67 km to Santiago
Sweet sleep in the albergue. We woke rested, packed our things, made coffee from the machine and ate a banana. Not much appetite for breakfast. We stepped out into the cool morning alongside many other pilgrims, watching the surface of the reservoir.
There was plenty to see – large fish splashing on the surface. The morning was fresh and beautiful. Now we’re discovering the smells of Galicia too. We passed a few pig and poultry farms, and definitely a few cattle operations – and you could smell them all.
The first 8 km had no real villages, only scattered farms. Coffee? Forget it. Then, just before Toxibo, we finally found an open café. We stopped for coffee and a sandwich – much needed.
I checked my email – no booking confirmation for tonight. With so many pilgrims, it’s a real worry. We hoped Palas de Rei wouldn’t be fully booked. We didn’t want to walk any further..
Villages came more frequently, with names we hadn’t seen before: Ventas de Naron, Airexe, Boente. Today we marked a big milestone – our 700th kilometer!
Shortly after noon, as usual, the Galician downpour arrived. Now it seems to be a daily event. We reached Palas de Rei around 3 PM and, luckily, found a room at Albergue San Marco – without a reservation.
Hungry, we went to the supermarket and of course bought too much. We asked the locals where to eat the best Galician-style octopus. We found the place, but they didn’t start serving it until 7:30 PM – too late. So, back to the market – eggs, ham, cheese. Quick and satisfying.
Now we’re each in our bunk, plane tickets booked, and tomorrow’s albergue – hopefully – reserved. We’re ready for sleep to carry us off.
Good night from the Camino,
Martina & Ive
