28 km to Quiroga

WOW, what a beautiful day from A Rúa to Quiroga. But first I want to remember something that happened yesterday afternoon. While I was sitting waiting for internet in the library in A Rúa, there were two young women using two of the machines (of 3). They had multiple tatoos, were laughing loudly, giving pink frosting doughnuts to their kids in strollers to shut them up, and were generally being annoying to me and another old man waiting to use the computers. I did not have a favorable impression. Well, after I finished my internet and went on my way, I didn´t give them another thought. Not at least for ten minutes, when I saw one of them running after me and calling, señora, señora. Turns out that one of them had seen my passport lying on the floor and had been running around looking for me. It had fallen out of my fanny pack somehow, and she had seen it on the library floor. I gave her a hug and asked if I could give her something, and she looked like she didn´t understand what I meant. And then it sort of hit me hard, wow, don´t judge those books by their covers. A good lesson.

Turns out that the hospitalera, Asunción, of the little albergue yesterday was a clairvoyant and an alternative medicine fan. Her 88 year old mom made us lunch, and then she took me up to a small hamlet way way up where there was a little romanesque church tucked away. She knew plenty of the people in the small town, so we talked with them and heard their gripes about the government, the church, and life in general (for example, how badly the neighbor is treating his cows), and then went to one look-out where Asunción told me how the mountain had opened up for her and a big bright pink lotus flower emerged, and it just went on from there. All I wanted to do was get back to town and sleep, but I couldn´t be rude, so I went along on her walk down memory lane where so many of these things happened. Finally, by 9:45 p.m. (WAY late for me), I was back in the albergue and ready to sleep -- except that first I had to tour her consult room, filled with tons of bottles of colored oils and extracts of things (this has a name that my trendy friends will know), as well as a table where she works on her clients and follows all sorts of star-laden paths to wellness. It must work for some people, because her clients come from a long way to be put on that table.

This morning I was up at 6 and out by 6:30 -- luckily I was able to make an instant coffee in their kitchen before leaving, so I didn´t get a caffeine headache. Wow, was today beautiful. The camino went up and down from river hamlet up to town up above (which is sometimes annoying but good for the elevation gain), and at all times I could either see or hear the river or one of its tributaries. The views were amazing, and every now and then I could snatch one without either the national highway or the train tracks in view. Both of them criss cross the river back and forth, seemingly at will, while I keep my feet firmly planted on the right side of the river. It was beautiful.

In one of the many little hamlets I passed through (all of which have huge numbers of houses falling down and abandoned), a little car with 3 people (grandma, husband and wife) stopped and rolled down their window. Are you a pilgrim? the mother asked. You´re the first pilgrim I´ve seen here on the Camino de Invierno, please hug the saint for me. Are you walking alone (most common question)? When I said yes, she said, no you´re wrong, God is walking with you. Hmm, that´s quite a thought. But I have to admit that at every point of the camino where I needed help today, help was there. It was in the form of a man tending his grapes, a guy whacking the weeds around the castle, someone driving by slowly who knew I was off the camino, or someone just out taking care of his sheep. Good karma maybe, but maybe something else.

The town of Quiroga is not much to look at, but its situation right on the Rio Sil is spectacular. A very nice Cuban woman who was working in a little shop gave me a very good recommendation on both hostal and restaurant. We both agreed that the two of us could handle the US-Cuba problems just fine outselves, we don´t need those politicians. So I´m in the Hostal Quiper, with a nice clean room and bath for 18€, and had a very good lunch of salad, chops, and cheese with membrillo for dessert.

Tomorrow is a question mark. I will either walk 23 km to Puebla de Brollón, or slog on to Monforte de Lemos for another 12. I would really like to do the latter, but it will depend on how I´m feeling. The weather is very very good, but is getting a little warmer, which is no fun for the pilgrim with backpack. For the life of me, I can´t figure out why thousands and thousands go on the Camino Francés and I´m all alone on the Camino de Invierno. Crazy.