We’ve joined the thronging, pulsating hordes of pilgrims on the Camino Frances 😣. Most of those we’ve seen so far have tiny little day packs capable of holding their lip gloss and cigarette lighters at best. They’re clearly a different breed to the long distance Frances and Primitivo pilgrims with their heavy backpacks, walking sticks and weary expressions.

It’s 15:15 now. We rose early having slept well despite a too large portion of paella last night. This was mum’s, mine was behind the lady on the right.

We’d agreed to have breakfast at 7 a.m. and were there on the dot. After a quick coffee and some toast and marmalade we headed out.

Sunrise was scheduled for 7:40 but clearly got delayed somewhere en route and it was closer to 8 o’clock before we could finally see where we were going without squinting in the gloom.

There was a very pretty 2,000 year old Roman bridge which still takes the fairly light peregrino traffic in it’s stride.

Followed shortly afterwards by a medieval counterpart.

The hills in Asturias and Galicia are dominated by wind mills; they must be a really important source of energy given their ubiquity.

Today’s journey was a mere 21 km and we’d covered pretty much all of it by midday so we stopped in a pleasant bar to enjoy for the very last time bocadillo jambon and coffee.

You can’t see in this photo but a little to the right of where the camera is pointing, are sitting three Spanish ladies of indeterminate age. One had a bandage over her knee which held an ice pack. With a deftness and subtelty one can only admire, two small dogs approached her walking boots discarded under the table. One distracted the lady with a little begging motion while the second cocked his leg and discharged the contents of his bladder accurately over her boots.

With a quick flourish he looked up and stepped away, receiving a smile from the lady, completely unaware of what had just passed. Clearly a dog to be reckoned with 👍.

Most of today’s route was on minor roads with the occasional dirt track. The countryside around Melide is very agricultural and clearly quite wealthy in contrast to earlier in the journey.

Not many cars but the occasional cows

Mum found the heat a little tiring so we stopped for some fruit in a bus stop.

Some arbitrary pictures.

The last photo shows companion planting at it’s best; runner beans making their way up maize plants. Also note how the traffic signs of cows here in Spain have horns and a full set of udders 😊.

We had a slight problem in our albergue. Mum in contrast to her usual behaviour choose to pull back the bedclothes after having her shower … and found bedbugs 😨. One large one which I assumed was a beetle which I chucked out of the window and a second, much smaller one which mum filmed before squashing. The give away was the relatively large amount of what was clearly human blood that suddenly appeared on the pristine white sheet.

Mum sort of freaked out a little and headed out to chat the to the young Spanish receptionist. She reappeared five minutes later and we moved to an adjoining room. We’ve inspected this bed with a fine tooth comb and there’s no sign of life. Fingers crossed.

Melide is famous for it’s octopus restaurants so we adjourned to the one recommended to us by the somewhat rattled but very conciliatory receptionist.

This is mum looking a little concerned at the amount of food. It’s only a little octopus and a large salad but it’s more than sufficient for what are now relatively small stomachs. Neither of us said much during the meal but both of us were thinking about octopuses, at least as intelligent as dogs by all accounts and despite the hassle it’s no more meat or fish for either of us ever again on this or any other Camino. It’s easy being vegetarian/vegan at home but the Spanish are extremely carnivorous by nature and it’s difficult to avoid the stuff. It’s avocados, tomatoes and bread and fruit only from now on.

We’re going to have a quick look around Melide now. It’s roughly the size of Witney before Witney grew like Topsy so it shouldn’t take us long. More updates tomorrow.

PostScript: we’ve changed albergues. The alternative room was unfortunately next to the first bedbug-ridden room and the decontamination squad appear to have been fairly indiscriminatory in how and where they applied their noxious chemicals. So much so that after a very brief vacillation, mum marched down, got a refund and a recommendation for an alternative albergue where we are now ensconced.

Crisis over, I really fancy pasta arabiatta so we’ll pop out and go hunting 😉.

Buen Camino