The Wheels Are Falling Off

I know this feeling; it's happened before. In Galicia. A few days in a row of walking all day in hilly terrain in waterlogged boots takes its toll, even after the sun comes out.  I slept until after 9 o'clock this morning but was still dragging all day. My heels hurt and my hip hurts. The callous on my right pinky toe has rubbed a sore onto the ring toe. I've lost three toenails - two of them on the same toe (right index toe!).

I got one of those little but to me, unambiguous signs yesterday that made me realize that I am suppose to finish this Camino all the way to Santiago. Seriously - how often does cousin Roger post a quote from St. James on Facebook?

I didn't like Lugo. It seemed almost Portuguese in a way. The walk to this mini village was short and the guidebook described it as "very flat".  So yeah, it was only a cumulative climb of 42 floors but it didn't feel so flat.

I did have a really fine lunch experience though. 100m off the Camino was an old farmhouse restaurant with cars parked all around it. It obviously wasn't some pilgrim chow line so I went to check it out. A a German girl sitting outside told me it was all restaurant - no bar but that I should Try it. I started challenging her on the accuracy of her 'no bar' comment and she was sweet about it and motioned toward the door. I don't know why but I was actually afraid to step inside of a restaurant that had no bar. But I did. The place was really busy and very nice and a woman came out of the kitchen and asked me if I wanted to eat. I told her yes, but not a whole big lunch in the dining room - I'd rather just grab something at the bar. She ignored my bar comment and started reciting things that I could have. Soup? Salad? Vegetables? I could see some incredible looking trays and dishes of food in the kitchen so I pointed to a couple of things, saying I want a little of this and a little of that. So she said 'bueno' and motioned for me to sit down at the table in kitchen of this busy, excellent farmhouse restaurant's kitchen. I had a huge plate of delicious roasted chicken and potatoes and a nice big ensalada mixta - and Estrella Galicia beer at the kitchen table served by these charming chefs. I wish I'd taken more & better pictures but here's the view from the table.



Two and a half km later I ended up where I am now. Albergue O Candido where the cows roam freely to trim the lawn.