Yesterday evening the village of Portomarin where we are spending two nights began celebrating a Fiesta dedicated to Jesus Christ. The town was full of young revelers. The main stage was right next to the entrance to our hotel, and from 10:00pm to 6:00am the music was blasting. Earplugs were no match for the base drum thumping boom, boom, boom, all night long. Well, what about that? We love you, Jesus! Let’s party! The guides decided to shorten our Camino today because of the high heat and the logistics of reaching a good location for our picnic. So we returned to the point where we left off in Gonzar and trekked 14 km (8.7 miles) to Mesón A Brea. The first segment went quickly up a couple hundred kilometers to Castromaior, the ruins of a pre-Christian Celtic settlement. From there we walked through quiet country lanes, past stone crosses and chapels and houses and working farms with sheep and chickens and milk cows. The Camino is becoming full of fellow pilgrims on the move wishing us good day and buen camino. We are beginning to feel more fit and better adapted to the pace of life in Galicia. So far my body is holding up well, no injuries, a good bit of healthy muscle soreness and tired feet. My heart rate is better today, with a normal high of 143 bpm. Hydration with an electrolyte powder called LMNT has been helpful. Our group of fifteen pilgrims over 50 are resourceful and fun to be with. We are all helping each other to make it through the challenges. I feel confident we will all make it to the end. This evening before dinner I have a sports massage scheduled to help with the muscle soreness.
