Lourenza to Gontan - Every picture tells a story

These shoes and poles belong to us. Everyone has a story, a reason, a hope . . .  Same faces now as we draw closer to the end of the Norte and merge with the Camino Frances over coming days.

There is Alvero a medical student from Madrid, Beth and John an American couple from Montana, Josiane who has walked from her home in Bordeaux, Bernadette from Iceland who now lives in Denmark, Juan an artist from Barcelona, Ruth who speaks at least four languages from Cologne, Jonas  a researcher from Germany, and Eric a musician from Alicante whose band has just finished a concert tour of southern Spain. 

This  afternoon we pooled ideas and planned stages over the next 5 days or so to arrive in Santiago.

Most of us have been walking more or less the same stages for the last week or more. A hard core group who have forged on through the somewhat inclement weather 🤪.

This is low season and lots of places are closed- so we need to self cater occasionally and eat back at the albergue - always good value.

Morning conversations noted by friends who are following. I think Eric and I were talking music?

Until the morning rendezvous at a bar. This morning it was across the street from the Mondonedo Cathedral.

Then it was into Galician hills and misty rain (for an hour or more).

I was struck by the contrast of old walls made of slate and the distant wind turbines.

It was a long climb to the plateau- the head winds were strong up there.

No trees, just cold but thankfully no hard rain.

The descent to Gontan was a welcome relief. I made it to the albegue just before the rain started. 

Over the next couple of hours, Camino companions arrived and placed their boots on the shelves and their poles in the bucket.

More sharing of groceries and stories over dinner- and talk of  the next destination and open accommodation options.