Camino Primitivo - Sep 24, 2022 Day 9 Lugo to Ferreira

Today was…a perfecto day! I was thinking that I will either have to start exaggerating a few things or even provide information which is totally useless to anyone reading if this continues.

Then an epiphany - I have been doing this all along 😂🤣…really this is too much fun!

Rain was predicted…Packa at the ready and…no rain so after 11 kms I folded the Packa away. Note the picture below…I am sooo proud of myself for having learned how to store the Packa! 

Sylvie and Didier shown below walking over the Roman bridge in Lugo have not had rain 🌧 once in the past 30 days while walking on the Camino Norte and the Camino Primitivo…that is not the norm.

Today was another long day at 28.2 kms over 5 hours and 37 minutes or an average walking speed of 5.0 kms per hour…our best day so far. Main reason for this was elevation gains of 606 meters and elevation loss of 506 meters totalling 1,112 meters…our lowest so far.

Believe me I am extremely grateful that we are both walking so well with…touch wood…no major physical issues. So far the physical, mental and aspects out of our control such as weather have all aligned… can’t beat that!

Last night we had a fun supper and said goodbye to Carmel and John from Ireland 🇮🇪. How is it possible to know someone for a few days and feel that good friends have been made? That’s the magic of the Camino. Who knows maybe a visit to Ireland in the future could result in a getogether!

 Codfish with potatoes was delicious!

Carmel & John Ireland, Pierre Belgium, me, Paulo

Yesterday we stayed at Apartmentos Ciudad de Lugo and had the best breakfast yet…sure beats two small pieces of toast with tomato spread  (previous breakfast).

This morning as we left Lugo we went through the famous Roman walls…wow that is impressive…unfortunately it will require a future visit.

As previously mentioned one needs to walk the last 100 kms to Santiago de Compostela to obtain a Compostela. Sarria, Tui and Lugo are the 3 main starting points for many pilgrim reasons to meet the 100 kms requirement.

Shown below is my current credential where sellos (stamps) are collected at bars, cafes etc and the 100km sign in Lugo.

There are a number of new pilgrim walkers now and to be honest it’s getting difficult to pass by them greeting Hola AND get their name and country of origin. A few today…

Michelle - France

Francisco - Italy apparently we may have met before😂

One observation for which I have no answer is that Americans give either their city or state…never saying United States with their name while I can’t think of any pilgrim walker outside the United States who doesn’t say their country….I am X from Germany, France etc. No idea why this is.

A correction from past blogs while walking in the mountains is that any reference to walking above/into clouds is well wrong 😑. While I may have wanted to walk above the clouds ☁️ clearly that was fog!

Today’s walk while peaceful did involve a lot of road walking…probably 80% or so. I don’t mind country road walking like today although similar to everyone around me would prefer less road walking and more forest trails.

Here is an issue with highway road walking.

Anyone who knows me realizes that I have a let’s say “well developed startle reflex” 🙂. If I am focused on something…which happens a lot…and you approach me and either saying something or worse touch my shoulder/arm I am liable to fling whatever is in my hand in the air…can be a little embarrassing 😳.

So imagine walking on a busy highway…as has happened numerous times this Camino and having a car/truck honk their horn (a greeting to say Buen Camino) just as they pass me. Geez I am walking with trekking poles…it’s a miracle they have not been flung on the highway or I have flung myself in the ditch! So please don’t do this 🙏

Tomorrow on to Ribadeso which is on the Camino Frances…so we will join the many many pilgrim walkers! 31 kms so a very long day again! 

A few pictures from the day.

Lunch with Jaroslav - Czech Republic