5/22 The Camino Provides

We ate at Pulperia A Garnacha last night.  Both Polly and Annie ordered the boiled pulpo because it is the most popular...drenched in olive oil with spicy pepper seasoning.  I opted for grilled pulpo...several people had told me that is the way they like it.  It was...good.  If I had closed my eyes and you had forked a piece into my mouth, I might have thought it was something like sirloin tip except for the texture.  Pulpo is very dense...sort of like ahi tuna to me.  The taste was pretty good, but if you offered me a choice between a Jon Schroeder rib eye or grilled pulpo, I would take the rib eye every time.  Same goes for family pork loin and brisket that I have had.  I am glad I tried it, but it's safe to say I may never order it again.

I love leaving first thing in the morning.  It's cool, there are no people...no noise other than the waking birds and the crunch crunch of your footsteps.  You get to see the "dawn's early light...".

Polly and I came upon a mare and her foal...I'm guessing just days old.  So sweet.  Too much movement for me to get a good picture, but the mare wasn't skittish...she sidled up to the fence where we were standing to get her head scratched.  We loved the moment.

I walked through Boente and Arzua, stopping twice for coffee.  When I was at A Calzada, Annie caught up to me.  Polly had phoned to say there were LOTS of people in Salcedo, the town where we wanted to end our day.  Remember...as a pilgrim you really don't want to hear "completo" from the receptionist...it means you walk on until you can find a bed.  I was fighting the urge to hurry...to get my spot.  When Annie and I got to Salcedo, Polly hadn't been able to talk to anyone at the three albergues...they weren't open yet.  We headed towards one that advertised only 10 beds, to get in line,  but saw a woman hanging out laundry at another across the street.  Annie went to talk with her.  She would open in 5 minutes and yes, she had room for three. 

 The people were walking past in a steady stream.  I have heard that the number of pilgrims walking is up significantly from last year.  And yet...we had a place.  No need to hurry, stress, or elbow our way to the front of the line...The Camino provides.