Castroverde

Day 31
It rained all day. All day it was either actually raining or just-finished-just-about-to-rain.
My feet were wet within about an hour of leaving the hostel, but - hey did you know? - merino really does keep you warm even when wet. The goretex shoes impress me less.

One friend, known for her speedy pace, raced past me with an audiobook on loudspeaker, saying that listening to a distracting story helps her feel the day is going more quickly ... and as she dodged a muddy puddle groaned 'ich hasse es!'. She hates what?! This glorious opportunity to spend all day walking, yet again, in idyllic Spanish countryside, with today's particular views (admittedly limited in distance), these flowers and this birdsong, these companions, this destination? At that moment it felt like I had fireworks going off in my chest, I was so HAPPY: Happy to be here, now, with these conditions, all of them, and happy that somehow I have come to love what some others experience as suffering. Isn't that wonderful?

Met Anne and Steve, brother and sister from Peckham. I was taking a food break in the porch of a little chapel, and playing my fife, when they came to see if it was open, and her 'ooh' was SO English (a disappointed sort of sound, when she saw it was locked) that I had to comment: "that's definitely an English 'ooh'!" We walked and talked for an hour or so, until we all stopped at a -hosted cafe for coffee, and walked on then separately. I enjoyed a bit of British chat for a change!

For the last 7km I happily coincided with Steve from Oxford/ now living in Maine. Intriguing how conversation topics develop, and how it's possible to invest trust in a stranger to tell one's personal story in a way perhaps many friends haven't heard it. It seems to me that some of my pilgrim companions are letting their guard down more at this point, and making use of each others' ready ears and open hearts to explore and express important personal issues. I like this dynamic.

The hostel here is nearly empty, but one friend (actually the mud-hater above) has the bunk next to mine, so we've enjoyed a meal together, gone shopping to prepare breakfast to share, and played a game of dice. She bought a bottle of wine in the last town, but her two Camino buddies gave up today's walk early and haven't shown up here, so she and I glugged some of it down in the early evening. Not bad, not bad.

Older Italian couple, also from Lake Como! Brazilian couple, very friendly.

Few pics; it was not a day for stopping.Read more