I want you to know one thing.
You know how this is:
if I look at the crystal moon,
At the red branch of the slow autumn at my window,
If I touch near the fire
the impalpable ash
or the wrinkled body of the log,
everything carries me to you,
as if everything that exists,
aromas, light, metals,
were little boats
that sail
toward those isles of yours that wait for me

Our dinner last night was perfect. The bar was warm and comfortable… the food was delicious and all clearly homemade… senora was as jolly as could be… and the wine flowed.

Back in the albergue we found ourselves alone so we made ready for bed before all the other pilgrims returned.  We’d been in bed 5 minutes when Hans and his gang returned and Hans wasn’t happy with us.  He had misunderstood Maggie and thought that we were going to go  to dinner with him and his friends… so  they had all waited for us.  Sorry Hans but we made other plans!  Whilst we were in the bar 2 Italians,  2 Mexicans and an American had arrived and settled in the dorm… and then they all departed with Hans.  We’re guessing that they have been travelling together as they all seemed to know each other… and it seemed that they’d all had to wait for us… so we weren’t the most popular pilgrims in the albergue.

Hey ho… they had enjoyed a formidable meal according to Hans so all was not lost.  We all settled down to sleep and before long a cacophony of snoring and farting started and continued throughout the night.  In the morning we three agreed that it was just as well we hadn’t eaten what they had!

We left around 8.00 but stopped off again at Ma Jose for breakfast and so it was almost 9.00 before we started.

Today we walked through more rolling hills… and occasional steep paths. Through farms and villages and pastures and forest.  It’s Galicia… it’s beautiful… it feels so familiar… it could be France and equally it could be Devon.  Folks greet us with a smile and most people greet pilgrims with genuine warmth.

We’ve passed horses and cows and dogs and donkeys and chickens and plenty of cats.  We stopped for coffee and then for lunch… where the vino tinto started maybe a little too early.

We walked over an amazing Roman bridge… which traversed the blackest of rivers… and we walked along more ancient cobbled paths and my mind was drawn back to all the paths and all the history that we’ve seen on our journey.

We’ve walked a thousand kilometres. How can I say goodbye?  I’m homesick… I’m tired… I miss normal things like clothes and a hairbrush… but how do we say goodbye to this amazing path so full of hidden jewels.

I’ve been humming Goodbye Yellow Brick Road for mist of the day… at times I could feel my eyes sting and fill with tears… we have just one normal day left before our last.

So goodbye yellow brick road
Where the dogs of society howl
You can’t plant me in your penthouse
I’m going back to my plough
Back to the howling old owl in the woods
Hunting the horny back toad
Oh I’ve finally decided my future lies
Beyond the yellow brick road

We’re staying at Hostel Conde Rey in Bandeira… we thought of the new boy and broke our last few days into three 16km days… but it’s not going to be easy as we have a really big descent and ascent tomorrow… and rain is forecast.

Just before town Maggie and Gerry needed a foot break… there was a lot of tarmac today which is hard underfoot.  In the absence of a seat the parked themselves in storm drains… at first Gerry said he felt like a passenger on the train  touristique… then he  decided it had been a draining day! (Groan)

Ps… better late than never… I think I’ve sorted the comments problem so comment away 🙂