Ferreira

Remarkably easy after yesterday's testing conditions. .. more tarmac than preferred, but quiet roads and some woodland tracks too ... first pilgrim caught after an hour ... Leandro, a priest from Colombia, preaching the Once True Faith in Puerto Rico. .. translation tricky, but it seems his Camino has deepened his faith. .. Sun appears along with the Bar at Santa Eulalia, 10 km from Lugo and a brief rest and tortilla plus pair of Korean pilgrims ... at second rest stop, San Roman, another Korean turns up, unaware of his compatriots ahead ... he has walked from Alicante to Burgos, then train to Oviedo for Primitivo ... and coping with yesterday's weather by taking bus from Fonsegrada to Lugo ... finally, an hour from home the Koreans meet up for a while, though it is not assumed that speaking the same language will necessarily make them bosom buddies ... indeed further reflection discovers that identifying as a pilgrim is perhaps a better common ground than age, gender, job or nationality ...

Lunch stop at Ferreira bar, where locals appear to be having a shouting match and the children are winning ... no trace of animosity, just very loud ... anyway, ensalada mixta and small beer enjoyed before finding bed at Albergue, looking busy since other two in town closed ... Melide doable at 20, but reunion with Ria and Ton and hearing about Camino life from their perspective more interesting ... plenty of time for Santiago, whether in two or three stages ...

The place fills up as tortoises arrive, hares having eaten and showered, if not been overtaken on the road ... familiar faces from the stages since Grandas appear, some bonded from Oviedo .... others focus on public albergues, though there is not one here ... not frequented anyway by a pilgrim travelling without a proper sleeping bag ... blankets essential to complement the silk liner ... or the sheets and duvet to be found in some albergues ...

Vegetarian community dinner served for 15, others head to bar, maybe meat eaters, but this meal shows just how delicious food can be without flesh from corpses ... all very convivial and an amazing job by Ria and Ton ... season soon over, their winter break well earned ...

Tomorrow Arzua the target ... nearly 40km and flat enough ... let's see!