The next morning we woke up to a delicious smell of coffee and a worrying drumming sound against the window … yep, it was raining. Lots. Wet pilgrims milled about inside and outside the downstairs café hugging mugs of coffee and Colacao – a warm chocolate milk drink popular with walkers (with or without a shot of medicinal brandy in it …) – and there was a steady rustle of waterproof material being pulled on and off and ponchos hanging up in a futile attempt at drying them. Still there was laughter and excited chat; even the rainy days on the camino beat the days in the office. We had a coffee and some toast, gave up waiting for the rain to stop and headed off in search of the bathing pool in the woods. It looked glorious even in the rain, so we decided we were definitely cooling off there next time!
Not far from O Logoso the trail splits and pilgrims have to choose to go left for Finisterre or right for Muxia. Everyone stops at the Casteliño café, which is the last stop for 15 kms for the walk to Cee and Finisterre, while there would be more options on the Muxia route. We could almost guess who was going where, based on how much food and drink they were buying and eating before they carried on. There was tortilla, basically a thick potato omelette, and Aquarius electrolyte drink, and note the teeny-tiny salt shaker – I never leave home without salt in my bag!
Then there they were: The two markers pointing in opposite directions. Crowds of pilgrims were stopping to take photos, and took turns taking pictures of the ones who were travelling alone. Then off we went along a new (for us) trail and felt all excited in spite of the damp and grey skies.
The landscape was varied, disappearing into forest trails, turning back onto country lanes, crossing little streams and leading us through quiet villages. We had a coffee stop and met a solo peregrina we’d seen by the Great Divide, shared some salted crisps and some stories, and then carried on towards our tiny house in the not-quite-village of a Grixa. It consists of a church, some rental accommodation, and a bar, café, restaurant, and albergue run by a lovely couple serving good food and running a clean and comfortable small pilgrim dorm.
This brilliant painting decorated the wall near our tiny house. It had a washing machine and lots of drying space, so we made full use of it before we went for dinner across the street. It was Nanci’s turn to take the twin bedroom at the top, and she enjoyed listening to the rain on the roof as she fell asleep. I had a huge bed in the room above the lounge and could have stayed there for another day! But tomorrow we’d be going to the legendary coastal town of Muxia, which I first heard of through That Film – The Way – when the small camino family carry on to the sea after reaching Santiago, and I really looked forward to seeing it for myself.
Somewhere Slowly 