Time Arrived: 2.15 pm
Distance: 19 kms
Cumulative Distance: 673 kms
Percentage Complete: 84%
Weather: Very changeable, rain, wind, cloudy
Accommodation: Mar de Plata Hotel
Feelings: Henk - Good, Neil - Good, Di - Keen
We had a choice between two paths into the large town of Sarria. We chose the mountain path, the recommended route via San Xil, as we wanted to have more time overlooking the wonderfully green countryside and it would be our last chance on the Camino to be so high. The other path followed a lower one and went past a very old monastery.
Breakfast was in a large old room of the farmhouse. We shared it with a young Spanish woman who is walking away from Santiago de Compostela. She spoke no English but we managed to make ourselves understood. Usually cake is offered at breakfast but unless there is limited choice we don't eat it. However, we were very tempted this morning with a delicious rustic cake but opted for the Galician cheese and honey again. Neil opted for the cornflakes!
Our host drove us back into Triacastela. We set out in our wet gear but as we climbed the rain held off and we became too hot and had to take them off. This was the pattern for the majority of the day putting on and taking off our wet gear as the rain came and went. The green countryside reminded us of walking in England.
After having lunch at Furela it blew a gale and rained hard. We were exposed for about a kilometre until the path took us down between high dry stone walls, hedgerows and oak woods.
There were a lot of acorns on the ground and a few falling off due to the strong winds. We were thankful we weren't walking through groves of chestnut trees! We descended through many very tiny rural villages.
We spoke to very few walkers as most had their heads down avoiding the wind or rain. Walking into Sarria we came across Melbourne Helen who walked over the mountain as well. She was over monasteries! By this time the rain was becoming heavier and by the time we walked to the other side of Sarria to our accommodation we were very wet.
This is the second day of wearing my boots. I could have started wearing them after the Meseta at Leon about ten days ago as the blisters had healed and my feet were no longer swollen. I was wary. Yesterday, due to the wet weather I was forced to wear them and all is going well and they feel comfortable. I'm feeling like a "real walker" again! I'm carrying the lime green Keens in my backpack just in case.
Since leaving St Jean Pied de Port Neil and I have a ritual during the last kilometre to our accommodation. I say to Neil, "Do you think they will have BBC World News?" Then we make a detailed assessment of whether or not the accommodation will have it. This is based on the possible quality of the accommodation and size of the place. We get disappointed when there is only Spanish television which is frequent. We have had BBC World News about six times and today we have it again. Neil and I will overdose on it before leaving tomorrow morning then we will discuss the news throughout the day.
Sarria is the major starting point for peregrinos who only want to complete walking the last 100 kms and still pick up a Compostela at Santiago. We are expecting a noticeable difference in numbers on the path tomorrow.
We ventured out at five thirty and the weather had improved. We had our credentials stamped at Iglesia Santa Maria. It is now important that we have our credentials stamped twice a day to get our Compostela. We liked the old town of Sarria and had a Menu del Dia along the popular street, Rua Maior.
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