Palas de Rei

This is a fun town! As I write this, at 10:15 pm, there is a large group of Spaniards sitting in the streets drinking and singing loudly. It sounds like they are having so much fun!

Today's walk was fun too, once we climbed the hill out of Gonzar. The temperature was a bit more tolerable and with a breeze walking was much more comfortable. The path paralleled a road for most of the day, so the slopes up and down were gentler. All the more appreciated after the tough night we had last night. Our room was hot, hot, hot! So tough to sleep. And the flies were nearly unbearable. In fact, it was so hot the flies were dropping dead. Really! Between the heat, flies, and Galician incense, I was glad to leave Gonzar. Too bad really, under different circumstances I'm sure it is nice.

During our walk we came upon a small pilgrim ministry run by a Spanish Christian campus ministry. They accept volunteers from around the world who serve pilgrims fruit, coffee, and lemonade for a week at a time. We stopped for a pilgrims stamp and when they asked us where we were from one of them said that she knew someone from Washington. Soon Culzean came walking out to greet us. Turns out she is from Spokane and is volunteering after walking the Camino herself. It was nice to chat with her for a few minutes. I think it was comforting for all of us to have some connection to home while so far away.

We connected with several pilgrims here in Palas de Rei that we've met along the way; Charles, Julie, Jack, Lance, and Ali and Susie, our Aussie girls. We all had dinner together and caught up. We probably won't see them again until Santiago since they walk faster than we do. The people you meet make your Camino. Ours is great.