a good morning, day 4

On the Camino I often have totally bewildeing dreams which seem to reach a satisfactory conclusion: like a snake eating it's tail. Just now was the same as I awoke to begin another walk.

Outside the albergue the wind howls and the temperature anywhere but in the dormitory has fallen to 'very cold'. The toilet is at the back of the albergue, which is attached to the church, so there is a mediaeval chill to the structure.

For the first time in my knowledge I've been woken by a Korean snoring, but it was the snoring of a duck, if such a creature snores in an albergue!?! It's really time for me to get up, and that would be an excellent prospect as the bed I am in is simply too short for me: either I am sleeping crunched up or perennially hitting my head on the headboard or my feet on the footboard.

Last night I was exhausted so I ate pasta across the road and retired, but I would've liked to join in on the long table discussion, the supper table, I've not been so open with these pilgrims so far, as they're all new to me, but this smaller group seems a better one to become friendly with; it is not like the converted convent back in Astorga...

A tough morning of gales, cold, flowing water (everywhere - often ankle deep) and the steep drop where my right knee was being the grumper of the two so I've taken to the road down to Ponteferrada. Brilliant brunch after the donativo breakfast at 7 and I am sure the route down will remain pleasant as the wind appears to have dropped (maybe it was just above 1500 metres when it felt Baltic)?

Last night was Adriano's, the Hospitalero, 78th birthday and he gave me his final slice of cake (made by some very good patisserie chefs) which kept me awake a little further into the night than the 10pm curfew, but it was delicious...

Just now I ate Empanada and Pea and mint soup. The lovely café just off the escarpment in el Acebo was closing its doors in 2 days more for winter as I observe snow cover to the north of the path the Camino takes into Galicia(Galego) and as I rearranged myself I finished with a cup of tea... The cakes looked very luscious too, but I not a glutton (last night was the cake fest) so I carried on down the road - after a little love shared with an aging caninae I renamed Lola as an echo... Riego de Ambros and strawberry trees followed by very ripe rosehips and then a stream, becoming a torrent, through some polished and slippy rocks! Very carefully as I don't require broken ribs!?!