Day 31: A Fonsagrada - O Cádavo

To finish the night before... mass was lovely. The priest made a special effort to include the pilgrims and his blessing at the end was heartfelt. He even took our picture afterwards. We are Italy, Germany, Spain, France and the USA. 

My blogger app let me down yesterday... I was uploading my post and somehow it disappeared. This has never happened before; if internet is slow, it saves as offline. Anyway, this is a recreation in brief of yesterday. 

I slept well and left at 8am with the church bells. I saw magical rest stops:

Misty forests and wise trees:

Seas of clouds and windmills:

A dog that looked like a plump Bert:

Traditional houses:

And LOTS of ups and downs, ups and downs, ups and downs!!! It was a hilly day. 

But then there are views like this and you forget about the panting and pain. Or you don't care. ;)

And there are smiles like these at a shared dinner at the albergue. :D

It's been one month since I left Madrid and started this locura... I mean adventure! ;) I can't wait to see what the next day brings!!!

Kilometers walked: 26.38 (Fitbit), 31.33 (Buen Camino app), 24.3 (gronze.com).

Day 30: Grandas de Salime - A Fonsagrada

After an on-again, off-again night's sleep, I decided it was time to get up just after 6. I made a green tea at the albergue, ate a nectarine and went through the now very familiar routine of packing my backpack. Once again I left in the misty night, but the "rain" wasn't even falling hard enough to warrant a jacket or backpack cover. After the lights of town ended I used my phone flashlight to track the shells. Sunrise has changed by almost an hour since I started walking. A headlamp would be a good thing to bring next time... (In June and July it's not necessary as the days are so long.) When it did get light I could see the tunnel-y, forest-y path. 

I love the stone houses here. 

I'm always impressed by how quickly the landscape can change - we are only moving on foot after all. 

And there are those highway crossings... often with no cars in sight. It can feel quite eerie. 

The big accomplishment of today was crossing from Asturias into Galicia. The path followed a long and steep climb, but my legs carried me up, over the top, I said adiós to Asturias and ¡HOLA! to Galicia. Santiago is in Galicia; this feels like progress! 

As I walked down the mountain I considered all that I still wanted to do on this Camino. Now is when. 

The pilgrim news is that the shell markers flip directions in Galicia. The top of the shell points the way (before it was usually the bottom). Can you see what I mean?

There were more amazing views but there hadn't been more than a water fountain all day. Good thing I am good at squirreling away snacks. 

I think every single pilgrim stopped at this bar/restaurant about 6k from A Fonsagrada for some kind of nourishment. Here's mine. Salad (€6), water (no charge).

It was a sunny afternoon as I set back off and I talked to my mom while the connection held. Then it was time for the final intense climb into town. I arrived hot, sweaty and happy to join many of my tribe members at the albergue. Showers, laundry and resting is usually the order of business and today was the same. B and I splurged on washer and dryer cycles so the treat of today was no hand washing!

A quick trip to the supermarket is providing my dinner (garbanzos with spinach), fruit for tomorrow and some gluten free breadsticks. The tentative plan for tonight is to attend the pilgrim's mass at 8. Folks are rallying to go out for traditional Galician fare after, but I'm not sure that will be in this pilgrim's plan tonight. 

Kilometers walked: 25.16 (Fitbit), 25.33 (Buen Camino app), 25.2 (gronze.com). Pretty nice agreement today. :)