Camino Via de la Plata, VdlP: May 23 Laxe to Puente Ulla (Stage 38)

I apologize, Please read this post after (Stage 37)We started out at 6 after a hard sleepless night. The alberques in Galicia are all beautiful but sometimes there are problems with the improvements. They have movement sensitive lights in the bathroom and down the stairs. They are great, the light comes on automatically. The same lights are in the dorms. The problem is everytime we turned over these bright lights came on. Very bright lights. Needless to say the lights were on an off all night. I think they use these same lights to get prisoners to talk. We all finally gave up and got up. The walk took us in and out of back streets and finally into a beautiful forest where we crossed a Roman bridge over the river Deza . This bridge was built in 912. You remain in the forest for a while then transition to farmland and forest. You continue to walk through small hamlets. The walk is up and down a couple of hundred feet at a time. The decent into Puente Ulla is steep but the views are beautiful. After walking 30k we decided to look for a room rather then starting the long climb up to the albergue . Immediately on the right after crossing the bridge to enter Puente Ulla, we stopped at a bar/restaurant and asked if they had rooms. Once again we have a room with our own bathroom for $10 each. We ordered lunch and it was magnificent. We started with a big tuna salad with every thing in it. Followed by a fish called Mereluza, Hake, potatoes, bread and ice cream. Joan was so tired she even joined me in a Spanish siesta. This is a first for her.

We have 21 K to go. Our thoughts dwell on the days past. Packing our backpacks the night before, our early morning, 0500, arising, quietly moving our packs out of the sleeping quarters, packing our sleeping gear, a quick breakfast from the food supply we carry, being sure our head lights, gloves and head scarfs are at hand, putting on and adjusting the packs. Then, the days walk rarely less than 25k, a solid fast 5 hours. You add an hour for every 5k. These figures are for flat terrain. Add Galacia where anything but flat is the trend. Then, add water from rains and soil types that turn into MUD, and 25k can take you 7 hours of walking. You try to take a 15 minute food break every 2 hours; or, eat chocolate bars, cookies, peal an orange and drink water on the fly. You would think you wouldn't miss this kind of life. What we will miss most are the people. Those fellow pilgrims whose reasons for walking the Camino are not all that different, however, their life story, as much as language differences allow, are as sorted and fascinating. Most are on tight budgets and the albergue provides the least expensive sleeping alternative, and bars and small stores provide the immediate and carried food supply. The true pilgrim is extremely efficient. No description of a pilgrimage would be complete without honoring and most graciously thanking the Spanish people. Always helpfully going out of their way to offer assistance. Especially, the volunteers who man the albergues. What a phenomenally, benevolent group of underpaid and overworked souls. Muchas Gracias. Tomorrow we will end our pilgrimage and accept our Compostela. We will write our final entry to this blog after attending the Sunday 1200 service at which time we will be thankful for the friends we have and the increasing number that have "Gone West".