Day 17 - Mon 16th May. Palas de Rei to Melide

Well if there is such a thing as a standard day on this little adventure, then today was as close as it gets to one.




Another irritatingly typical Galician day on the weather front. Moody, cloudy skies, with lots of hues ranging from silver through to deep deep purple. Always the threat of rain. Occasional short bursts of drizzle; but always threatening. Like a caged and wild animal, you know it wants to rip into you, if only it could get off its leash. I'm bored with it now. In fairness, it does make the walking a bit easier than in blazing hot sunshine. But I want my cake, and I want to eat it. NOW!*




Yesterday's walk began badly, as my camera started making a crunching sound which is its usual way of saying to me (in a Vyvyan from the Young One's voice) "oi you bastard, you've treated too rough for too long now, so I'm warning you". Given that I'm on my 8th Lumix TZ90, I know the signs. It crunched, it groaned, but managed a couple of photos. But the signs were bad. Sadly today, we went into the second and final phase of it's death knells. The lense would come out, but would not focus. Game over! I'm even more irritated as the very final thing I jettisoned to make the pack lighter before leaving home was, of course, the back up camera. What a jolly nuisance (or other phrases with more "f's" than a Muttley outburst!). So for the second day running the phone will be my camera. Hopefully I could get a replacement camera in Melide?


Fffffrrrashmmmffff

Today's walk. It drizzled a couple of times. Two coffee stops - one the worst coffees so far. Walked and talked with two very posh (okay ya jacuzzi posh!) gents from near Winchester. Like most of the people we encounter now they're doing  the 100k sprint from Sarria to Santiago. In the magnificent words of Henry from Thomas The Tank Engine, "it's not wrong, but we (Cate and I) just don't do it!". Wise words Reverend Awdry!

https://youtu.be/WSR69mTIbYs


We also met a group comprising 3 women and a man from the North-east. Quicker than a ferret up a drainpipe, I established he was a Son'land (Sunderland) fan.  Ordinarily, a team I have big grudge against. But this week, they're my favourite team in the world. Well they will be for about 2 hours if they prevail at Wembley over Ainsworth's anti-football animals. Sorry Wycombe friends/fans, your old mate Nodge still hasn't got over the injustice of 2 years ago!!

We crossed yet another ancient bridge just outside Melide. Very nice it was too. Melide is okay....population c5,500, but no camera shop!





Our accommodation today is the best for a few days, which is very welcome after last night's memory foam mattress horrors i.e. little sleep for your correspondent. 😡🥱. Best of all, is that it's got a small swimming pool. Unusually for Spain in May, it's actually open! So with much ooooing and aaaghing, and Wim Hof roaring we took a refreshing dip. Yes it was bloody cold, but according to renowned Hof acolyte (the one they call Cate), that made it really good for our muscles. I'll buy that, if she buys my "that 3rd pint is terrific for my hydration" routine.






That's it. Tomorrow, within an hour we'll go sub 50km to Santiago!



Melide




*it's probably made worse because I know the weather down in Estepona, Andalusia is beautiful. Britain's hardest working carpet fitter, and old mate of mine, Mr Johnson , is yet again tarting about down there! 





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