Camino 2016: Via de La Plata Day 31 - San Mamede to Ferreiros

Thursday April 28, 2016
After the strenuous day yesterday I decided to take a much shortter day today. I am not in a hurry since I have plenty of time before I have to be in Santiago. I plan to leave Santiago for Madrid on April 6 to catch my plane back to USA on April 7. That means that after today I have seven walking days left, but with 100 km to go that would normally take me no more than 4-5 days.
So I set out a bit later, stopped more often and stopped earlier for the rest of the day, only covering a little over 17km. It is a beautiful day and I found a nice albergue.
As I was getting ready this morning I realized that I only had about 40 Euros left so I need to find an ATM. I knew there would be some in the next town of Sarria. As I walked through I looked for a bank but didn't see one. I arrived at the edge of the town which is at the top of a very steep hill and asked someone where I could find a bank. She said they were all at the bottom of the hill! I was not going to go back down and calculated that with a bed for 10 Eur, dinner for 10 Eur and the remaining 10Eur for snacks, beer, wine etc. I would be fine until the next town tomorrow morning. The next town with banks is Portomarin, about 10km away so I will be fine.
Anyway, it was a beautiful morning, cold (4°C) but clear and when the sun came up it warmed nicely. Since Sarria is the last town where people who walk to Santiago can qualify for the certificate (Compostela) as a pilgrim, many people, especially Spanish people start from here. So the whole atmosphere of the Camino changes and the number of people on the road each day increases to about four times the number before Sarria. Some people are in big groups, many carry only light backpacks and stay in hotels or send their backpacks with a special transport to the place they plan to stop next. It becomes much busier and noisier than before.
Last time I walked the Camino I was disturbed by this sudden change, especially as this is the time where we are getting close to the shrine of St James in the cathedral in Santiago. This time I was better prepared for it and it doesn't bother me anymore. It is a lesson in not being upset by things you have no control over.
Anyway, the way was familiar to me as I left Sarria, along the river on a fairly narrow path with this sign that I remembered from last time warning drivers to slow down before crossing the railroad tracks.

The path is too narrow for most vehicles so I am not sure why the speed limit warning is necessary!
Then across a series of streams, each nicely arranged with a way of crossing with dry feet. Very luxurious compared to the Via de La Plata.

Then through some trees which look very old. Sorry for the finger in the photo.

Then a nice dry path beside a stream.

Out across the fields with their stone walls separating them with pretty clouds above.

Small farms with cows or sheep in the fields around them

Along narrow lanes leading from one small village to another. Often the farming smells were a stronger sensation than the visual.

Once more stepping stones

And again, this time with water running alongside.

This little fellow was siting on the side of one of the rock walls beside the path.

On again with the trees lining the path. Then I reached a small bar and it was time for a snack. I had a bowl of soup which always comes with crusty bread along with a beer, sat for a while in the sun and watched the steady procession of people go by.

The albergue I am staying at today is very nice and up the hill from a restaurant. Unfortunately the wifi is only in the restaurant and it is so slow that I couldn't upload any pictures today so blog will have to wait until tomorrow to be uploaded.
Dinner tonight in the restaurant. Not organized but I sat with a man from Utah who turned out to be a permanent deacon in the Catholic Church. We had a very interesting discussion. I told him I planned to take back scallop shells from Santiago for the baptism of the twins and he wondered why he had not thought of that for the churches he supports, especially a school with a big mural on the wall depicting John the Baptist baptizing Jesus in the river Jordan - with a scallop shell.
Well I paid for a bed, had a beer and soup for lunch, a beer in the afternoon and a three course dinner with a bottle of wine and I still have 15Eur left for tomorrow so I will have breakfast too before I find a bank. How did that happen? Life is good on the Camino.

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