Stage 31: Sarria to Portomarin, 24 kms, 5 hrs, 18C, rain, wind and a rainbow!

The End of the Page:

We enjoyed a pleasant evening last night as we walked up to the old town in the rain where we found a nice warm, dry Italian restaurant! Nice to have a change from the menu del dia, and the food was very good. We connected with two older acquaintances in the restaurant, who had been suffering some weeks ago with bad ankle and knee injuries...nice to see them moving along well again. We got to talking, as one does, and we spoke about how far to walk the next day. There is a guide book written by a Brit named Brierley, whose book is sort of considered the only Camino walking guide in some circles. You either like it or, well...you hate it. Mine was sitting in the recycling bin at home when I last saw it! Too heavy to carry. Anyway, this book takes its readers through various preselected stages a page at a time with the oddest maps. When we asked how far they were walking today, the replay was, "to the end of the next page...then I stop". I think there is a message in there...I'll be thinking about that tomorrow;)

Ok, have had a nice bowl of hot soup for lunch...local specialty with kale, potatoes and beans...and we have found our way into our pension for the usual wind down. A simple place tonight, but head and shoulders above our accommodation last night. See what €5 more will get you?! We even have a small picture on the wall and a very acceptable view down over the town. 

Speaking of which, this town was moved up from the valley bottom in the 1950's essentially stone by stone to get it away from the river. Appears to be flowing at low volumes presently, but suspect that the spring runoff is more significant and I would be surprised, based on a bit of evidence if it is also regulated. If you look closely at the bridge you will notice that it's very high up and the railing is wide open...particularly if you aren't a heights fan. I'm not, so walked with the traffic along the road. I might have managed it as heights and I get along much better than we used to, but decided part way along to play with the cars instead. Most of the drivers played nicely too. Annemarie wants you to know that she walked on the sideway, but isn't to happy that I didn't get a photo.

Today's walk was much better than yesterday albeit we had rain through much of the morning and very blustery winds that continue as I write....I can see the trees flapping around out our 'view' window. The sun even managed to find its way through occasionally which lifted spirits 

Special moment today as we passed by the 100 kilometre post. It's been carefully decorated by many no doubt considerate peregrinos. Not sure why leaving your mark is important, but to some it is and they carry big black markers to share with the rest of us.

As usual, I was able to risk my camera along the way to create a few photos. My camera doesn't always do justice to the scenery. Next time, I'm prepared to carry the weight of my Nikon...I can carry more than I originally thought. Granary below, if you were wondering...keeps the mice away.

Four days left to walk...about 90 kms remain. We could manage this in 3 comfortable, but long stages, so have decided on four as we are not quite ready to let go of the process yet. Walking meditation, interrupted only by a car honking at you on a bridge is difficult to let go of!

A nice casa rural to stay in tomorrow night...they will pick us up and take us to their small place in the country and drop us back on the Camino the next morning. A nice break from the wandering crowds!

Buen Camino!

Moving Slow, Traveling Fast

Last year when we cycled in Holland we learned the joy of slower travel

In this trip we are traveling slower, but it feels faster; a mystery to unravel

We find that many of our fellow travelers express something similar

 I many ways it feels "faster" than when we travel by car

It could have something to do with the fact that we have a new bed each night

Or it could be the number of villages and towns we pass each day, left and right

Many of us find we have trouble remembering where we were

When sharing a memory a common question is "where did that occur?"

There is so much that fills each day as we walk briskly through another town

Cafes we visit, vistas to enjoy and even sights of some renown

Add to that the new people we meet each day

We try to remember all the names, but that's impossible some would say

There is new cuisine to test in each new region too

The various churches, and yet another amazing view

We study our guides and map books in the the hopes of committing some of it to memory

And yet every few kilometers we have to pull them out again...where are we?

We often even forget the name of our destination of the day

We're traveling to the end of the page, we heard one of our friends say

You would think that when walking we be able to drink it all in gradually

But it seems that our senses are on overdrive, that's our reality