Carbed on Carbonara

It´s funny after dithering around that we settled on staying at Ruitelan ! Comments in the guest book described it as one of the few remaining authentic albergues. Carlos our host prepared a wonderful meal - cold creme of leek soup, tuna salad with mozzarella and pimentos and a wonderful carbonara which carbed us up for the ascent on O Cebreiro. We finished with a delightful creme custard. It was a wonderful stay. Early on in our camino the Aussie Dowager queen of caminos said that on the camino "People were sent to you." I´m not quite sure how you determine this, but opposite me at dinner at Ruitelan was an Austrian gentleman that we hadn´t met before. I had nodded to him a couple of times when doing the washing but hadn´t talked to him during the first part of the meal as there was conversation aplenty around us. Towards the end of the meal I engaged him in conversation and ascertained that this was his third camino. His first was done on bike with his daughters, the second on foot alone. Shortly after his second camino he had suffered a horrendous bike accident - smashing his head and shoulders in a high speed crash. It had taken him 2 years to learn how to speak again and for the doctors to patch him up and he still suffered from persistent headaches. He was doing this camino in thanksgiving for being alive !

We left Ruitelan in light mist with ponchos on and devoured the climb to O Cebreiro where we refueled. The descent encountered more persistent drizzle and a cold wind so we were well wrapped up. After lunching at Alto de Poiro where a Swiss couple who have been our roommates for a couple of times were celebrating their 2000 kms milestone, we arrived at our daily destination of Fonfria. We had the luxury here of a family room with ensuite - bliss. Next day we headed off for Sarria in better weather, traversing some lovely, hilly countryside. In Sarria we stayed at Los Blasones albergue and during dinner in town we witnessed a Galician festival !

Little bands were out playing in the streets with the Galician bagpipes in evidence. It was an excellent evening´s entertainment.

Today we ventured from Sarria to Portomarin, through lovely green countryside and many little hamlets. We are now ensconsed in the Mirador albergue and figuring out how we can best divide the mileage for the last 3 days of our camino.