Today was a quiet day. In contrast, yesterday we met and talked with many pilgrims, spent
time making wax stamps with the lovely and attentive hostess at the donativo albergue, and
were serenaded from 10 pm until 4 am by a DJ and loud dance music coming from an
outdoor stage 100 m away. I slept, but not well.
This morning we ate breakfast at the albergue, said our goodbyes, and were out the door
before 8 am. A few of the teen revellers from last night’s party were still about.
It was a gradual, then steep climb out of Grado, providing us a view of the sunrise. It was 8
degrees in the morning, comfortable for walking.
Ana
Ana is a Family Health doctor from southern Spain, catering to rural communities. She is
enjoying her camino but is spending much time contemplating changing her medical specialty.
Family Health allows her very little time to enjoy life so she wants to make a change while still
young. Ana did reach Santiago de Compostella and walked on to Finisterre with new friends.
We reached Cornellana by 11 am, our halfway mark for the day, and settled into patio chairs
at the second bar. We asked for tortilla, a staple food in Spain, made of eggs, potatoes, onion,
and olive oil. Usually it comes as a wedge like slice but we received sandwiches. They were
good. Anton arrived about 10 minutes later and laughed saying, “I knew I’d find you at the
second bar.” I had told him about the advice I received three years earlier to always stop at
the second bar. Don’t ask me why but it has proven to be sage advice.
Jeff
Jeff is from Texas, USA. He walked Camino Francis previously and is walking Camino
Primitivo this time. He uses a tour company out of Scotland that lays out a detailed itinerary
for him complete with nice hotel accommodations. He figures that this may be his last camino.
Anton continued on with us. We did speak while walking, just less. It was heating up, we were
tired, and sometimes it’s just comfortable to walk quietly. When we reached Salas, the
medieval village Mark and I are staying in, it had reached 25 degrees, too hot for walking.
Anton kept going and Mark and I searched out the municipal albergue. We were the second
and third to arrive. We showered, did a load of laundry, hung it in the sun, and rested. At 4 pm
we explored the village and ate giant chicken burgers at a breezy restaurant. Mark had fries, I
had a salad, and we both had ice cream drumsticks. We are both hoping for a more restful
sleep tonight in this quiet village.