O Pereiro to Campobecerros to Vilar do Barrio

Not a lot to report - yesterday it hosed down! The rain in Spain falls mainly on the pilgrim! I had a good night's sleep at O Pereiro in a hostel - which was a good 1.5km off the track. Still I had a room to myself and it was well heated, so I got my washing dry.

 

Bridge made of granite slabs 

The next day - late - I left for either A Gudiña or further afield. I was in A Gudiña at 11.30, so carried on. It was a bit of a slog too - along a road that happened to have a lot of cement trucks on it. Not too pleasant in the heavy rain. I got right off the road whenever one appeared out of the mist. Finally the camino diverged from the road and the rain eased off. From time to time I got glimpses of deep valleys. It looked much like Ireland and Scotland - hills covered in heather. There must be something about the Celts and the type of landscape they occupy!

 

 My new Chinese boots didn't handle the water too well. The inner soles began to disintegrate... After a bit of a slog I sighted Campobecerros - mostly because of the AVE fast train line construction nearby. I got a top bunk in the Albergue - it was already fairly occupied by some wet weary pilgrims. It got a bit steamy. Everyone was trying to dry their gear. The lady at the local cafe had a go at returning all the kilos I've lost - huge portions!

 

Portocamba. - an almost abandoned village

Today was finer - a soft day as the Irish would say. Good for walking with my umbrella deployed. It was up and down to Laza, where the town was celebrating a feast of Santo Cristo. So after a beer and sandwich I went to watch the procession. The beer by the way was recommended by a rather bleary eyed young chap in the bar I entered: he said "drink or go"! I think more in a spirit of wanting everyone to get into the spirit of the fiesta than being unfriendly.

 

The highlight was a small troupe of dancers and bagpipe band, who played and danced in front of the image of Mary and the Crucifix as they were processed through the town. There were a gang of priests accompanying the procession too. The dancing was somewhat like Irish dancing. 

 

 

From there I headed to Albergueria for the almost obligatory stop at the Pilgrims' Cafe. Each pilgrim writes his name on a shell which is hung on the wall. The first Kiwis were a couple in 2004. The guy who runs the cafe reckons there are about twenty who have passed through. From there it was a short hop to Vilar do Barrio where I met Janet - another Kiwi! 

 

The weather has turned nasty again. So maybe a short day tomorrow.

Vilar do Barrio