Off to Arzua

In the evening I have diner with Donna from Sydney. ‚There seems to be nobody at home anymore. All Australians are on the Camino‘, I joked. ‚Yes, the Camino became quite popular. We don’t have anything similar to this. I started May 5th in Saint Jean Pied du Port. My friend got me hooked on this, she organized everything. But then after 5 days on the Camino she injured herself and was limping. She dipped her feet into ‚myrick water’ 
on the way which made things actually worse as she continued walking with wet feet.’ 

There it is: another victim of the Camino!

I start my day early at 6 am as I intend to walk straight to Arzua today. After less than an hour I reach Palas de Rei and decide it’s much too early for a break so I continue through fields and forests to O Coto where I find a little cafe on the side of the street. After O Coto we cross into the province of A Coruña in the state of Galicia. Melide is next; most of the city was built in the 50s and 60s so it’s lacking a little bit of the ancient character of so many other cities on the Camino.

Out of Melide the way gets more challenging again: steep up and down. At one of the steep inclines I pass by Sally from Dallas not without greeting her enthusiastically. ‘You are always so cheerful’, she responds. She must start a good hour to an hour and a half before me as she walks really slow especially up the hill. ‘ We are almost there; meet me for a drink in Arzua’, I try to motivate her.

Walking up and down I realize that I am much less anxious in front of steep up and down hill walks. I simply adjust my speed and if I need a break I take one; I can climb every mountain wether on the Camino or in real life - lesson learned.

Short before Arzua I spot another cafe. 3 Spanish guys from the Canary Islands are having a beer in the sun.’Fresh orange juice, you guys live healthy’, I greet them. We start talking a bit. They started in Lugo, Galicia, just for 5 days as they don’t have as much time. It does not matter really where somebody starts - as long as he/she starts.

In Arzua I check into my hotel - there system is down so it takes a little longer. When I get back on the street I see the group of Canaries again sitting in a street cafe. ‘Now this shouts for a group drink. What would you like, Manolo’, I ask the leader. ‘Rum and coke’, ‘coming straight up. A French girl next table starts laughing. ‚now if you laugh about me you have to drink with us, Galician law,‘ I tease her. ‚Oh no, thanks so much but I still have 10 km to walk; of course respect that!