Day 34 - Arzua to O Pedrouzo

 This is the Way.

 A very delightful day today. Last night we slept the sleep of the just - at least we tell ourselves that. Maybe it was the sleep of the righteous, but I think we've sinned (more about that later). Whatever the reason, we got more than 10 hours. Breakfast was late, 7.30am, and since today was short we allowed ourselves to sleep in until 7pm.

Breakfast was very good - and quite exclusive. Our hotel was Casona de Nene, casona meaning mansion, so perhaps a step up from an albergue, a casa, a pension, a posada or a hostal, all of which we've been in (we've yet to experience a Parador, that comes tomorrow). The Casona didn't do breakfast, we had to go around the corner to Casa Nene, which only admitted guests of the Casona Nene (other starving pilgrims were turned away). We found Tammy and Patrick and also their friend Thomas, who has been joined by his wife in recent days. All in all, it was noisy enough with the six of us and the breakfast was excellent.

Gloves and beanie were the order of the day.

Although the sky above was clear, it was misty in the valleys. The temperature hasn't yet recovered from its recent fall, so it was a very pleasant six degrees as we set off and we were rugged up.

Cows were the ordure of the day.

Farmyards were waking up as we left town, with reasonably intense farm smells as we descended into the mist. Roosters were very active too.

Like extras on a film set, there are always pilgrims to be had.

Because of our later start, there were many more pilgrims on the move. This is where we've sinned. We don't actually like to have people just ahead or just behind us - especially if they're talking loudly, whistling, singing, playing music, or just being there.

Pilgrims in the mist.

What we really like is to get into our comfortable stride, without having to speed up, slow down, step aside or have our concentration broken. We just want to get into our zone, walking at about 4.5km/h and be on our own. Greetings in passing are fine - Hola, Buenas Dias, Buen Camino - all acceptable forms of greeting. Occasionally we'll get into a good chat with someone and then we're probably just as bad as any other noisy person on the trail. You see - sinners. Rules should apply to other, not to us.

Of course there are always those damned cyclists. A few honest pilgrim cyclists are ok, as long as they warn you when they're coming and look suitably pathetic. But the death-defying hoons who fly by without a hint of warning (or perhaps a warning that comes too late), are definitely persona non grata, especially when they scare the shit out of you as you pick your way down a steep and rocky descent.

Because we were well fed, the trail was good, the day was short and all was well with the world, we walked along comfortably enough, passing an immobilised stilt walker, who looked desperately like he needed a rest. We stopped at 6km for a coffee at Calzada, a place that sounds as if it's named after a sandwich but really means pavement, or road, and again at about Brea after about 12km. The Brea bar was a bit upmarket. It was about 11.30am and we decided that an early light lunch was in order. Cathie got a burrito and to her absolute delight it contained broccoli as well as a heap of other vegetables. During the first stop I saw the familiar figures of David and Scott, our Australian friends from Melbourne, racing by. They stopped for a quick chat. We haven't seen them for more than a week, but it looks like we'll all be reunited in Santiago tomorrow. I hope we have the stamina.

All was well with the world. The trail was lovely, with areas of forest, no awkward gradients and not too many noisy pilgrims. We arrived at our hotel after five hours and our host Manuel couldn't have been more welcoming. Because we were real pilgrims, having walked from St Jean Pied de Port, he insisted on shouting us a beer and resting on a soft sofa before he showed us to our room. Well, dear reader, it's not just a room. We have a TV lounge, a dining table and a kitchen with fridge and cooking facilities (we have to share those with one other couple, but we've seen no sign of them). Our little suite has a huge bathroom with lots of bench space, and a little verandah with table and chairs. 

I'm taking advantage of the dining table - a bit like a pig in muck really. We've decided to eat in, saving our large fortune for dinners out in Santiago, so we've been to the supermarket for salads, beer, wine, yoghurt, fruit - all the essentials of life. 

To make life even more complete, our washing just arrived. We emptied our suitcases, so everything we could find, washed, dried, folded and delivered, for the princely sum of 10 euros. We're going to arrive in Santiago smelling like roses.

Tomorrow, who would believe, we have just 19km to walk to Santiago de Compostela. It's almost beyond comprehension after nearly 800km and more than five weeks on the trail. It'll be hard to wrap up this story tomorrow, although like life, our journey will go on.

Here's today's Relive video: https://www.relive.cc/view/v26MXQwNQ3O

Today's photo album: https://photos.app.goo.gl/4KdYPTqS88pBK5449

And so to today's music, a blast from the past from my brother Philip - thank you, old fruit: https://photos.app.goo.gl/4KdYPTqS88pBK5449