The drizzle was coming down on the way out of Portomarin and tucked into a buss stop shelter to suit up before making my way down the long city gate steps toward the bridge out of town.
It was extra dark that morning with the cloud cover and rain, so I sort of felt my way through the mountain path while the twilight and my ascent coincided for a manageable amount of light where I could then pick up some speed and progress for the days walk.
That morning I was feeling strong and was moving along at a fairly aggressive pace, for the most part “ahead of the pack” of other pilgrims by 20-30 minutes at least, except for one, which came off an alternative route onto the main route about an hour into my walk.
Once he converged into the trail with me I noticed that we both seemed to “pick up the pace” whether you call it a race or pace setting, I ended up building a lead over a two hour period, dripping sweat, until I finally reached a meadow where I removed my rain gear and took a small break where he eventually passed me up until we later ran into each other at the coffee place in Gonzar. I would later pay for that 3 hour push with the development of tendinitis which would slow me down slightly on my last two days of the Camino.
In Gonzar they did not have the typical tortilla española, but served two eggs on a huge bed of French fries and serrano ham… too heavy for me, so I just ate the eggs and left the rest. I ran into Mario and Gabby, and meet a new group of French pilgrims in their mid-late 60’s.
Between Gonzar and Eirexe I walked by the oldest crucifix on camino, one of those that had the pre renaissance looking Christ image on one side, and then the Virgin Mary and the Christ-child image on the other.
Shortly after I stopped for a coke break at Eirexe, and noticed the new groups of younger student pilgrims that would do the last stretch of the Camino as a class or group. There was one group of students with Down syndrome walking the camino with two teachers, and they really seemed to be in the moment, and doled out hearty “buen camino” greetings to pilgrim passers by.
I arrived to the municipal Albergue after Gabby and a group of young girls from Galicia, and then Ignacio shortly after me, all the while the drizzle increasing in volume. The girls from Galicia were familiar with this weather stating, this is the kind that gets you the wettest, and without you even realizing it.
While folks were waiting I skipped over to the adjacent market to get Ignacio and Gabby a beer, and we also shared some dark chocolate with hazelnuts.
Once they opened the Albergue I think I had my routine done before the 4th or 5th pilgrim behind me was checked in, and so I knocked out two or three articles from my theological magazine, Tabletalk, while waiting on the guys for lunch.
We had lunch at El Castro, where waitress/manager was a bit anti-pilgrim and abrasive, but the quality and portions there were good. While eating, we caught a bit of the San Fermin fesitivities on TV,… a few gents trampled and tossed, but no fatalities so far.
After my nap I started working on travel arrangements as I decided to skip Finesterra this year so that I could spend some time with family before going back to work on the 24th. It was difficult trying change travel arrangements, so I decided to push that off to next day.
On way back to the Albergue Antonio & Pilar let me know that Ignacio was looking for me before going to the market to buy dinner items, so I doubled back to find him and we picked up a few things, returning to the Albergue to prepare dinner with our group that was forming for the final stretch to Santiago.
Lorich was having a goodbye dinner with one of his camino companions from the UK, and I translated for them as the gentleman from the UK was going to power forward to make it to Finesterra and back in time for his flight home.
Our dorm room that night was full, and someone shut the windows tight such that temperatures and humidity were high, and sleeping not so comfortable.
In the morning I awoke to an elderly Spanish man being abrasive and then verbally abusive with his wife, saying “shut your mouth already woman, or I’ll put you out to pasture.” (In Spanish).
Not sure who all of us heard it with the semi quiet bustle and movement of morning packing and rush to hit the trail, but it seems the looks of ire and concern did not phase him much. Seems like he just did not want to be on the camino… The exertion and community living quarters can have their toll if you are not in the right frame of mind.