Day 28, Ambasmestas to O Cebreira

July 3

Maybe the second shortest day so far - after day 3 from Akeretta to Pamplona. On that day I arrived in a big city, staying at a fancy hotel and the wifi connection was no good.

Today I walked just over 14km and arrived in O Cebreiro, a tiny village nestled in the mountains at more than 1300m, and again I have no usable wifi (although it may be better late tonight or in the early morning).

For the first 6km, it was an easy wander along paved surfaces. From the village of Herrieras, I began to climb and the surface deteriorated. At about the 9km mark I stopped at another small village – La Faba for a coffee and a chocolate biscuit.

Along the way I couldn't help but notice some of the many huge motorway bridge projects. Apparently they're funded by the EU to help the Spanish economy.

I hardly knew the end of the day was close until I suddenly came out at O Cebreira after a total climb for the day of just on 700m. It wasn’t yet noon. It had been cool early on and not even too hot in the final steep section, although I’d raised a decent sweat. I even beat my suitcase up the hill, although it arrived soon after and I went and helped unload it.

O Cebreira is a charming village, with the oldest remaining church on the Camino (Iglesia de Santa Maria Real) dating back to the ninth century. 

The village plays its charm for all it’s worth, putting itself in danger of becoming a tourist trinket itself. It’s the entrance to Galicia, so recordings of bagpipe chanters play in the many gift shops. 

I’ve resisted tourist mementos until now, but succumbed to a shot glass. I have it in use at the moment – only 2 euro for the glass in which to put my whisky, but 3 euro for a beer from the bar downstairs.

I feel a strange lethargy today. It’s disconcerting when you feel cut off. I’ve hardly heard an English-speaking voice today. After a bocadilla and a small beer for lunch I was really tired and slept for a while, but all I could hear was loud Spanish voices outside my window (I’m above the bar, with another just across the narrow alley). It’s quite an aggressive-sounding language and I wished they would go away.

Before 5pm I got up and took another wander. There’s a few Americans in a tour party wandering around, but I don’t feel much affinity with them either. The isolation induced by the lack of wifi gets to me a bit. I’m becoming more conscious of my own insecurities. Even more so of the mechanisms I use to overcome them. I think I’m ready to go home and resume my life.

Having confessed to all that, I need to make the most of – and enjoy – the remaining seven days of walking, the extra two days in Santiago, when I’ll catch up with old friends, and the trip back to NZ via Zurich and Hong Kong.

Tomorrow is another day – downhill all the way. My little hotel offers dinner whenever you want it, so I’ll take advantage of that in about half an hour – at 6.30pm.

Met a very nice couple from Tasmania over dinner – good to have company.

Here's the day's photos: https://photos.app.goo.gl/1iZ2P2cWEgiQcGzi6