Leaving Casa Milia, we walked with Sanne & Katherina for a while, finding our way back to the main path. The day began wet and hazy, but it was not entirely a wet one. It would seem to stop, even the sun poked through, and then Sara would take off her poncho. Just as soon a she did, it would start raining again. At one point later in the day, Sara threatened to take off her poncho again, and Sanne yelled, “Don’t do it!”
We all walk a different pace. Sanne tends to be a bit slower than Sara & Evan, while Katherina likes to walk faster. So later on we split up, agreeing to meet at later stops.
Sara and Evan were alone when walking through the small city of Azrua. On the sidewalk, we passed an older pilgrim, when Evan thought he recognized the face. “Larry, is that you?” And yes it was. We had met Larry, Dan & Dan when they told their story way back in Orisson on our first day of hiking. Since then Larry had celebrated his 80th birthday on the trail. He was walking alone now, since Dan (son) and other Dan (friend & protégé) had returned to their everyday lives. Larry teased us by asking, “What took you so long?” We visited for a few minutes and expressed our admiration for his diligence and progress. Larry said he was a Catholic and was looking for a church for Sunday Mass. We helped him find a church and said goodbye as Larry entered the church and the rain started pouring down on us once again.
While walking through a forest path today, we passed the “Wall of Wisdom,” a series of probably thirty pages of insights and questions to ponder, printed and hung in a series, inviting all to stop and read. They ranged from insights about human desires and prejudices, philosophy, religion, climate change, war, and fears for human survival. It gave us plenty to ponder as we continued to hike. But the sun came out more frequently and the day became dry and beautiful, as we walked through eucalyptus forests.
Finally we reached Hotel O Pino in A Rua, our stop for today. After settling into our room, we went down to the bar, still open even though the restaurant would be closed for this evening. We each had a gin & tonic, choosing different gins for a taste test: for Sara, the Bombay Saphire: for Evan the Tanqueray. The barman was especially generous with gin in Sara’s glass, so she felt its potency very quickly. We tasted some difference, but both were really good.
We enjoyed our gin & tonics visiting with the four young hikers, already out on the terrace with their beer and cigarettes. One young man from California, one from London, England, and two young women, both from Germany. They had met and become friends on the Camino. The young man from London was quick to offer us suggestions for our upcoming visit to England: at Christmas time we must do the “Kew Garden Christmas,” and then go to a specific pub for designer gins.
Later we walked into the village to the only open restaurant, which offered a very nice “Menu Dia” at a great price. We enjoyed a great meal and chatted with a few more pilgrims in the restaurant. Walking back, we rushed a bit because the rain was beginning, and then into our warm beds.
Tomorrow we arrive in Santiago!
