Dry in Vilalba Km 120

Modern Sculpture in Ribadeo

The view from Gontan

OK, I haven´t drowned yet and I haven´t needed a lifejacket, though Wellington Boots and rapelling gear would have been handy a few times. The night before last was spent in a little hamlet called Gontan. No store or bar within a few km, but a lovely little Albergue with a menu from the nearest bar, which actually delivered food! It was very cool up there in the hills and as much as I love my equatorial sleeping bag, it wasn´t going to cut the mustard. Without a word, Teresa from Wellington NZ, came over with her silk sleeping bag liner and gave it to me for the night. What I would have done without it, I don´t know... Angels everywhere!

Albergue in Gontan

By 1000 I was in Ribadeo, where I took my last view of the sea as the route turns in land now. I was stinking - sorry but its true - and much of my clothing was wet, so I took the opportunity of being a reasonably big town to get some laundry done. The woman at the Lavanderia was a pet, let me use the bathroom to get changed into my less stinky clothes, and had it all washed and dried with an hour and a half. Just enough time to have a walk around the town, drink a couple of Cafe con Leches and get some food for the walk ahead to Gontan.

A friendly face along the way

From Gontan, the walk was long and fraught with danger and adventure. Not only was the road washed out in places, but a significant mudslide (due to logging) wiped out a section of the trail. Fortunately, the valient Roberto from Modena was close by and able to use his walking sticks to blaze a trail up and around the slide area. I followed at a safe distance, surviving the ordeal with only minor scratches where the blackberries tried to stop me, and stings from Nettles on my legs, which are in abundance here. Fortunately my mother taught me that the antidote for Nettle stings, Burdock, always grows close to the nettles themselves, so I grabbed me a few leaves and neutralised the stings within minutes.

Mudslide outside of Gontan

The Road is long and missing, too!

Not only was the walk long, but it was also uphill for about 15 km. I felt like I must be very close to the gates of heaven, but in reality it was only a 400metre climb from sea level. Still, after 32 km I was exhausted arriving in Gondan (not the same as Gontan), only to find out that the Albergue there was full. As you know, this was no hardship for me and I used the opportunity to check into a Pension with clean white sheets and my own bathroom. My feet and legs were so sore, that I finally took a Tylenol to try and put the constant thobbing in check. It kind of worked...

Today, the path was a little more gentle; mostly dry and not too much mud to traverse. As always on the Camino, there was something to smile about. I was waylayed by an elderly gentleman who insisted on kissing my hand and both cheeks. I couldn´t understand much of anything he said, but he seemed happy and he did wish my Buen Viaje, as many people here do. This afternoon in Vilalba, I searched high and low for internet access, even pretending to be a guest at the lovely Parador here but alas, they don´t have computers there for guests. Its understandable given the age of the building - 1600´s. I was about to give up when I stumbled across a computer store and that is where I sit now, using one of their best models! No charge, just another example of the amazing kindness of the people here in Spain.!

Unfortunately, I am running out of time to complete my walk and I have had to come to terms with the fact that I will be catching a bus from somewhere on Wed evening to Santiago... no compostela this time. Still, its been a wonderful experience and there are still two more days of wet adventure and blisters in new and unusual places ahead!