21/06/07
Casa Domingo to Arzua
I left and the others were still surfacing. I saw the donkey as I came out. I had not seen much of them but had realised the three French ladies were here, in bunks near the door. I hoped we had not made too much noise last night.I had breakfast and a coffee at the bar and took my leave of Ana. You are so limited to what you can say when you only have a small choice of words in Spanish to use.
I had been very short of money on arrival as I had not found a bank and had explained that to her. She in turn had gone to great lengths to help me know what I was spending so I wouldn’t be embarrassed by not being able to pay the bill. Shucks! you meet some wonderful people on camino. They give you new faith in the possibility of peace in the world.
I set off up the road very slowly feeling quite tired and put it down to the wine last night. The youngsters soon caught me up and were going flat out. I put that down to my conversation with Carla the dark haired young man that I had spent much of my time with. I had said I was without company as I seem to walk faster than most. The competition would to be to outstrip this old peregrino and being young they soon did.
He had said they had been travelling from the French border. They may have been, but I doubted it had been all on this one trip. They were too fresh and strong, even the girls, and none wore boots but rather clean sports shoes. Ok I know some do, but most use a tougher boot if they're going all the way. It made no difference to me, but I did try to keep up to be able to enjoy their young enthusiasm but I had a toe that started to blister again. These boots of mine were no doubt one size to small and they had plagued me the entire journey. But even if they hadn't I would not keep up with my 17 kilo of pack and 67 years. I was not feeling too bright and had the occasional sneeze too.
I let them go and looked for a bank but never saw one in any of the little villages.
Just before Melide, in the little village of Furelos, the little church was open. I had been in before but I was not giving up a chance to visit it again. It contains a statue of Christ on the cross and he has one arm free and the priest explained it is one of only three or four like that.
It's a very well carved form too, I got a buzz from seeing how the priest was so proud of it.
I also noted with interest a small figure of Santiago,dressed as a pilgrim with staff and gourd, accompanied by a dog and a small angel with a light. The main figure is showing you a wound in his leg. A much gentler figure than the one I had seen in Santiago City of El Mato de Moros! I liked this one for I felt this was the man that had accompanied me on that last bit of El Ebro. There had been times when I was walking that I could turn my eyes to my right and see a strange ripple in the air, and could feel him there! I knelt and said my thanks and left. I know I spoke to some friend coming in but am not sure now who it was.
Next Melide, a busy town where I know the north Primativo camino meets the French camino for I had come there with Piero and Paco and eaten octopus (pulpo) and got paralytic drunk at our party to say goodbye to Paco as he was leaving us that next morning. Now I passed the same famous pulpo restaurant and could see my young Spanish friends eating there. I passed, found the bank and drew some cash, then returned to join them eating. It got quite noisy with our singing and the girls dancing.
Having eaten, it was time to go and we left and parted company again at the edge of town.
It's probably 14 kilometres to Arzua and I found it hard going especially at first, as I kept remembering walking here with Piero. I realised I was getting near my goal now and had to decide what to do next. It troubled me that Maisie wanted me home and I should maybe call it a day on reaching Santiago, but it's hard to change your plans. I had planned so much more! But I was beginning to feel something was wrong too, I didn't feel as fit as I should be at this stage!
I had no real friend with me to discuss things with, this on any of my caminos was unusual in itself. But this Ebro camino had been very different.
At last I came to the town but didn't recognise the place, at the time I don't know why. It was afterwards that I realised my last time here had been arriving from the true North camino and meeting Cathy and Marie in an older part of town. Now these streets in front of me meant nothing to me as I looked for arrows and an albergue. Everywhere seemed to be full, but at last I met the boys of my group from last night and on their information found a bed in a modern but cold unfeeling sort of place. Going into town after cleaning up, I suddenly found myself in the square where I had met Cathy two years ago. Here I now met some of the Spanish girls. I love this square it buzzes with life, there are peregrinos everywhere. The meeting of caminos is just here too. We had drinks in a bar sitting at a table looking at the street and I couldn't have been much company I'm afraid. I just felt so tired and the waitress had an awful cold, then I too started sneezing. I excused myself and returned to my bunk hoping I had not caught her cold. I text Maisie;
Arrive Arzua OK. One toe not too happy. Go slow tomorrow – I need a day off!!!!!
Since I put this day on the net I have been informed that the statuette was not Santiago but Saint Rock or Roque in Spanish and you can view the information I got here at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Saints
Saint Roch
Pilgram
Born c. 1295 est., Montpellier, France
Died 1327
Feast August 16
Attributes Wound of thigh, dog offering bread
Patronage pilgrims, against diseases (especially the plague), gravediggers, second-hand dealers, dogs
Saints Portal
Saint Roch (Latin: Rochus; Italian: Rocco; French: Roch; Spanish and Portuguese: Roque; c. 1295 – traditionally 16 August 1327[1]) was a Christian saint, a confessor whose death is commemorated on 16 August; he is specially invoked against the plague.
END DAY 37 = approx. 25.7 km Sub Total = 575.9 km Total = 908.0 km
