Greetings from Ribadiso

Another great day to walk...started out damp and cool, but none of the fog we had yesterday.  Again we walked up and down hills and vales all day, crossing 6 shallow river valleys.  Much of the walk was through woodland.  We saw our first eucalyptus and understand we will see tall stands of it the next two days.  Interesting!

We had a nice breakfast at the Albergue and didn't stop until we came across a wonderful new cafe in O Coto two hours later.  Yesterday at every stop there was no TP, hand soap, or paper towels.  Today we only stopped twice and both places were new and clean and fully stocked!  Bonus!  It's the little things in life, right?

By about 11:30 we were walking through the city called Melide.  It was early so we decided to wait to eat lunch but made a tactical error in not checking the guide.  We didn't find a place to eat until about 1:30 and we were so ready to get off our feet by then.  I had a great cheese sandwich, chips and a coke.  Andy had a tasty pasta salad with squid, a local speciality in this area.  

We did not have scenic views today, but the paths were nice and the woodlands were pretty.  We talked with two gals from Australia who were interested to see gum trees like they have at home.

It is still interesting to see the different houses, old and new.  Most of the new ones are square, but it is amazing how different they look.  Many have unusual chimneys or turrets on the roofs.  There are a lot of big fancy homes with incredible landscaping.  Then there are very old run down places that look just awful.  Many have stone walls around them and look like a compound.  Many have wonderful gardens or groves of fruit.  Today we saw our first donkey.  

My foot hurt starting out...it is like it has to warm up or loosen up.  Then it didn't hurt much after that.  I did have my shoelace on that foot as loose as I could get it.  That helped relieve the pressure/pain.

I am grateful.  It is crazy because in the evening it seems to be fine but then in the morning it hurts again.  At any rate, I am pretty sure I can walk two more days!

There are only two Albergues here on the River Iso.  We are in a newer one called Los Caminantes.  The other one is a Xunta (much like a Muni).  Most of the Xunta are refurbished schools.  This one is a reconstruction of one of the oldest pilgrim hostels (hospitals) still in existence so it is pretty cool.  A lot of people were in the river cooling their feet or laying in the grass as we came in over the medieval bridge.

Andy and I are thinking about and talking about finishing up the Camino and heading home.  I think the wear and tear on our bodies is taking its toll.  Any one day is not really that difficult if you were out on the weekend hiking for a day.  It is more the walking six days in a row week after week that makes it difficult...and some people don't even take a day off like we have.  Don't get me wrong, we have loved the Camino - the experiences we have had, the incredible scenery, the interesting history, the wonderful people we have met.  It has been a once in a lifetime trip.  

We are excited about arriving in Santiago on Friday, tho the crowds sound overwhelming after days on the road by ourselves.  We understand there is a festival in town this weekend, so that will make it even busier.  You are not even sure you can get in to the Cathedral for the Pilgrims Mass at Noon or the swinging of the giant incense burner that is such a tradition for Pilgrims.  In the beginning it was done to fumigate the Cathedral after Pilgrims stayed in the upper recesses of the church at night.

We did book a room online for Friday and Saturday nights...didn't want to find ourselves wondering around town looking for something at the last minute.  Will be nice to get our "regular" clothes back and spend some time with the Walters who have a ministry with Pilgrims in Santiago.  Faith and I have messaged through Facebook several times and she has been so enthusiastic and helpful.  

Just started seeing lots of pretty mushrooms.

Not sure what this is used for but it was interesting.

Squid is the specialty in Melide and the surrounding area. 

The only mule we have seen...

The first of the eucalyptus we saw...it grows into tall trees.

We were pretty happy to see this Albergue.  All there was to the 'town' that I could see was a bridge, 2 Albergues and a cafe.

This Pilgrim had quite a load.  He seemed quite weary and wasn't very interested in engaging.  I wondered what his story was....

This is a good example of how shoes were stored each night, thankfully.  We never experienced any discomfort from bad smells!

This Albergue Xunta is a wonderful reconstruction of one of the lords pilgrim hospitals still in existence.

Pilgrims relaxing in and around the river.