Walking Day 8

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Hola!

So last night at Casa Rodriguez was really good, fantastic homemade dinner, even though I'm sure I asked for soup and pasta, had soup, steak, salad and chips and bread (geez, lucky I said "no mucho"). Although I kept saying that I speak no Spanish, the senor insisted on speaking to me in Spanish ha ha ha. Nod and smile Kylie, nod and smile. Turns out I wasn't the only one there, a group of 8 ladies appeared at 9:30pm....they had gotten lost on the Camino and had to get a taxi! Found that Google Translator is an excellent tool, clearly I did not use it at dinner. Of note, it is easy to get lost in some parts of the Camino as not as readily signed with the yellow arrows in this region. You really need to be on look out for the trail during certain stretches or refer to your maps. People in groups chatting generally seem to miss the ongoing paths and need to double back.

Today was a relatively easy day with only 16kms to Triacastela, but I broke it up with a few stops, one which turned out to be a cracker at Favolli where I had great Jamon croquetas and a homemade apple cake. The cold morning looked ominous with mist and rain clouds and when I went to grab my poncho I found it was gone! Maybe lost from the pocket of my backpack during a pit stop? Anyway I didn't need it in the end as the rain clouds kept in front of me and it ended up being a warm, sunny day.

Got into Triacastela around 12:30pm and although the town is not big I went to the pharmacy for more compeeds for my blisters and the supermarket for a poncho. A Korean lady was in the pharmacy with a bad case of bed bugs, so pleased i am not staying in the alberges, apparently they are very common and terribly itchy. It's Sunday today and Mother's Day so lots of people out for lunch with families and all dressed up. There was also a funeral in town, on a Sunday, rather large affair.

Today's route was through lots of farm land so heaps of cattle, dogs, foxes, birds, chickens (one rooster that followed me for a while going off) and the smells of lavender and wood fires. Funnily enough, with all the dairy cattle, I am yet to come across fresh milk.
Met up with Gerrard from Holland, Claire and Bill from Brisbane, Sue from Victoria, Karen from NSW and Arlos from California for a beer when we arrived in the village, ok maybe a few beers, it's Sunday!



Spoke to the kids earlier today, they are sending pics of my Mother's Day cards and presents, so cute. I have bought them each a bracelet with the Camino scallop shell and each one signifying a different good luck charm; Lucy's is a guardian angel, Fred's for energy (somehow I think he already possesses plenty of that) and Caitlin's for vitality. Intend wearing these into Santiago on the last day to be blessed along with me (if I don't catch fire) at the pilgrim mass.

Now at Casa de Pacios which looks like an old barn converted to very nice rooms. They will take me back to town (only 1.5kms away) for dinner soon. Think soup is in order, can't possibly do another 3 course pilgrim's meal as they are far too big, even if they are cheap.

Until tomorrow (or I get sick of typing this blog).



K

Xxx

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Comments

[Tina]

Hola!
All sounds amazing happy Mother's Day xxx