Talk about wet, wet, wet (whatever happened to them, anyway?)

Today I made it to the coast, and frankly, I´d probably have been drier if I´d have swam. The guide book talks about this being one of the most beautiful part of the camino; frankly, it was lost on me and anyone else walking to see Cee today, it an Atlantic mix of thick mist and wind-driven rain. There wasn´t bit of me that wasn´t soaked, but that wasn´t too bad, because I wasn´t cold, but my spirits rather dropped when I felt first one boot and then the other fill, rather quickly, with water. I´m confident that it was water, because although mature, I´m still continent. It was a deeply uncomfortable feeling, the water level rising and falling with each step.

Last night had been spent in an albergue next to a cowshed, and the number of flies in the building, living and dead, testified to the fact. But notwithstanding that, it was a pleasant place and the company was good. That morning had been a rather tense start: the previous albergue had 24 beds, plus some tents with mattresses in the garden. Finally there were, officially, 48 people staying there, and at least a dozen others had been sent away ... the next village was 12k away which is a hell of a slog if you´ve already done 30k! In the event, the albergue played host to ANOTHER 10 people who arive after the hostalier (gatekeeper) had gone home, sleeping rough (hard) on the patio. The albergue we were all aimed at for the next day (yesterday - sorry if this is geting convoluted) had only 22 beds, so if youn add the 50 of us to those who were turned away, you´ll see that, potentially, there was gping to be a bit of a scrap for beds next to the cowshed. I didn´t want to sleep rough an as result i was walkking by 0500hrs, me and a couple of austrians were first out of the building, and I showed them the best way for the first 500m (which I´d surveyed the previous evening) and then was happy to follow them in the dark, lit only by our head-torches. We did the first 8k in about 110 minutes, which, frankly, is a hell of a pace, and one of the complained to the leader about it - I was impressed that I´managed to keep up!

Once dawn had done its thing I was happy to slow a bit and, cutting to the chase, arive 32k later, my longest walk to date, at the cowshed, at about 1.30, then it was wait until 15.30 until it opened. In the event the Austrians had marched on and i didn´t see too many people turned away.

Last nights dinner in the local restaurant was one of the best, Galician Soup followed by Galician stew. The discerning palate (and eye) could tel that the soup was simply the stew without the meat; i as happy having both, becasue there was cabage in there (how I crave vegetables!!!!!)

I chatted a bit with a French social worker who is here with her teenage charge, a kind of outward bound cure for young people who might need some help. And I walked a bit with them both today, and witnesed "the kindnes of strangers" that can characterise one element of the camino. We arrived at Cee, on the coast, at the same time, and dived into the first cafe for something to eat. The social charity that these two are involved in doesn´t run to a big budget, so this teen has to make do with some very basic clothing. A guy in the bar, an ordinary working man, sporting a fine mullet haircut, simply gave her his waterproof jacket and trousers when we were about to leave. He might have been a bit pissed, but it was still deeply moving. These two have a combined catering budget each day of 15Euros. I bought them lunch and will buy them dinner, seems only right, somehow.

Finisterre tomorrow! I have a breakfast date with a couple I met three weeks ago or more. If the weather continues to be rough I´ll take the bus, and walk there the day after instead.