Santa Madriña

Between Negreira and Cee, the villages are very small. Some have a restaurant/bar and an albergue. There are no grocery stores to buy fruit or food along the way, until reaching Cee tomorrow. Cee is the first village by the sea.

Santa Madriña has a nice simple albergue and a little restaurant owned by the same family. Pepa tells me, that both her husband and her, did not have work, and decided to renovate their house and create an albergue. They have a 10 year old daugther, she is the only child in this very small village, shared by seven families.

The Galician idea of what it is flat or steep, is very different than mine. A woman tells me that from one point on, the path was going to be flat. As I start walking it, it climbs and climbs, not too steep but definitely up. My legs are well used to the up and downs, and sometimes it feels that they are walking by themselves. My friend is doing well adjusting to the walking and he is really enjoying the Way.

The trail today, to this very small village of Hospital, was beautiful. Large windmills that were in the far distance yesterday, are now just next to us. The sound and wind that they create, very impresive.

Many of the ridges that we pass by or see in the distances, have windmills, that have become part of the landscape. Some people don't like to see them, but I feel that they are such a good optional way of creating energy, that it is good that they are here.

At the highest point of the trail we can see a "ria" a waterway that comes from the sea, into the inland, as a river.

The albergue in Hospital is very quiet and comfortable. Next to us there is a large barn with many cows eating, as we pass by.

Sharing the night with us there is a woman from Germany, a man from Denmark and a Spanish family of four. We are all walking similar distances and connecting in the same albergues at night.

Tomorrow we have an easy 16 km to Cee, where we will stay. It will be my first time, since a longtime, soaking my feet in the Atlantic salty water and really looking forward to the fresh seafood.

 Cee will be our last albergue before Finisterra.