Shorter walk to Melide

Had breakfast in our rather sweet hotel, and the walkers set off at about 8.30. It was quite cold, and in fact I kept a jacket on till I met them soon after 12.30….so it was a fairly easy 4 hour walk…people weren’t staggering in today! I met my friend Marilina at the bus stop at 9.15, ready for the 9.30 bus, and to our amazement there were many many people also waiting! Thank goodness it turned out to be a full size bus…we wouldn’t all have fitted in a minibus. Many were going to Arzúa where we go tomorrow, as it is a long walk there from Palas de Rei, and they avoided that long one…but quite a few also got off at Melide. And that same but will leave from here tomorrow for Arzúa.

While we drove into town, I saw our hotel as we whizzed past, back down along the main road, so when deposited here at 10.15, I explored down to check if I wasn’t mistaken, and there it was, very nice but quite a long walk from the main centre…good to know, because as the pilgrims walk in it was easy to cut across to the hotel instead of going all the way up to the centre and back again. There was another nice group of Aussie girls from Albury/Wodonga staying here who I also warned…. So then I went up and walked in the centre, a nice little town…found the church, and the camino path through..many pulperias - octopus restaurants…sat in a park for a while and then walked back along the camino to meet them…at an old stone bridge which has been repaved and cleaned since last coming through.

Then we all went and checked into the hotel, we have a good room with a double bed - and even 2 separate pillows each!! - rather than 2 pushed together (always a triumph) and a closed in balcony with sun pouring in and a view to the countryside over the main road and buildings opposite. Washing drying there now. Had a drink in the bar here with R and R who had some big bocadillos and chips as at dinner time they will be at 8pm mass…we all shared a small cheese plate first…they are very proud of the local cheeses, and they are delicious.

Relaxing afternoon, Richard went to the laundromat and I did some nursey dressing on blisters on Rachel’s little toes. And some of the Aussies have an appointment for foot treatment a bit later!! R and R are going to mass at 8 pm and will have something after…rather an awkward time as restaurants don’t serve dinner till 7.30…so Amr and I are having dinner in the restaurant at the hotel at about 7.30.

Addendum…have to add that dinner was rather special! It was handy to go to the hotel restaurant but it was fabulous food… I went a bit mad and had 2 courses from the expensive menu - 2 first courses, and they were wonderful, and as I suspected, quite large for primos! First I had scallops with citrus, then clams with a tasty tomato broth…Amr had a yum veg soup, and monkfish with beans…and a great Rioja wine, which we later found out the Aussie girls had paid for, for the medical advice and help!Читать далее