September 26, 2011

It´s the day after the last post and I haven´t changed my plans yet! This is a minor miracle. I am 40 km from Santiago de Compostela! I will walk tomorrow to Arca, and then on Sept 28 I hope to enter Santiago.

I say hope because there is a fly in the ointment. I appear to be walking on a sprained ankle. Well, actually I am walking on a sprained ankle, albeit a minor one. The rest day I took back in Portomarin was good for the body but not long enough for the ankle.

I find that with a good taping each morning, I can walk fine on it. I just have to watch when the path gets a little rough. However, on the plus side I am developing amazing slalom-like skills with my walking poles. Confuses the hell out of anyone walking behind me. The more so since most of whom I´ve met on the Camino have no idea about winter sports.

Today, I did about 21 km. I had planned a careful walk stopping at any albergue or bar along the way to rest. Unfortunately, every one within the first 11 or so km was closed! Finally, just outside of Lobreiro, I ran into the Bar Of The Two Germans (actually the name was in German and Spanish, but that´s the translation!). I also ran into two Canadians, from Saint John NB. We had a great time talking about my old NB stomping grounds and what the Camino is like. They had just started in Sarria, which is the closest point to Santiago from which you can start and still be considered to have walked the Camino. Anyway, the chat led to a much longer and needed rest.

Only dissappointment today was that I didn´t stop to eat in Melida, the next town on the way. Melida is famous for its pulpo galego, octopus in the Galegan style. I´d had it earlier in the Camino and it is delicious.

Tomorrow´s walk is about 2/3´s on natural paths shaded by eucalyptus trees, as if I would recognize them. I´ll cross three river valleys, the rios Ladron, Languello and Burgo. Hopefully, I end up tomorrow at Arca, last major town before Santiago. At least, that´s the plan :-)