Day 3 - Rates to Barcelos

Today went fairly well, although my sciatic pain went a little haywire and has me concerned. My pack feels so heavy! I think it has aggravated that nerve, and today it had me stopping every few hundred yards or so just to manage the pain. Ugh. Might have to consider bag transport.

The walk was fairly scenic today, still with a lot of roadway with little to no shoulder. We hopscotched three Germans for a while. The going looked tough for them too. Cobblestones and pavement are damn hard on the feet. I didn’t expect t it, and frankly am not thrilled with the terrain, although I’ve heard tomorrow should be much better.

Honest confession: the pilgrim experience so far has been vastly different from doing the Norte in 2018. I haven’t found the pilgrims as friendly and haven’t yet connected with anyone beyond hello. We did meet a nice couple from Brisbane, Australia and a friendly man from Ireland last night at the albergue. Briefly spoke to a chatty couple from Ireland as we left the restaurant tonight. But no close connection yet like Kate and I experienced last time. But hey, we’re only three days in!

The best part about today has been splurging for a hotel room 😁😁! So luxurious to have a nice shower, comfy bed, air conditioning, and privacy. And we had the laundry service wash and dry our dirty clothes. They were returned nicely folded and smelling wonderful. I can’t explain the joy!Read more