Day 25~ July 24~ Galicia

Trabadelo to O'Cebreiro, 11.5 miles, 8 hours, the first 6.5 miles elevation gain about 315 feet, the last 5 miles elevation gain about 2,185 feet.

Walked early again to beat the heat and so glad we did. I knew that we would be climbing a "hill" today but had no idea the elevation gain until I started to figure out miles. We look at the map the night before to get an idea of where we might stop, but it truly is an unknown until we put our sleeping bags on our beds where we actually will sleep. It all depends on how tired or hot I am and how much distance it is to the next town.

During the day we walked through pastures with beautiful brown cows. We had just stopped for water at a fountain and taken a picture of Doug with Juan Jose (a fellow pilgrim) when on the same bridge of the picture came a dog and shepherd herding 3 cows down the middle of town. I was so stunned and Juan Jose had to jump out of the way that I got pictures of the back end of the cows! What fun!!

The day was hard, but so fulfilling knowing that we are moving forward everyday. The views are spectacular here, but our cameras don't do it justice. We have wished for Don's camera more than once on this trip. We have entered into the area called Galicia. Doug says that we have only 96.4 miles to go!!

Day 24~ July 23~ On the Road

Cacabelos to Trabadelo, 7 hours, 11.2 miles

Spent the early morning, in the dark, saying to ourselves that maybe we should have left a little later. We've been getting up at 5:30 in an effort to beat the heat. But the sun is obviously rising later than it was three weeks ago so maybe I can talk Doug into an extra 15 minutes of sleep from here on out. The signs right now are few and far between and there wasn't a yellow arrow to be seen. The first 3rd of the day was spent walking through vineyards and orchards. Very quiet and peaceful in the morning as the sun was rising.

We had made the decision the night before that we would go the harder up/down the hills trail and avoid the path that went along the river and road. I was opting for less noise, but God had another plan. We realized about a 1/4 mile down the road that we missed a sign or arrow. It turned out for the best!! Even though we had the road noise, the river was a bit cooler than up on the hill would have been. As it is the heat was getting to me by noon. Alls well!

Today I am a little cranky, tired and hot even after a shower. Tomorrow is another day.

Day 23~ July 22~ The albergue experience

Ponferrada to Cacabelos, 10.9 miles, 5.5 hours

Boy what a difference a flat surface makes. Walked faster through villages, vineyards and small vegetable farms. Doug says very idyllic, drop dead gorgeous.

Stopped at an alburgue that is different than any other. We have stayed in cubicles with 100 to a room. Rooms filled with 6-40 beds with kitchen, eating areas, men/women or communal bathrooms, laundry or no laundry areas or any combination. Today's 35 rooms are surrounding the courtyard of a church and remind me of storage units. 2 beds per door (room) with storage bins, room is around 8x8. Showers, toilets are segregated mid courtyard with outdoor sitting, laundry sinks with drying racks. All our clothes will be faded by the time we he back from the sun. No kitchen or cafe. We miss our bed and quiet home.

Our feet are doing much better with the shorter days!

Day 22, July 21~ Saturday

Acebo to Ponferrada, 10.3 miles, 6.5 hours.

I know that you are probably bored to tears reading this, but it was another hard, up, down, rocky, way. Can't wait to walk the bluff at home, child's play, hahaha.

Decided to stay in a hostel a luxury, our own room with bath attached is high living for us. Ate well and slept well. All the basic needs attended to!!

Doug has been intrigued at how many of the larger cities that we've passed through are tourist destinations. For instance, Ponferrada is the home of the castle of The Knights of the Templer. Lots of typical tourist types milling around the city. You can tell that they're not real pilgrims because they have clean clothes and they don't limp.

Good night all!!

Day 21 ~ July 20 ~ La Cruz de Ferro

Rabanal del Camino to Acebo, 10.7 miles, 8 hours

This morning I ordered coffee for 2, oj for 1 and toast for 1. Still not totally good at understanding the response yet so we go 2 huge portions of toast. I tried to give it to some other pilgrims that had coffee, but it seem that my Spanish and their English were equally bad. Boy the confusion I caused by trying to give away toast - the whole albergue was in an uproar! :-)

The day was hard with a lot of steep ups and downs. At the top of the Hill was the cross that pilgrims put rocks from home or ones that have been picked up along the way. We brought 2 small agates from our Whidbey beach, had a quiet moment and then placed them on the pile. As you look at some of the rocks and messages to loved ones, it grabs my heart how many prayers and thoughts have been said in this one place along the camino.

Almost straight down hill to Acebo (ouch) for another wonderful dinner with two young men from Copenhagen. They reminded me of Ryan. Fond remembrances of family and home half way around the world.