From Portomarin to Santa Maria de Arzua (49 km)

I did not plan to move that much today, but I wake up realy early after heavy thunderstorms last night and get on the Camino at 5 am. The air is charged with humidity (100%) still from yesterday's thunderstorms and a constant drizzle of rain seems to fall. I am dressed in shorts and a t-shirt only. Good that I still have my head light because it's realy dark especially walking through the initial forests.

The few pilgrims I pass by I can hear from far already, because it's mainly women talking already like crazy. They all suffer from EMTS ( early morning talking syndrome); there topics are so uninteresting as can be: who moved in with whom and who is dating whom...and, and, and. You will
never hear 2 man have such an unnecessary conversation AND: it's early in the morning; girls: give
us a chance to wake up.

The first 14 km are incredible - one long inlcline and as I am up so early I meet only a few other pilgrims. I arrive in Palas de Rei at 8.25 am - this was supposed to be my target for the day; so it's clear to me: I have to go on a bit further - Melde: it's only 15 km away. On the way to Meldide I run into the padre from Puerto Rico whom I met more than 2 weeks ago. He looks much skinnier ( which makes me wonder: maybe my friends are right and I look skinny, too) and has serious problems with his right knee, but he is in good spirit. " We will be in Santiago in a few days only", I try to motivate him - he smiles despite his pain:))

At 11.30 I arrive in Melide and try to find a place for Ignacio, my friend from Spain who will join me today to walk with me tomorrow for one day, and me. The only possibility is staying in a bunker bed of a hostel - sorry, I am not ready for this. Online I find the last 2 rooms in an old monastery in Santa
Maria de Arzua. It's another 15 km!!! So after a quick brunch I get going towards Arzua.

Rainshowers are coming in intervals - I have a sort of a condom around my back pack, but as I am
already pretty wet from sweating I don't feel like putting on my rain coat.

I am tired of the extreme smell of each farm I pass and the never ending swarm of bugs flying around my sweaty  body - I am ready for a big city again:)) I march slower than earlier today as I can realy feel the strain on my knees from the declines, but I make it to Santa Maria de Azura at about 14.30 pm and start my blog.
 Today is a special day in Galicia: la fiesta de San Juan. Friends and families gather in costumes and stand around bond fire. You are supposed to jump 3 times over the fire to clean your soul and mind - local customs come in realy handy to prepare me for the last day tomorrow:))

I have a late lunch in 'casa Nene ': honest and fresh Galicien food - yummy!!!