Cumpleaños

Bilby turned 15 today. He opened his last present this morning – a new pair of headphones that are actually in one piece and not falling apart. After a birthday breakfast of cheese, jamon, croissants and tomato bread we were all keen to get moving with the day serenely beautiful. Cool but sunny with a day of rolling hills ahead.

As we had taxied back to Ribadeo for the night we had to wait a little until we could be dropped back off at Villamartín Grande to start again.

After yesterday’s clear differences in pace I had given Dad and Bilby route maps and instructions on how to get to our final stopping point and wished them well.

After passing my first (and only) peregrinos I was enjoying my walk hugely. The air; the scenery; more wild strawberries. It was a day made for walking and I was grateful to be on the path. But as I descended into the town of Lourenza about 7km into the walk I felt the tell-tale signs of a blister forming on the ball of my foot.

I stopped and removed my shoe and my carefully chosen double socks and looked to see the damage. At first I couldn’t see it. There was no superficial bubble – but then I looked closer and probed a little and realised it was a deep blister, many layers deep. I dressed it and tried to offload my forefoot before heading off on the next 10km of hills.

It helped that the way was beautiful but I felt tested. Walking uphill was tiring but ok. Walking flat, especially if I could find grass was not so bad. But Walking downhill was agonising.

I realised at one point I had altered my gait to the point that my right hip had begun to hurt and that I needed to do something different. Not that there are a lot of options when you have 5km to go and you’re on a hill in the middle of the Shire.

Through bargaining, sultanas and Haribo lollies (2 per 500m) I eventually made it into Mondoñedo with a newfound pace and energy (possibly the cumulative effect of the Haribo). I ended up needing it because despite this sign:

there was actually still 1.4 km to go. Willing my feet forward with the promise of a bed and a cold drink (and probably a shower) I finally made it to the Praza de la Catedral and looked around for Dad and Bilby. Not finding them there I headed down to the Seminario de Santa Caterina to collect our bags and check in – hoping I’d find them there and could check my anxiety.

No such luck, but they found me halfway through check in.

The seminary is an imposing building and clearly still of the church. No one appears to have much English here and the Galician accent (and Gallego) mean that my preschool level of Castillian does not always land. I am trying though and it is easier than it was a week ago, despite tiredness.

After checking in we freshened up and headed for lunch and to explore the cathedral. It was beautiful and unexpectedly large for a relatively small town.

After lunch we bought groceries and lay down. My feet feeling immediately blessed by being unconfined to the point I decided to head to mass this evening.

I had forgotten how beautiful it is to hear prayer and hymns in a cathedral. It was very moving despite the pilgrims that came in late making noise (including myself though to be fair I had been told mass started at 7) and the tourists taking photos between the Entrance and the readings. I could follow the Apostles creed fairly well and wished I had had a pamphlet with the service so I could follow along more closely. At this point the church doors rumbled and a random band began to play a concert in the square.

The service grimly soldiered on. I was moved enough to take Communion but I have to say walking out at the end to a kilted saxophonist dancing while playing La Bamba rates up there with one of the most surreal juxtapositions I’ve experienced.

It’s now 8:30 p.m. and despite the perpetually bright sky I’m going to fall asleep. Tomorrow looked hard before I broke my foot.

27797 steps

21.25 km

Total 83.09 km