Jumping ahead to the present.  I have not walked yesterday or today, instead taxiing ahead to tbe towns I intended to walk to each day, if it weren’t for my foot.  A number of days ago I got a new blister on the ball of my foot.  I listened to someone about treating it, but that advice didn’t work for me.   I ended up with the skin ripped off and infection began to set in.  I stubbornly kept walking, but as the terrain turned mountainous I was damaging myself too much.  On Friday I walked as far as the village of Vega de Valcarce and was limping so badly, I was down to a pace less than 2 mph.  There was no way I could make it to La Faba, and I have a schedule to keep.

I checked in at a bar, and the lovely young woman there called a taxi for me.  I don’t think the driver particularly wanted to head up the mountain, and I waited over an hour for him to arrive.  Nonetheless I was still grateful to get where I was going.

Friday night I stayed in an albergue run by German volunteers, Roland and Luna (I think.)  They were gentle rule enforcers.  This place had a functioning kitchen, and I ran into the Savannah couple, Barbara and Daniel,  I’d been seeing off and on, and also Marilyn from Chicago, whom I last saw at La Casa Magica.  There was a small church next door, as well, also cared for by the volunteers.  They played beautiful music in the church, mostly a modern and ethereal chanting.

If you know Germans, which is my heritage, you know that rules are very important. And the rule was they close at 8:30, and everyone must leave.  They were helpful,  however, and called a taxi for me.  So yesterday I saw the incredibly long climb up that my friends made, mostly in the mist.  I was dropped off at Fonfria, high up in the mountains, to stay with Angela and her family at A Reboleira.

Making the climb, I crossed into the region of Galicia, which has celtic roots.  Because of the cold and rain,  I sadly took no pictures,  not even inside.  But check out the dining building from their website, where we were served caldo gallega, a wonderful vegetable soup, and rice with beef, mushrooms and peppers, with torta de Santiago  for dessert.  http://www.booking.com/hotel/es/albergue-a-reboleira.en-gb.html?aid=356984;label=gog235jc-hotel-XX-es-albergueNaNreboleira-unspec-es-tab-L%3Aen-O%3Aandroid-B%3AandroidSwebkit-N%3AXX-S%3Abo-U%3AXX;sid=467be98c44dbf1662b23bd69a32df84f;dist=0&sb_price_type=total&type=total&

This morning, Angela called a taxi for me to share with a couple who were headed to the next big town, Sarria, to buy new hiking shoes, since someone earlier in gbe morning had mistakenly walked off with his.  So now I’m in another small village, Triacastela, with none if the 3 castles extant.  It’s Sunday and the town is on lock down.   But I  did find a bank to get some funds, as the Camino is largely a cash based economy.   And I had another fabulous dinner.  For only € 10, I had a large bowl of caldo, a good sized fried trout, local I’m sure, a bottle of vino tinto (only drank about 1/3), and a wonderful local soft cheese with honey for dessert.

I should be able to walk tomorrow,  and plan on a short day to Samos, with one of the oldest and largest monasteries in the western world, founded in the 6th century.  I’ll wait to leave until the Farmacia opens, to replenish my foot supplies.  Luckily,  the monastery has guided tours after the day’s siesta, so I’ll be able to visit.  Hopefully I’ll be able to walk again tomorrow.