Friday

Óla readers
We are in Los Arcos, booked into the rather fab Hotel Manoco!! ... are we fancy or what. Double rooms with en suite ... so guess what everybody is doing. We have walked about 120km to date (5 days) and most people seem to be doing well. The odd blisters on tired feet, sore knees from the downs and a little sun burn from today. But other wise everyone is fine. We will all miss Pam, but she needs to get home now -
Sylvia has such a knack (know from our Via Francigena trip in 2006 as well) in finding the most interesting, special and prime located accommodation - today being a case in point. We are on a square, just behind the magnificent Santa Maria church, which is covered in gold (paint) inside - apparently 7kgs of gold went into the ´painting´to get the effect. It is very ´busy´inside with not a single bare spot - either a fresco, a navbe with statue, etc etc. But once again dating back to about the 11 or 12 century. A feature of the camino. Los Argos apparently served as a toll gate yonks ago on the camino route.
I´ve walked the last 2 days on my own ..... and would really suggest that everyone on the camino walks at least some of the time on their own. You get to meet other pilgrims (you get the space to approach them or they approach you) , and its amazing how much is ¨shared¨ even though there are different languages spoken, and also get¨timeout¨ to just listen or think or do no head and mouth work. Its been very therapeutic. We have lots of group time after we all arrive, and have shared large dorm rooms on 2 nights now, so the group gets lots of time to talk, share experiences etc ....
I had a special luch time experience with a yound spanish pilgrim today. He has just qualified as an engineer but can´t find work here as the financial situation is apparently not so good here, so is walking the camino before he goes off to Peru to assist in an NGO for 3 months. He says his mother, a runner, has done the camino, his father, brother and uncle and now its his turn. He lives in a small village near Pamplona and decribed himself as a Basque. He offered me some cheese he was carrying - award winning local cheese, and this was presented on a piece of the most yummy bread (all bread here french loaf style and baked daily) with some gamon (thinly sliced ham). He has had to get a zillion shots before going to Peru, and asked about mosquitos... so I gave hime the little mozzie chaser I´d brought from home as I don´t need it, and he was delighted. I got a kiss on both cheeks. He says I reminded him of his mother!! ... anyway. One happy pilgrim who was walking to the next town.
Roy is battling with his knee, but Kay, like me is most comfortable when carrying her pack so is doing well. Charles and Barbara walk a very steady pace and the biggest injury there is that Charles has a purple toe after stubbing it against something in his room thie morning. Sally is well, just missing home I think. Kim from Turkey reminds us to wake up the yoga way and her cell phone has the most beautiful alarm chant on it. Kim and Carole are doing well, and remind us daily how a camino can be done in style. Eugenie is well too and walking so well - and has much too share. Janet is carring a lot, including a little fold-up kitchen sink that she fills with cold water to put her feet into after a long day - I don´t think too many others have been persuaded to try the trick yet. Linda has found her camino legs, and is really enjoying the time-out I think. Rayna is battling toe blisters, but meticulously straps them up daily, and is well. Me ... enjoying the terrain, the hills and the being allowed to get trail dirty - the roads are very dusty. Its still colder than I expected ... 8 degrees when we leave our warm beds in the morning, but today (and yesterday) were a little better for tanning ... so a slight nut tan creeping up. Every time rain thretens, I get out my rain coat, and so far its kept the rain at bay.
Well ... probably all for now.
We walk again tomorrow - unsure where to!, will just listen to the instructions so ably given by Sylvia with Pams assistance. we then do some bussing, to our next starting point. If you are reading this you probably have a better idea of where we will be!
Over and out
Kathy pilgrim
PS Pam, lots of love, a hug and our thoughts go with you.