September 9, 2018

Today was my 30th day of walking!! Starting in Ligonde I walked through Eirexe, Portos, the little hamlets of Lestedo, Valos, Brea and into Rosario. Then it was through the expansive park and recreation area of Os Chacotes, featuring a municipal swimming pool, lots of green space and a couple of albergues. Through fields of heather and over a medieval bridge I also traveled into Disicabo and on to Furelos which had me crossing another medieval bridge!! And then through another very large recreational park! Eventually I was into the town of Melide, in which “Neolithic dolmens and prehistoric castrum” suggest that the area was well settled in prehistoric times. It is also well known for its boiled octopus, “Pulpo” with pulperías on every corner!!!

I had only another 5.5 km through a couple of additional hamlets, including Raido, until I would arrive at my destination for the day, Boente – so I had every intention of stopping for lunch for some pulpo! I even read in the guidebook that on Sundays they might be dishing it out of pots on the street and Whoo Hoo, its Sunday!!

Well let me tell you – not only is it Sunday, it was market day and some kind of a festival!! There were beer tables abounding, farmers selling their wares – not in just a central location but all over, as well as many, many groups of people with matching T-shirts and kerchiefs, and also several marching bands playing at the same time from different corners of town!! It was a zoo! And it was a vortex for me! I couldn’t decide whether to order some pulpo, go into a grocery store, have some beer or to abort my lodging plans to stay there instead of the next town… Eventually I just made my way out of there doing none of the above and I felt that I was lucky to get away with my life! Actually, I think it would been a very fun place to stay in, but given the number of tour groups that are operating within the final 100 kilometers left to Santiago de Compostela (“Day Trippers”), I just figured that tomorrow morning would be equally as crazy leaving from there! No Thank You!! I did meet a nice couple from Steilacoom in Melide and ran into Kaspar who I met the other night and who worked at the Space Needle for a number of years -drying out his wet clothes while he hung out in his hammock just beyond!

Overall, I was smiling all day! There were the usual big hills, but for the most part my trek was filled with even and downhill terrain, through forests of chestnut, acorn, walnut, beach and eucalyptus trees upon earthen paths illuminated by dappled sun. And plenty of cows to ooo and aah at – and horses, too! And I swear, even the crows here cackle and caw in Spanish!

Oh and the albergue I’m staying in is under a year old and it’s beautiful! The restaurant is in an old stone building that has been in the family for generations and islovely, the area spacious and there is a refreshing pool to dip my tired dogs into!!!