Arca,Spain ( O Podrouza)

Tomorrow is October 1st and we will get up at 3am our time to get to Santiago 20km + quick breaks to make it to the famous noon mass.
We will leave in the dark as it doesn’t get lite until 8:10am. I have mixed emotions about being done tomorrow! . Going on to Finisterre will help.
Today was, no surprise, up hill and down hill and back up and down… you get the picture - and there is a photo of the elevation changes.
In 20km today, I logged 23 flights climbed, 12.15 miles and 25,635 steps. It was 88 degrees once the sun was up and heating up the air. There were so many places to stop and get stamps, drink and food! And so festive feeling! . We stopped 3 times. Not for long as it was just getting hotter as the day went on. We were melting and had a long way to go.
As other Caminos/Ways start to come together as we near Santiago ( The Frances, Portuguese, etc.) there is foot traffic galore. We have had the WAY mostly to ourselves. Most recently running into folks more often at cafes etc. Today it’s a drastic difference! Folks everywhere!
If your stride is different from the group in front you need to pass. We haven’t need to pass people like this before. You pass always, however, with a ‘Buen Camino’ and a smile.
The WAY/Camino is beginning to feel more like arriving early for an event where all the folks are headed in the same direction.
Tomorrow the travelers/pilgrims will apparently feel more like happy even bigger crowds as we near and enter Santiago.
But back to today for a moment. We left at 8:39am and arrived at 2:22pm in Arca. 6 hours (5 hours if you take out our the breaks / rest stops) . We traveled 20km/ 12.4miles…..1 mile every 24 minutes. If I did my math right that’s not bad at the end of about 500 miles. 😃
Side note: The Europeans we have visited with are amazed that Americans travel this far to walk the Camino. They know how long the flights are and the time it takes. However, we have also met South Afrikaans, New Zealanders and Austrailians. They have brought up to us that our country is huge. Have we seen all of it? Good question! 😀
The city is closed up until 7pm or 8pm I didn’t even ask. We have eaten and need to get up early 3am. . It’s 6pm here/ 9am your time (PST)
I think that’s it from me today. Lots of excitement tomorrow!! Santiago,Spain!!Read more