Day 28 We ordered sausages and got octupus Day

An old photo from back a few days but this is how I felt at the 100km marker

A bit messy but its our mess and its the privacy of a pension

Self photos of a man prepared for the elements

Green fields outside Azuria

Crossing a Rio

Had to get a St James photo in here

Rain Ready

Betty, Ian and Anna Thompson ready for the rain outside Palas de reis

Beautiful tree lined paths through forest

Palas de reis to Azrua ( 30km)

Ah the unpredictable Gallician Rain!!! But someone was smiling on us today on this long walk which puts us 35 km from Santiago.

It was pouring rain when we got up and we said we are not walking in the dark and in the rain. We had coffee and toast with Anna and Ian and at dawn we looked out and the rain had gone.

We headed off into the great pathways and through lush green fields still soaking from the torrential rain of the previous night.

our aim was to get as far as the rain allowed us and we did hope we might make Azuria which would give us two days to Santiago.

We made good time and made Melide a big town by lunch and the rain held off. At the bar we decided to order what was at the top of the menu, poultos, or somesthing like that, but they looked like sausages. I had forgotten in my reading that Melide was noted for its serving of octopus and this is exactly what we got. However, it was all cut up into delightful and delicious pieces and so this made a change from the boccadillo sandwich which usually happens to us.

We decided to aim for the 30km as Ian and Anna had sped off with that purpose. Again we slowed a bit in pace and the weather seemed to clear...coats off...sunshine...dark clouds..coats on....clearing again...coats off....blue skies...dark skies..coats on and a real deluge...clear weather.....

We passed a country church at one stage and the priest was at the door beckoning pilgrims in so that he could stamp their credentials. I thought it might be bad to just rush by so we had a look at his church which was called Inglesia Santiago and he was happy with the donation we made and I thought that we were pretty blessed by the weather so had to be grateful. .

We passed magnus who tried to entice us into an Albergue at Rabidiso..no one here he said....not yet we replied as they will all be in towards the end of the day. Thge Wags told us today that there was a snorer in their Albergue a couple of nights ago whose snoring sounded like he was in death throes. Again I do not want to bag Albergues as they are the life line of the Camino .

However, We had a vision of a pension in Azuria and walked on.

"Do you think we will have any more hills ?"asked betty " No I think this road will go down the valley," I answered with a strong feeling we would go up again.

We did...... but it was quick step into Azuria.

The first pension we came to we said this will do. It is the pension Rua and is very nice. It has a nice Rua Albergue next door which is empty. Ian and Anna are also staying here and did the same as us and just fell into the first pension they came to.

It is raining heavily again so we might have the rain with us for the next two days. however we are only 35km away and it seems to be nearer and nearer all the time.

We hope to get in on Thursday and get the Compostella Certificate and go to Mass at noon in the Cathedral the next day. We are hoping to catch up with a few of the people who have shared the camino with us. The Camino kind of unites all people and it seems that people that you have never met before and will probably never see again, do begin to share stories and goals in completing this pilgrimmage

Buen Camino