Palas de Rei to Arzua
Today was fun! The 29.92 kilometres were completely enjoyable because the views were fabulous and I finally realise the meaning of "Camino family".
Most people do the Camino on their own. After the first 24 hours, people become familiar as you walk. It then takes on a "rock concert festival" atmosphere, where you start acknowledging the familiar faces of the trek and start having conversation. By day 3, it's like a continuous exercise cum drinks party, not unalike being in a ski resort doing a season. Plus, the Irish are plentiful, always up for a beer (some at 9 am!), a lively bunch, hydrating with a few pints whilst they do the mileage. Only 1 out of 10 people do the camino for religious reasons. Most do it because they just want time to reflect, meet people, exercise, explore, or as in the case of Spanish high school students, a requirement for a diploma. And of course, the mamils (middle aged men in Lycra) are plentiful, cycling the Way.
I have met quite an assortment: Koreans who read their local best selling author about the walk, a Czech Himalayan expert who walked from Prague, a German violinist who walked from Berlin, someone from Jerusalem who has taken 4 years, American students on their post university gap year walking from the Barcelona, a wheelchair bound man doing a 400 km and so forth and so on. It's been interesting, meeting such an assorted bunch, though I feel quite inadequate doing 120 km when people speak of hundreds or even thousands of kilometres. Many teachers do their summer holidays walking the way, and frankly it still is not as busy as I imagined. Apparently September and October are the top tourist times.
Arzua is quite a large town, loads of fun bars and restaurants, some of which I sampled tonight with people I have met on the road today. The specialty is cheese which they serve with the wine as tapas.
Food wise, it's been an improvement. Last night in Palas de Rei Cabana hotel I simply could not eat
the food. As Hester, the Irish girl said, "I would not even dream of serving it to a friend". But then that "hotel" was an experience. The shower door fell off as I opened it! Going back to dinner, we opted instead to try a variety of local wines and pick on the bread. And as far as the breakfast was concerned, they presented a large travelling head pillow size piece of bread masquerading as a croissant. I had an energy bar instead.
Today I am at the Teodoro which is at the centre of town so we are sitting outside in the outdoor cafes. The atmosphere in the cafes is lively, full of people anticipating their arrival in Santiago after a slog of weeks, months, even years! And just in time for the fiesta. The King and his men will all be there.
Most people do the Camino on their own. After the first 24 hours, people become familiar as you walk. It then takes on a "rock concert festival" atmosphere, where you start acknowledging the familiar faces of the trek and start having conversation. By day 3, it's like a continuous exercise cum drinks party, not unalike being in a ski resort doing a season. Plus, the Irish are plentiful, always up for a beer (some at 9 am!), a lively bunch, hydrating with a few pints whilst they do the mileage. Only 1 out of 10 people do the camino for religious reasons. Most do it because they just want time to reflect, meet people, exercise, explore, or as in the case of Spanish high school students, a requirement for a diploma. And of course, the mamils (middle aged men in Lycra) are plentiful, cycling the Way.
I have met quite an assortment: Koreans who read their local best selling author about the walk, a Czech Himalayan expert who walked from Prague, a German violinist who walked from Berlin, someone from Jerusalem who has taken 4 years, American students on their post university gap year walking from the Barcelona, a wheelchair bound man doing a 400 km and so forth and so on. It's been interesting, meeting such an assorted bunch, though I feel quite inadequate doing 120 km when people speak of hundreds or even thousands of kilometres. Many teachers do their summer holidays walking the way, and frankly it still is not as busy as I imagined. Apparently September and October are the top tourist times.
Arzua is quite a large town, loads of fun bars and restaurants, some of which I sampled tonight with people I have met on the road today. The specialty is cheese which they serve with the wine as tapas.
Food wise, it's been an improvement. Last night in Palas de Rei Cabana hotel I simply could not eat
the food. As Hester, the Irish girl said, "I would not even dream of serving it to a friend". But then that "hotel" was an experience. The shower door fell off as I opened it! Going back to dinner, we opted instead to try a variety of local wines and pick on the bread. And as far as the breakfast was concerned, they presented a large travelling head pillow size piece of bread masquerading as a croissant. I had an energy bar instead.
Today I am at the Teodoro which is at the centre of town so we are sitting outside in the outdoor cafes. The atmosphere in the cafes is lively, full of people anticipating their arrival in Santiago after a slog of weeks, months, even years! And just in time for the fiesta. The King and his men will all be there.
Galician soup
Pilgrim friends
Sights on today's walk
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