May 29th Saturday.
After indulgence in the hot foot pool yesterday and observing the locals coming collect supplies, (for drinking or bathing babies?) our feet are in fine form and even starting just before seven we race across the countryside on a grit walkway following the route of the good old XIX. It is raining (a 30% chance) and we find half the night’s albergue occupants sheltering in the first cafe we come to. We have been walking daily for 24 days and our legs and feet are mostly sorted although Tony’s boots seem to have won the battle of blisters, (this may be a pyrric victory, a bin is in their future), we are in contrast to those starting around Tui on the border (the minimum 100km required for a compostella) many of whom are limping and in obvious difficulty. We are accosted by the camino police at a junction (aka Proteccion Civil) who are conducting a census and give us a stamp for our credencial. They appear to be expecting a girl behind us who is limping heavily. The going is easy and we rapidly reach Padron our possible destination. In the church here is the alleged relic that started it all – under the altar is the mooring stone (el padron, from which the town got its name) that the boat bearing the corpse of St James after his beheading in the Holy Land tied up at. Also in the church is a very good Mutamoros (or representation of St James in his warlike aspect while expelling the Moors from Spain). It is 1100 so we decide to go on to the albergue at Teo, this is only 13km from Santiago and should give us time to indulge in revisiting our favorite places. We are also hoping that the ritual of swinging the botofumeiro may take place at the noon Sunday service in the cathedral.
The way from Padron to Teo is mainly on delightful back lanes that wind their way between the small houses and vineyards of numerous hamlets before depositing us at the small (24 beds), modern albergue.