very few pictures today.  Until San Xulian Buen Camino 👣👣👣👣👣
Im just under the 80km marker 😄👏👏👏

Sarria - Mercadoiro 16.8km

Well we must be in Galicia, it's raining. I heard some pilgrims saying it reminded them of Ireland. We had the usual, salad and pasta with wine for dinner.  Then I went to the tienda and stocked up on items for today.  I also picked up a beer to have in the garden while I chatted with John n Julia.  The rain storm waited until I finished my conversations.

The albergue was quiet, it wasn't full.  We were on the way by 7:45.  We crossed over another ancient bridge and wound our way between the river and climbed up through woodland and along country roads, the towns and villages blend together, I like that.  Gives me something to look at besides the ground!  Look at that I found the 100km marker!

We are sitting in the  bar attached to the Albergue,  the fires gong, I'm enjoying a glass of vino tino. and piano music is playing.  It's the same old menu being offered, I'm debating if I should, well at least there won't be any surprises. While  I waited for the weefee, I had a marvelous snooze on a couch in the old stone building with a fireplace.

I'm off Hospital de la Cruz and will be checking into Hs El Labrador a step up from the last few nights 😄 until then keep warm, Buen Camino 👣👣👣👣👣

Fonfria - Sarria via taxi 26km

It was a hard decision but I made it, so I better be comfortable with it.  I was sitting around yesterday with other pilgrims who had said it was going to take 10 days to walk into Santiago from here, Fonfria.  If I want to be there on the 19th that only leaves me 8 days.  John told be not to worry about the arrival date, they weren't going any where without me. I made my decision.  So I will resume my walking in Sarria, this will give my feet a break from the decent and a rest for my weary bones.

I shared a taxi with Janis, 35 euros.  Wow it doesn't take long to drive 26kms.  I feel like I might have missed some amazing scenery but that's the price you pay.  I've mapped out the next 7 days, I think it's doable.  I will arrive in Santiago in time to meet my people.  The weather has changed, it's cold, foggy and raining, quite a contrast from what I've experienced so far.

We are staying in an 8 euro Albergue and if you know me, I can smell an old wet musty building anywhere.  Janis picked this one because an artist owes it.  The saving grace is that the hosperila did my laundry. After we checked in, we headed up the path to find a beverage. We ran into quite a few people we'd walked with so that was fun.  I'm off to Mercadoiro tomorrow, it's about 17kms with a few ups and downs.  I think my longest day this next week will be the 19th when I enter the square after walking 20kms.

Just going to take it easy, not to much walking.  Until Mercadoiro. Buen Camino 👣👣👣

La Faba - Fonfria Brierley 16.5km, German outdoor 20km Today was the highest point at Alto do Poio 1335 m

Oh what a night, after having thanksgiving dinner at the Refugio Vegetariano we headed back to our parish Albergue.  It's been renovated by the German Confraternity, it sits on a beautiful piece of land, park like with a church.  The snoratorium sleeps 66 in bunk beds, 4 to a cubical.  Janis was trying to play the old card and wanted bottom bunks. I says no worries I'll take the top. These bunk beds might have had 2 1/2' between the top n bottom.  When I sat on the bottom bunk the springs from the top pulled my hair out. 😳 I climb up into my snore shelf and I am now lying in a indentation in the middle of the bed.  Hmm guess I won't fall out.  I'm just settling in and the snoring starts.  The German woman in the lower bunk has a horrendous cold and should have been handing out disposable surgical masks.  Or perhaps checked into a single room.  Anyways along with her nasty coughing she snored worse than my dad did.  I actually had to get out my ear plugs, there was at least a dozen others too. In the morning I found it quite hard not to sneer at her.

On another note I've been taking an anti inflammatory in the middle of the night, so I had prepped my dose and snack, that means I took them out of the noisy wrappers.  Along comes midnight and I take the pill and eat the snack, I munching as quietly as I can but notice some thing is rather hard in my musli bar, it's a fucking euro that must have been loose in my bag. 😳 geez I'm glad I didn't swallow that.

We headed out around 7:45; it's dark and we've got rocky hills to climb. 2.3 k and we pass a tiny hamlet, we continue to climb another 1.1km until we reach the marker advising us we are leaving Castilla y Leon and entering Galicia in the province of Lugo.

We climb higher and reached O'Cebreiro, which is the final resting place for Don Elias Valina Sampedro, he's the priest who invented with the yellow arrow starting in 1984.  We stopped for a cafe, it's evident that the tours start here, big buses dropping off people who walk a few kilometers and then get back in their bus.  Oh well I knew it was gonna start soon.

We took a wrong turn, well we fallowed someone (dumb idea) and ended up on the road.  After about 1/2 k I said hmm lets go back, I can't walk the road.  It was foggy and cold and the traffic was whizzing by.  Back up the hill we we found the arrow.  To our surprise we were still going up before dropping into Linares. We walked beside the main road before we climbed to Alto do Poio.  3.3 Kms down the path we reached our Albergue.  The rain has started and it's cold. So happy to be inside contemplating my next move.  Until then, Buen Camino 👣👣👣👣

Trabedelo - La Faba 17km + 920m

We had a nice dinner at a little bar that serves homemade food... It's a rarity on the Camino.  I opted for bacon n eggs.  We had the room to ourselves last night, so it wasn't an issue turning on the light at 6:30am. We were out the door at 7:30, the stars were twinkling although it was cold.  I'd layered up, you can feel that fall is in the air.

This leg takes you through lots of little villages, it was pretty much up hill so having a few distractions was good.  You could see the massive motor way above.  The last 1.4km was a steep accent through chestnut trees.  Ok that's an acorn tree, just seeing if your paying attention after your glutinous turkey dinners!

As I made my way, I thought of Ruth and her advice to keep the heart rate the same. So I kept the same pace an up I went, sweat was dripping off the end of my nose, but I didn't need to stop.  This is the down before the up!

La Faba is a delightful hamlet.  We've booked into the Albergue at the bottom of the hill, go figure!  Tomorrow the path continues up through the Valcarce valley lined with Spanish chestnut trees.  The view is suppose to be splendid but geez the weatherman is calling for rain..  It's thanksgiving, no bird for me.

 Theses hills are full of vegetarians. I wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving.  Until I'm up and over into
Galicia Buen Camino 👣👣👣👣