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Passing an albergue this morning an American woman called out that there was coffee, a stamp for the pilgrim passport, tea, and toilets, available inside.
I said I could use three of them and in I went.
It's a place run by Christian volunteers on two week rotas. The present staff are all from somewhere in the USA, Colorado maybe, or Arizona. She did say but I've forgotten, being in something of a hurry to get to the toilet.
Another mentioned that a man had been staying there recently who's been on the road walking the various Caminos for nine years. While he could have had bed and board volunteering in various places I can't see how he finances the rest of his time moving around. Perhaps he's on a pension.
That certainly put my feelings of being all Caminoed-out the other evening into perspective. I think it was just that I was tired and I mentioned to another pilgrim that I'd be glad when this was all over. I added if I could have gone home then I'd have jumped on the plane. But a good night's rest and a filling breakfast and I'm ready for another 30km, or so.
I mentioned to the man who was running the small hotel where I stayed on Wed night that the 40km I'd envisaged for today would be too far.
He suggested a taxi to Hospital da Cruz, cutting 12km of hilly going out and leaving me with a manageable 30km.
This was a family run business and the driver turned out to be his 85 year old father. He's the same man who collected me from Portomarin centre, the hotel's a bit out of town, when I phoned early on Wed evening.