From Mograde I walked to Portomarin, 10km. The walk was lovely, rolling trail though woods, farmland and little hamlets. Setting of before the sun was fully up, I walked for several km until a lovely little albergue and cafe. I stopped in for the requisite stamp on the Camino "passport," and for breakfast. Sucha charming quiet place, again, in the middle of no place. Three lovely young girls were finishing up their coffee con leches, toast, and orange juice (a standard on the Camino). We chatted and recognized we were all Americans: They from Wheaton college. They were surprised I knew of it. We shared motivations for doing the Camino. They were surprised I was doing it solo. Lovely girls, charming, and effusive supportive of this clearly old lady.doing this. They invited me to join them, so nice. I explained I was walking far too slowly, but thank you.
What I didn't say was I am pretty much enjoying my quiet time and I don't think it would be the same with waking partners.
Passing through a little hamlet Saturday morning, clearly life is slower and quieter...I walked by a house with a little boy hanging over the stone fence. He happily said hello and I responded. A charming little interaction.
I came upon Portomarin in late morning and stopped for the day at a private albergue. The room had a line of 12 bunk beds, head to foot. Nice and clean, and quiet, until the Italian cyclists. :-)
I met and chatted with a lovely couple from Donegal. Just the nicest folks. We all went to bed early...well, not the Italian cyclists. :-) So many interesting approaches to life.
Up and off the next morning at 6:30, way before the sun came up.
Good thing too, who knew it was going to be a day of unrelenting ascents and no source of shade.
This was a pretty, but empty trail for the most part, until Gonzar, about 6 or 7 km along. Slogging up that slope, pausing every 40 steps and catching my breath, two women from Texas came up from behind me and we chatted our way up to the cafe, along with several dozen other folks. Brenda and Beth, niece and aunt, but pretty much the same age. Nice women. We shared biographic information and motivation f or waking the Camino. We spent maybe 30 minutes together but boy we got straight to the heart of the matter. Once finished, they were off enthusiastically striking up again.
I pulled on my pack again and recommenced slogging. It was a slow, slow day, sweating buckets. And when I didn't think I could do one more km, out of nowhere there was a little cafe and alongside it a municipal albergue. Just in time for it to.open at 1:00.
Here at the same time were three women: Majbrit of Denmark, Erin of Canada, and Annika of Germany. We struck up conversation, aged to share the laundry facilities, formed a team for the next few hours. Lovely women with interesting things to share.
This Albergue accommodated 30 people, and it filed up fairly rapidly. I'm glad we were the first registered...it's all about access to resources.
Early the next morning we were on our ways, each with a different destination and pace. I had a great day walking. I was surprised that I was going to make it in too Palas de Rei, a much greater distance than I anticipated.
Along the way, I met and chatted with an older woman identifying herself as being from Allemagne. However, her English was much better than my German, so we had a sweet chat until I could no longer keep her pace.
It's these drive by conversations that are so amazingly rewarding. No names, no information, just some lovely kind of intimate exchange.
I hobbled into Palas de Rei, found a room for the night and went out to find food. I walked into a cafe and who do I find but Majbrit. So lovely to run into someone and continue the conversations previously started.
On the trail this morning, heading to Melide, an ambitious 15 km, walking along in my quiet reverie when someone says my name and it's Erin. Again, lovely to meet up this new friend. Of course, my pace is slower than hers, but the connection was great for the time it lasted.
As we walk, we constantly are passing or being passed by many people. (Let's be serious, it's me who's being passed.) Most of the time folks acknowledge you with a hello, a Buenas Dias, Hola, bonjour or Buen Camino. There are fewer and fewer stretches of solitude now. I guess I really mean emptiness, not solitude.
The last 3km today we're quite rough, and I guess I must have looked the part. Several people were kind enough to ask if I was doing okay.
So kind to be seen and acknowledged. And I'm grateful that my body seems to be holding up just fine. I look a mess when I finish for the day, but I make it to the destination. I may be hobbling, but I do make it.
So much to reflect on. Grateful for the love and support of many.
TTFN
Great stories, great travels. Much love!
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