Off to breakfast and I will begin to get a feel for the weather. I am wearing the shorts, tee shirt combo and my rain jacket. It's fine, this should work. I will try to find some other replacements to get me to Santiago once I arrive in Sarria.
I have my morning fix of bread, coffee and orange juice. I will need to find a Farmacia on my way to Sarria, I am almost out of sunblock.
There are two routes available today. One route is about a mile and a half shorter but there is much less shade. The second longer route, The Roman route, is longer but it is also a bit flatter and for the majority of the day there will be shade. It's already getting warm as I pack so I decide to take the Roman route. Today will be a walk of about 14 miles. When I arrive in Sarria I will then have less than eighty three miles remaining.
The first three miles is along side a roadway. The trail and the road are separated by a substantial guard rail. This part of the trail is a solid surface, no rocks. There is shade for about half of this part and then the Camino goes through the forest. A river is on my left for the first two hours and it is running rapidly which helps drown out the sound of the nearby traffic. I will stop at the first small village to eat something and pick up some additional water. The temperature is rising making it more important to have an adequate supply of water..
The first few villages I pass through don't offer anything in the way of a cafe so I just continue on to Samos which is about six miles from today's start. The village is beautiful and as you enter the village crossing over the Rio Oribio you see this massive monastery. I stop here and take a picture. I need something to eat. There are two cafe's just across the bridge and the first one appears to be crowded with pilgrims. I head to the second cafe. There are seats outside but they are all in the sun. I step inside and there are tables. The cafe is very clean and has a nice choice of smaller items that are not all engulfed in a loaf of bread. I have a salad and an agua con gas. I will also refill my metal bottle which hooks onto the front of my backpack. Perfect, back to the Camino.
As I am leaving he village I see a Farmacia and I stop to get my sunblock and realize that I also need more of the Spanish spots cream . I show the clerk my two current versions. She has the sports cream and offers a different sun screen. Fine, that was easy.
The balance of the day is just a slow walk through many villages and farms. Lots of cattle and lots of dogs and cats. I have only one "event" today. No, I don't get lost or leave something behind. When I stopped at the small cafe I bought water with gas with my salad. Two small bottles. When I asked the young girl to please put two bottles of cold water in my metal bottle I did not say "con gas".
Well, she put two bottles of con gas in my bottle which bounces around as I walk and sure enough it explodes just under my chin. I'm now cooled off by my water bottle and its not a problem, its warm and there is plenty of water ahead. It did get my attention when it started hissing just before it burst.
I will just fill the bottle myself from now on.
I arrive in Sarria at 4:15 which means my walk today took about seven hours including a number of breaks and a longer than average lunch break. No issues, just a bit tired and sore. Nothing the ice and the cream can't handle.
First order of business after a shower will be to find a store for a couple of replacement items that will get me to Santiago, now just five days away. I find a shop and buy a pair of cargo shorts, two light weight shirts and I am now ready for the final five days.
I have been planning more than five months for the Sarria to Santiago final five days. I have a couple of very special tasks to complete. At the end of tomorrow's post I will share that with you.
I will ask Robin to post the picture of my four Cross's . That's it for now. Have a good day.
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