Ansião

We have been asking for rain to relieve us from the heat and humidity. Today we got it! No warmth and rain all day, with the exception of about an hour when we ate lunch and took pictures.
We started early, and the kitchen at the albergue was small and overly crowded with all the young guys getting nourished before their 30+ kilometers treks. So we decided to stop in a café with room to sit for our morning beverage and sweet. Sadly, we didn't come across one so breakfast was some chocolate sugar cookies and water, sitting on our packs on the side of the road, watching all last nights house-mates pass us by, with full tummies and tons of energy. No matter we were soon on our way also.
The path today was primarily through woods with the occasional pop out to walk through some tiny village. This whole area is a series of ups and downs. We certainly got a good work out. It also rained harder than it has as yet, and nearly all day. It made the hills, especially in the woods, difficult to navigate with puddles, slippery mud and slick loose rocks. To say it was slow going would be an understatement. We did meet an ever so cute dog, a pilgrim heading back, walking in the opposite direction and Yve, our French friend, pulling his little trolley packed with his stuff ( he doesn't carry a back pack) We came across a few places where pilgrims were showing their devition, like a couple cairns and two shrines, one devoted solely to the Virgin Mary and the other to both Mary and Jesus. Most of the day was me, Jayme and nature. We arrived in Ansaio soaked through to the skin. Somehow, I didn't even mind. Even in the midst of all the things I would run from at home, I had fun.
After we got into our hotel, we packed up all our wet clothes, both the ones we were wearing and the ones in our packs that have not fully dried over the last couple days, and got some laundry done. It is such a pleasure to be able to put on clean dry clothes tomorrow!
We also went down the street for our pilgrims meal. It was way more food than I could eat, but for 15euro I had olives and bread to start, then a bowl of vegetable soup, the main of veal with French fries and rice and a " glass" of wine served in a little carafe that i can't finish, and ended with mousse for dessert and a cup of coffee. No wonder you can walk 400 miles and only lise a pound or two!
Yesterday Jayme picked some eucalyptus while we were walking in the forest. Today I got some oil and we made out own massage oil. I think our feet are going to love this treat!
It looks like it will be raining the next few days , so apologies in advance for what I anticipate to be low picture days. I am trying not to expose my phone to too much moisture.Read more