Left Melide at 10:05 am. Arrived Arzúa 3:25 pm. 9.4 miles walked.
We opted for a late start today since we had a pretty short day. I read ahead and saw that the last few miles, as usual, are uphill and potentially strenuous. So I suggested a quick nap after breakfast before we started. Caleb agreed without hesitation.
But first – a view of the pool at our hotel in Melide.
The weather was going to be warm so I’ve packed my scarf away. I held on to my trusty rain resistant jacket.
As it happens, I did use the jacket for about half the day. When you’re drenched in sweat and suddenly find yourself in the shade – that jacket comes in handy.
Leaving Melide we are joined by two other routes – the French Way and those who begin in Sarria.
We are no longer alone.
In addition to having plenty of company, we also felt compelled to stop three times for snacks because we didn’t want to miss out on the lively party atmosphere at just about every cafe/bar we passed. And in comparison to previous days where we were lucky to find a vending machine, we are now spoiled for choice as to where to stop for a beverage and/or food.
As we get closer to Santiago we are losing sight of the woods and going through more populated areas – which means there are lots of businesses and plenty of restaurants. There are also plenty of people with tables set up selling touristy trinkets, etc. It’s certainly not as peaceful a journey as we’ve had the pleasure of experiencing until now. However, it is still part of the journey.
The day was not without its ups and downs. Also, because we’re getting much warmer weather, even our short walk today was tiring. Good news – climbing is not as difficult as it was when we started. We’ve built a little muscle💪 (more in thighs than arms!), but you get the idea.
We were disappointed when we stopped at what we thought might be our hotel, only to find out we had another mile and a half to get to the correct one. In addition, Caleb thinks we are way off the Camino route and is suggesting a taxi in the morning to get us back on track. He’ll be disappointed, as I’m not going for it. (I only hope we’re closer than he thinks.)
We have two days left and the purist in me doesn’t want to stoop to taking a taxi. I’ll report tomorrow as to whether I have given in or not.
Tonight we are on our own for dinner. The place next door to our hotel is getting our business. Neither one of us is up to a long walk searching for food. Whatever they have on offer will do.
These summer trips have been such a big part of my life, I can’t help but wonder what will take their place.
As I get closer to the end of the Camino each year, I tend to get a little introspective.
It has become part of who I am. It’s affected my idea of happiness, my view on what is truly important, my health regimen, my ability to navigate travel sites, my appreciation for the beauty of nature; I could go on. I had no idea this would happen. It started as a bit of a lark, but has turned into something quite different. Food for thought.
Now I’m thinking of food.
Ok, if you think of Mexican food in Spain, think again. Until tonight we have not seen one Mexican restaurant.
Our hotel today is in a pretty remote part of town. There is one restaurant nearby. I insisted we take whatever we could get there, and boy were we lucky. I had tacos, Caleb had a burrito and then he got another one to go for a snack later. The service could not have been better and our food was muy bueno!!
Photos are not anywhere near as good as the food. Tacos were shredded pork with pico de gallo, fresh beans and guacamole. Tortillas were home made. Burrito was same filling but Caleb added jalapeños to his meal. We were beyond happy.
We end the evening with a salute to Mexico in Spain 🇲🇽🇪🇸
Good night.
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