Arzua to Rua/O Pino
11.2 miles
5/24/2019

It's not even 8 AM yet and pilgrims are pouring out of the hotels and albergues on both sides of the trail. It sounds like the Tower of Babel and reminds me of the Columbia Pike buses making their way toward and away from the Pentagon and Washington DC. during the Arlington, Virginia morning and afternoon rush hours. There is a building cacophony with so many different languages and accents - like a model, smaller-scale United Nations. After today, we are one more stage from the Cathedral and the Compostela and our final pilgrimage destination. (My feet cannot wait to get back to flip flops).

Bicycles are driven at breakneck speed around and through us vulnerable hikers. (Most of the cyclists not even warning us with a bell or a verbal alert). Even the horses are multiplying and almost stepping on some of us. Plus they are adding horse manure to the cow patties, which we are trying desperately not to step in - like that will really make a difference to everything else on our boots.

The villagers are actively clearing their property, farming and keeping us supplied with food and drink along the way.

There is a hilarious biergarten with what appears to be thousands of empty beer bottles containing messages in every nook imaginable. Of course, just my luck, the first bottle I zoom in on for a possible photo has a penis drawn on it (sorry, no photo taken. I had my fill of illustrated penises in Bhutan. Feel free to check out that blog to see some of the most intriguing photos I have ever taken).

Beer - it's what's for breakfast according to these 2 Spaniards!

Recycling your boots. 
No need to add any organic matter - it's already present.

I am so envious of the amazing vegetable gardens almost every has. The cooler, rainy climate and the perfect soil easily keep the villagers in fresh produce year round.

I finally arrive at our beautifully renovated stone hotel, Casa de Acivro in Rua-Pedrouzo. I made really good time - arriving in 4.5 hours, around 1:30 PM. When the proprietor asked me what time I wanted to eat dinner, I asked him what times were available (usually the choices are 7:30 PM or 8 PM). He replied, "any time you want." Well, my luggage hadn't arrived yet and I was starving so I asked him, "How about now?"  He didn't even blink an eye, and he even walked over to the hotel restaurant with me to let them know my dinner was already paid for and I was ready to order from the dinner menu (2 courses; basket of sourdough bread; beer, wine or water; choice of coffee/tea or dessert). By the end of these enormous 2 courses, I chose coffee/tea - until I saw flan - and then it was no contest.

Just as course #1 was placed in front of me (a vegetable lasagna that could easily feed 2 adults), another woman came in to eat. She was seated at her own table behind me (sometimes very strange how solo travelers are treated). When she spoke to the waiter in English, I asked her if she was from England. She was and we both laughed when she asked if she could join me. So I met Bev and we sat there eating and talking for a couple of hours. She was lots of fun and quite interesting.

Toward the end of dinner I saw 3 young women come in and yell, "Barb!"  Lo and behold, some of the Arcadia University women tracked me down. They are late risers so they were at least an hour behind me starting out. Apparently they saw me in the window and came in to say hello and exchange email addresses. I introduced Bev to them (Bev had met the professors who are traveling with the students, but I apparently missed meeting them the other night). 

Anyway, time to crash and dream about the last stage of an incredible adventure...