Day 6 started with a light drizzle of rain, so we went downstairs for a lovely breakfast of artesan bread, yogurt, juice and coffee and a plate of cheese and cured meat, just the thing to start the day. Then we got into our ponchos and went on our way. We stopped for a short while by the church at the top of the hill, and the view was – non existent.
It was one of those days. Shoe laces came loose, hoods fell down and packs pulled down. It was wet, but not really raining, it was chilly but not cold. The walk was easy, but not enjoyable. When we needed a café and found one, it wasn’t open. It was one of those days when you feel like a pilgrim and definitely not a tourist, because no tourist would keep going. Luckily we both had excellent company! And Galicia, though soggy and moody, was still a better option than most.
It was also one of those days when you think you remember where things are because you’ve been there before, but they seem to have subtly shifted a km further away or to another stage, so I was quite surprised when I suddenly glimpsed the Oasis!
Even the German café El Aleman just before Boente was closed, but the albergue Boente was open and had lovely coffee and Santiago cake. Camino memories went into overdrive with the sugar; I remembered when I was there in 2014 with my camino daughter L, it was a lovely sunny day and I chilled out the back and aired my toes and blisters by the pool.
This time I was glad of the shelter from the elements and took the opportunity to change into dry layers inside the warm café. A while later we came across another echo of another Galician walk – the sign for Casa Milia, where B and I stayed with Lady P in 2015. Tempting as it was to turn right and enjoy their hospitality and heating again, we carried on through the sticky grey day.
How things change. There is now a huge board as you enter Arzua telling you what accommodation is available. Not a bad idea I suppose but a clear sign that the numbers have increased since my first time in 2012. We had our reservation and thoroughly enjoyed finding our room and a hot shower.
Arzua isn’t the most exciting or beautiful place on the route but it is what it is, it has food, drink, beds, showers, tiendas and farmacias. We found a small hole-in-the-wall bar/restaurant which was just as damp on the inside as the town was on the inside, but it was warm damp, the food was hot and the beer cold, and so all was well at the end of the grey day.
