115 km to Santiago
Hello everyone – I still owe you yesterday’s update.
As I wrote, we were waiting for dinner. It was served in a building next to the albergue, designed like a traditional palloza – the oval-shaped Celtic houses with deep thatched roofs. Of course, we all arrived soaked – it had been pouring.
The table was semicircular, and the atmosphere was lovely. Dinner: vegetable soup, beef with rice, and lemon pie for dessert. A sip of vino tinto was just what we needed. We fell asleep right after – completely exhausted.
This morning we left the albergue at 6:30, running on a banana and coffee from the machine. The headlamp came in handy.
And then it began – the Galicia I love. Birds singing, cowbells chiming, wind and water whispering, and stone in all forms: as fences, roof tiles, facades, or bridges across streams.
Ancient chestnut trees line the path. They were once vital for survival – boiled, roasted, ground into flour, or used to make a milk substitute. Now they’re mostly replaced by potatoes and corn. In Ramil, an old chestnut still stands tall, but many are sadly fading.
We passed birch trees and peaceful meadows with grazing cattle. In the villages, roosters crowed, hens clucked, and even a goose chimed in.
We moved toward the end of today’s stage. I noticed the blueberry bushes are blooming heavily – it’ll be a good season.
Despite the beauty, our legs were really sore today. We both agreed – no more 28 km days if we can help it.
Tomorrow, the Camino gets busier. From Sarria onwards, you need at least 100 km to get your Compostela, which makes this a popular starting point. So, from now on, we’ll be stamping our Credencial twice a day.
More than 660 km are behind us now. That’s no small thing.
Warm wishes,
Martina & Ive
