Day 17: To Mos and then on to Redondela

15.8k👣 21Z🧡

6km, then taxi from Mos to Redondela to avoid STEEP ascent and descent. Another good choice.

Packed up without eating to drop off bags at Paso a Nivel restaurant, and had ham & cheese tosta with cafe com leche, Joe with black tea
Set out at 8:30-:45am in the dark and spitting rain
Lots of BIG BIG stones, the size of good-sized houses!
Guardia Civil had a van giving out sellos (stamps) and assuring pilgrims that the Camino is generally safe
The GC wear green and serve in small towns, the Policia wear blue and work in the cities
Gently rolling terrain in small town España, with the rain showers coming and going
DID see some blue sky fragments
Pulled off at the cafeteria in Mos for another coffee and tea - only 1 woman serving all those peregrinos!!
Saw Joe & A&E off for that steep climb, and then pulled out my paints
Some other pilgrims came by to see the sketch and take photos 😊
Helped the woman bus the tables, which she appreciated
Walked over to the church. Since it was not raining, I was able to sketch the bell tower of the church through the tree leaves
Went back to the cafeteria and asked for help calling a taxi
Wited in the light rain until Manuel came
He had worked for 20 years in the US (with Royal Caribbean cruises) yet preferred the quality of life here, with its slower pace - 2 hr lunches, having a beer after work with friends, etc.
He dropped me off at the church near our apartment for the night, and encouraged me to check out this area for its history and culture
I went in the church to shelter from the rain and checked it out - lots and lots of lifelike religious statues, a table with a sello and inkpad, and Opus Dei cards (!!!)
The rain had let up a bit, but I still need my poncho. A passerby could see I needed help with the back, and helped, then wished me a Buen Camino
Walked down towards the shops and chose a place where I could get a veggie burger with cheese (completa - with lettuce and tomato), as recommended by M of Ottowa
Sat together and chatted while waiting for J A & E to pull into town
Headed back to the apartment when I heard from them and got settled in around 3pmLes mer