DAY 16 , Day 9 on the Camino
I am still so amazed and filled with gratitude that I am actually walking across Spain! The little villages have such character, the stone buildings so ancient, the sky bright blue (when I am not being guided by the moon or wowed by an amazing sunrise) the spring blossoms are a sight to behold, the forest trails refreshing to skin and feet and the expansive vistas we sometimes come upon are breathtaking!

Today in our 13 mile walk we had all of those things! Including a short stint with a herd of cows, their stick wagging leader and her faithful dog assistant!! The inclines were short as were the declines. And my feet were relatively pain free – WHAT A JOY!!! Life is Good!! We went through six little villages, stopping for cafe con leche in Vilar do Barrio and arriving in Xunqueira for our night’s lodging at a very modern albergue.

We wandered through this very lovely village (one of my favorites) and ultimately settled in at
Taparia Oxtoco for a “menu perigrino” which included an awesome salad, pork chops for me (calimari for others), French fries and a delicious flan with whipped cream!

Also, I stocked up on veggies at the Mercado earlier, and though my pack may be heavier, I am a happy camper!! I have had 3 salads, 1 carrot, 1 avocado and the greens in the Galatian soup in the last 10 days. In the week prior I had one dish in Madrid with carrots and a cucumber I bought at the health food store. People rave about the Spanish food and offerings on the Camino – so far I am not a fan… Today I bought 2 avocados. 2 carrots, a cucumber, a tomato, a red bell pepper, 2 apples and some olives!! Yabba Dabba Doo!!