karmavoyager: 99 Beer Bottles!

Last night we met an Australian couple from Adelaide who were also in our hostel and so Alan had dinner with them!

This morning, as once again the distances were varied and we were not sure are we walking 20 or 17 kilometres, we got up at 06:00 hrs and started walking 30 minutes later. We might have been the first out of our hostel, but not the very first Pilgrims on the road. There were various small groups or individuals standing waiting on corners. As we walked two men from Wales, Frank and Ivor said we’re following you! We advised against such a move, so for a little we walked together and exchanged information. Frank was a type one diabetic and this was his third Camino.

The early morning was grey and cold and there looked to be rain in the offing!

Once out of town we followed woodland paths and were now overtaken by numbers of pilgrims.

We then came across our first marker with the distance still to walk on it, so in memory of Pat and Dan we sang the 99 Beer Bottles on the wall song!

The rain came so we covered up, but fortunately it was not too strong or for too long either.

Fountains were passed as were other interesting Land marks.

Then we followed a road again.

It led through a village and then out again.

This shrine was the last thing we saw.

Until we came to our next laundry area of the day.

This one had a large sign describing it and giving the reason for them, and it substantiated Alan‘s theory that they were gossiping areas too!

It was here that we met again the nice American brother and sister we had met on our walk into Vigo, Dan and Ann-Marie. We walked on a little way together until we found a bar, then we sat to have breakfast. The next surprise was meeting Bill and Irene from New Zealand and they were keen to hear how we were and how Colette, Christina and Rianne were.

We all now parted and walked our separate ways again, but not before expressing the wish to meet in Santiago.

While in the bar the sun had come out so we were able to take the rain covers off.

This historic bridge was also the scene of a battle between Spanish Forces and Napoleon‘s French under Marshal Ney in 1809. The French lost so the sign said!

Then it was up through the village and out the other side.

Each way marker with distances generated another beer bottle song.

We went down steep inclines into the woods. Here in the wood we now met Lükke from Denmark. This was her third Camino too. Our BBF and Lükke now walked together until they reached Pontevedra.

With human company for our BBF the walk was made more pleasant and he could forget a little the pain in his left knee!

There were many frogs croaking their hearts out here and if you look carefully on the left and at the top of the picture you should see a couple!

We came to a place where there were toilets and refreshments so we stopped and Ann-Marie and Dan passed so we quickly took their picture!

We found this chapel open so in we went and Alan sang to the pleasure of Lükke and some other pilgrims who had stopped there. Then Lükke was emboldened to sing one verse of a Danish Hymn!

On we walked with the kilometres falling almost effortlessly away.

Here a choice had to be made, either take the short Way straight on, or the longer prettier one following ameandering river. The humans chose the river.

It was cool in the woods and the birds sang and the river gushed and gurgled as it flowed.

When the humans came to this bridge Alan introduced Lükke to Pooh Sticks. She was kind enough to say that it was beginners luck that she won, but it didn’t stop her from dancing a short victory jig!

Sadly not all bridges we came to lended themselves for Pooh Sticks, but they made pretty pictures.

And then the lovely walk along the Riverbank ended.

It was somehow difficult to believe we had just walked 6 kilometres!

In Pontevedra Alan’s Albergue was the first we came to. So in parting he thanked Lükke for sharing her walk with us and hopefully we shall meet again in Santiago!