Sunday, 23rd of June 2013.
Another bright, sunny day, coolish to start with ..... I linger over breakfast and that second coffee.
Its about 14km to my next bed, on yesterdays timeline thats about 5 hours ..... so finally push off about 8.30 -8.45am.
I am walking with Pam and we seem to be plodding along at a comfortable snails pace, the country is relatively flat, low hills, but the track is constantly up or down, there is some 14km to do today.
Towns dot the track at regular intervals and if we are not passing through one we are passing by one .... though there is little life in them. Though just out of Bobadela Pinta beside the road there is a road side peddlar selling coffee and
Tortitas de patata .... he has a captive market ..... Hans and Willy, other pilgrims from last night are there when we arrive. Pam and I have several of each then its on our way again.
Hans and Willy are long gone by the time we depart ... we still have 5-6km to go.
We arrive at Xunqueira de Ambria, just on 2pm and its quite warm and has been a dusty day, as we walk up to the bar Hans and Willy call us over to 2 beers set aside for us .... they are very much appreciated. Only a light lunch as we had the potato pancakes only a few hours ago and they were filling.
Post lunch wash and dry clothes, siesta under a tree in the garden ... a tad tired today, but head clear.
The next 2 days walk is about 21-22km each day from bed to bed and its getting hillier, no turning into mountainous ahead.
Last night at diner sitting with about 10 other pilgrims I heard of a chap that died of a heart attack on the Camino about a fortnight ago in a nearby town .... there were 4 different interpretations on how this guy died, some were unsure of the town, but others said it was Albergueria ..... my ears were already pricked up, but I stayed silent, apart from keeping the conversation going on that track. I know it was me they wre talking about, but kept quiet as it would be embarasing for all of them.
I did pipe in and say I heard he did survive and was doing well ...... no they were adament he died and that there is going to be a memorial stone placed where he died ..... very interesting, I thought.
Though walking with Pam today I did confide in her as her only comments was that she was saddened by it all. I explained to her the events, and asked her not to say anything to the others if we were to share a meal together again.
I had an early diner with a few others and then off to bed ...... reception here dodgy so will send when it improves may be later in the night.