Another great night's sleep on the Camino. What I've learned in the past few weeks is that physical exhaustion is a significant factor towards ensuring a good, sound sleep! And yes, there was heating. I was able to keep warm all night.
Below is a picture of a coffee bar at breakfast, full of pilgrims getting ready for the day's walk. This picture was taken after 8am. It was still dark outside.
It rained on and off throughout the morning. Even so, the way was packed with many walkers. And whereas in previous days I'd encountered a maximum of 20 pilgrims in a day (and this only happened once, maybe twice), today I encountered a number easily surpassing 100. I couldn't help but think of the Grouse Grind throughout today's walk.
At around 11:20 I arrived in Salceda, having already completed 9 kms. In Salceda enjoyed a fabulous bocadillo de ternera with an iced tea.
Shortly after I resumed walking, I encountered this make-shift shrine (below), commemorating previous pilgrims who'd walked the Camino and died along the way. I heard a story about a man who'd walked the entire Camino Francés and then promptly collapsed on this stretch of the road. Hearing this story reminded me of the numerous dangers that previous pilgrims had to endure to get to Santiago. I'm thankful that today the road is very safe.
I found Pedrouzo a bit unusual, because there were farms interspersed in the middle of town. The picture below, for example, was taken a mere block and a half from the main road.
For me the highlight of Pedrouzo was the small but lovely church. It's such a gem. At the back of the church, behind the altar, is a gigantic shell, carved into the wall. The picture below gives an idea of what I'm referring to.
I ate dinner at Café Che, and I ate spaghetti bolognese. I think this may only be the 2nd or 3rd time that I ate pasta since beginning the Camino.
The albergues on the French route are much bigger than on the Primitive route. Here in Pedrouzo, for example, there are upwards of 80 people staying in the hostel. This makes for a cozy atmosphere, to be sure, but it makes using the washrooms rather unpleasant. Today by the time I got to use the shower, there was no hot water left.
I'm excited, thrilled. Tomorrow is the last day of walking.
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