14.3mi/23km from Ferreira to Melide
I had been in a rough mental state these past few months. Last night I had a conversation with David about my mother that helped me process a lot of what I’ve… been trying to process during these months. And I walked with a kind of lightness today that I don’t think I’ve felt for a long time. I don’t think that would have been possible without this prolonged opportunity to walk in open nature, to face physical and mental trials, to do the very simple task of just putting a foot in front of the other for a few hours, and to just come at all this with a free mind rather than one burdened by all the stressors of our modern day. Yes, this is a luxury I have that few others do. No, I don’t think I’m 100% there just yet, but I certainly do feel better.
Photos were minimal today. We had one 400-foot climb over a ridge that yielded some good views – that ridge probably was the last foothills of the Cantabrian Mountains, before descending into the lower lands surrounding Santiago. I made palz with the owner’s massive doggo. That’s about it. Smooth sailing but nothing too crazy to write home about.
Today, upon reaching our destination of Melide, we finally came off the Camino Cerrado, er, the Camino Primitivo, and joined the much more populated Camino Francès. And, though we took a rest day in Lugo, we ran again into our Andalusian buddies Manuel and Gregorio! Sadly, Gregorio hurt his ankle and they took a rest day here today. But rather than hang out with them, we decided to take an early night, relax, and prepare mentally and physically for these last few days to Santiago.
