At dinner last night I met a man from Switzerland… Let’s just say we have dubbed him Bond.. James Bond… Oo lala… We have all decided he is kind of a cross between Bond and the Marlboro man… Fun to have a little flirtation… Didn’t know I still had it in me😄

We awoke to the promised rain this morning… So we dress in layers, complete with ponchos…it only drizzles most of the day, but it is enough to soak you through without the proper gear.We eat the breakfast that comes with the room we are staying in.  It consists of brewed coffee, a box of orange juice and regular toast with butter and jam… This is the standard fare for breakfast everywhere, so we rely on 2nd breakfast along the trail to satisfy us.  This usually consists of tortilla (a quiche like dish with eggs, potatoes and other veggies) or a croissant, fresh squeezed orange juice and of course cafe con leche… Who knew their coffee is as good as ours!

We walk for 8 miles today on lanes through farmers fields, over bridges crossing small streams, surrounded by the newly blossoming spring flowers.  We are frequently passed by or passing other pilgrims, so when I hear “Angeleeeena” I turn to see James Bond grinning at me… We walk along for a few moments, but he and his friend are walking much faster than us… I’m sure that is the last I will see of my Marlboro man, but it puts a spring in my step for a while…

The trail is wet and a little muddy and there is no sign of any kind of habitation ( read: second breakfast)  for almost 4 hours… Stopping to pee is challenging with all this gear on but necessary…I have learned to be careful with any jackets that are tied around my waist…also with the drizzle and mud we take very few rest breaks as there is nowhere to sit.

As we round a corner on the trail Los Arcos, the next town,  looms ahead, just 10 minutes away…all of these towns are one lane, cobblestone, with tall buildings on each side.  We take a long break for a welcome, fresh breakfast.

The rain had now let up, but the sky was grey.  We set off to complete the remaining 5+ miles.  We saw a beautiful town far in the distance…. That couldn’t possibly be where we were headed… Could it?  Oh yes it could… Daunting! And this picture is from much closer…