Hi

Finally a day to catch our breath. After several nights in Alburgues with many other people, we are at a “casa rural”. So a room of our own, with our own bathroom. I seem to be getting a cold as well, so a nice hot bath was in order. The last several days we have climbed about 2000 meters. Of course we have also come down 2000 meters so we are not at a very high elevation. We have passed into Galecia, from Zamora. Zamora being more arid, dry, and apparently great for grapes, Galecia is more lush. More vegetable gardening here. I will include some photos of the corn drying huts that are very unique to this area apparently.

Essentially all of the other “pilgrims” I talked about before have moved on and we are now with a totally different group. The French ladies took a train to get ahead of the steep hills, and most every one else have gone on ahead because of their time schedules. Most doing 35-45 km a day.
There is a British couple here who are doing this as a tour. Their backpacks are delivered to the accommodation each day ahead of them. At times when there is no private accommodation they will walk to a town, and then get a taxi back to the previous accommodation place and then a taxi in the morning back to where thy left off…. If all that makes sense. So they can do the Camino without carrying packs.

There is Gerard, from Ireland, who loves to sing. As we walked along we exchanged songs about tragic, unjust executions. He sang “Grace” to us about a man who was executed hours after his marriage, to Grace. The marriage was never consummated, it was during the Easter uprising in Ireland in 1916, which is 100 years ago now . The song is being reborn in Ireland this year. I hope I have the details somewhat correct, because I do not have the Internet to check…..right now. Ken and I sang “Joe Hill”, the song about the “singing union organizer”, who was executed in Utah……likely almost 100 years ago, or more…..
I got the feeling that although, neither of us knew each other’s songs/stories, many Irish people know of Grace, and many Americans know of Joe Hill. I guess that is one of the wonders of travel, the stories that explain how we are different, and why we are all the same.

this is our version of joe hill

We are also traveling along with a group from France. A man and his wife?, as well as a friend.
We were walking behind them for awhile  yesterday with the very long downhill. All seemed well. Then going through a town he was seated in obvious pain, his wife trying to call a taxi. They took a taxi to the next town which is where we all stayed last night. He certainly seemed uncomfortable, lower leg. We gave him some of our “high test” voltarin cream. (In Spain the over the counter voltarin cream is double the strength that you can get in Canada). ( actually in Canada, or likely anywhere for that matter, doctors can prescribe higher percentages of voltarin, and the pharmacist can mix it). This is great technology in that the medication stays in he area it is needed, rather than the whole body. Sorry for that transgression.
So today he headed off without his backpack. (He sent that ahead). Last I saw of him he seemed to be doing OK.

oh yes and then Sergei, who is traveling  along with his horse. The horse (I did not catch his name)., carries the stuff and “..Sergei, in turn leaves the horse in a yummy yard that has not been mowed n months= happy horse.

i do not have enough internet to post pictures. So will put hem in later. Adios amigos