Galicia

60 km from where I began, and am on what feels like and appears to be an entirely different continent. Galicia is the Northwestern-most province of Spain and is Espana's answer to Ireland and/or the Shire. Everything is misty, and green, and mossy and cool. The average temperature when I set out at 8am is about 60 degrees F and never crosses 70. The terrain is combination of appalachia and scotland. There are flowers here that I didnt even think existed outside of nurseries. Every kilometer of trampled mud path takes me past fields of clover, wild irises, and thistles. Periodically clouds collide with the path and each pilgrim is treated to their own personal 30 feet of Camino as visibility becomes nil. Yesterday after climbing around 1000 meters to cross the mountains into Galicia, I encountered my first Pre-Roman stone town, O Cerebeiros. I stropped for lunch at a small cafe where I gorged myself on fresh local cow/goat's milk cheese covered with clover honey and bread, fried eggs with chorizo sausage, and still-boiling garlic soup. After about a liter of water and a generous cafe con leche I set out for the next town with an Albergue about 17 kilometers through the mist. When I arrived I discovered the town had about 22 residents and therefore no internet. So I have stopped enroute to update, though this ancient computer would ignite uf I tried to upload a picture onto it. My stop tonight should have a better connection so, hasta lluego for now.

PS. Am at said alternate connection without any more success picture wise. The last 5 kilometers of my 29 were hellish, all exposed dirt path in the brutal Spanish afternoon sun. Arrived alright however and just had a huge dinner consisting of a hamburger with every type of meat in Spain on it for just $4. I met a French guy today at one of my stops who had just retired and started walking the camino.... and couldn´t stop. He´s on his 6th consecutive return journey for this year. A bit over 10,000 kilometers since January he said...

Anyway, I don't think I'll have any trouble sitting and staying down after arriving in Santiago this week. Feet doing better but still looking a bit leprous.