Today’s walk had us traveling five hours from A Gudina to Campobecerros through hill and dale, Extreme uphills and Equally Extreme downhills, massive rolling stretches of even more purple heather than yesterday, vast views of waterways, train tracks, tiny villages and trailways that seemed impossibly distant yet that we did in fact reach and walk on.

We didn’t set off until 8:00 as several in the group had hoped for breakfast at the cafe near our albergue. No such luck. Still, some of our group noshed on chocolate filled croissants and toast and soon we were off! Consequently we were followed by an intense sun and I’ll tell you what – that icy cold cervesa after settling in at our new lodgings tasted mighty fine!!! So did the tipico Galacian soup, Caldo Gallego, of white beans, broth and greens (the latter – anything green for that matter – seemingly almost impossible to find on our journeys)!!

They didn’t have enough beds for three of our group and another pilgrim, nor were there any beds open in this small town’s hotels. Our industrious hospitaleor built two more bunks, pushed the existing ones (very) close together and problem solved! And what a wonderful meal we shared with each other – including the other tribe!!

We have now walked a full week and I am doing the “Camino Shuffle” much less!! I am so very grateful for this opportunity, experience, my (recovered) abilities and fellow perigrinos!