O Barco de Valdeorras

I had either 28 or 36 kms today with forecasts for low 90s (high 90s tomorrow😲). So I left right at sunrise, 6:30, and within a few hours, I had left León y Castilla and entered Galicia. A huge dog that barked wildly at me the last time I passed has mellowed a lot, surely a sign that there are lots more pilgrims passing.

I met up with various groups of morning walkers—the path was nice soft dirt with views of the beautiful Sil River (except for the parts marred by one industrial installation or another).

About 10 km in, I noticed a small tear in the fabric covering of one of my shoes. That sealed the deal-I would stop at km 28 (where there was a shoe repair) rather that 36 (where there wasn’t). This complicates my life, since that means that I am pretty much stuck with an extremely short day tomorrow, which would not be my first choice. Oh well.

Arriving in O Barco, I went straight to the shoe repair store. 10 minutes later and 2€ poorer, I left with my shoes stitched and the zipper on my fanny pack repaired. I am staying in a “recently renovated” Pension, which has fresh paint on the walls but a bathroom that looks like it pre-dates the Reconquest.Read more