Ferreira to Melide

After a good night's sleep, we started the day with beautiful scenery. This is an old Roman bridge near our B & B.

A Galacian hórreo.  (above) Hórreos are grain storage units and each district in Spain seem to have their own style.   In fact, in some of the newer homes, they seem to be more for decoration than actual storage. Of course, the farms still have authentic ones.

Today's hike, at 13.5 miles, was big rolling hills...more up than down.  We passed though farmlands of corn and potatoes and pumpkins.  There have been apple trees galore and many pear trees.  We saw many farmers hard at work.  It is so nice that they stop and wave to the pilgrims. 

I have been telling Dennis that we seem to always go to the top of the mountain and we did on this occasion all except over this pointy point.

A a different style of hórreo.

The long and lonely road (above). Spanish people are so very nice!  We walked by a farm house and this woman was gathering English walnuts off the ground. We waved and then she waved back and gave us six walnuts from her basket.  She would have given us more but I thanked her and indicated it was plenty.  

This poor little kitty was so hungry.  He/she was about three-four months old and I am a sucker for black and whites.  I fed it half a pork loin slice and about four slices of cheese.  I had to restock our cheese when I got to Melide.  It was worth it.

A wayside tribute to St. James.  There was a fountain behind it.  Good place for a quick prayer!

This is the original cross of the Camino de Santiago. You still see it on occasion.

The Spanish grasshoppers are bigger than ours.  This one was six to eight inches long and green as grass.

Our whole journey has been shaded by chestnut trees, some very old and gnarled.  We lost most of the American chestnut trees to a blight.  Too bad.  If you look closely at the leaves you can see the opening chestnuts.

More than once, I have seen way markers with a boot or pair of boots.  You just know that this walker had enough of his boots.  Wonder if he walked away wearing only one shoe?  I understand.  I have been struggling with a blister under my little toe for about four days.  I have considered walking the rest of the way shoeless!

Again, I repeat...the Spanish people are so nice.  This was at the end of a driveway...a lttle oasis of water, in case you were running low.

This is what the ripe chestnuts looks like.  There are a million of these on the ground.

More Hydrangeas!  Look at the beautiful color!

We see these flowers in the US in hanging baskets.  But this was growing in the ground as a huge bush.

Today was a beautiful day.  It was windy so I got my fill of that sound of the leaves through the trees. I never get tired of it, however.  We ended in Melide which is the only town where two Camino routes meet.  The Camino Primitivo, (Original Way) which is the one we are on joins the Camino Frances (French Way).  The French way is the businest and the Primitivo is the oldest route.  The downside is that tomorrow's route will be crowded because there are many people who only do the last 100 kilometers (62 miles) of the Camino Frances.  I have already spotted women two who were limping on both feet.  There were no novice hikers on the Primitivo but everyone has to start somehwere.  God willing, they will come back next year, fitter and ready for a whole Camino.

Adios!