Days Three and Four: Casanova to Amenal

Whew!! The last two days were tough. Hot afternoons, sore feet and tired legs. I'm too exhausted to write in paragraphs, and each day follows the same rhythm so here are a few moments:

-- great breakfasts every morning. Cake, fresh bread, meats and cheeses and fruit. Perfect start to the day!
-- sometimes people write messages to their friends along the way. Two favorites today: 1. (in Spanish on the side of a trash can) The end of the road is the beginning of your destiny. 2. (in English on the wall of an abandoned building) Jill, before we finish I'd just like to say every step has been better with you.

--giggle today when my walking companion saw the coast was clear behind us, so she crouched for a tinkle on the side of the road...and then the group of five Germans ahead chose that very moment to stop and take a look around behind them

-- hoofed it hyper speed with Javier this morning...I seem to be paying for it this afternoon...but not desperate enough to pay 3€ for 5 minutes in the foot/leg massage machine

-- left my magic mark among hundreds of others in a bar at noon today. Favorite from the bathroom wall (en Español) "whether you think you can or you think you can't, you're right" (Henry Ford)

-- moment of evening bliss jumping into the cold pool at our hotel yesterday, a converted palace

-- singalong yesterday afternoon with Paulette, Sandra and Sue...highlights included "going to the chapel," "on the road again" and "purple people eater." thanks to miss crystle's may day programs at RFM, I can hold my own with the baby boomer soundtrack.

-- getting stamps from hostels, bars, restaurants and hotels in our pilgrim's passports. It's as if we are elementary school students collecting stickers again!

-- the pastor at the small church yesterday who was so earnest in his blessing for us...we all soaked it up as sweet relief from the afternoon heat...

-- octopus show and tell at the pulperia in Melide

-- complimentary tapa with sandra today during our soda/bathroom break at 3 pm, a small dish of pasta with olive oil, chicken and sausage...just what we needed since we weren't hungry at lunch

Only about 15 kilometers to go tomorrow. A bit confused about the accuracy of road markers vs. guidebooks, but we think it's the difference in city limits vs. cathedral.

Excited to finish and hoping for a good night's rest to enjoy the last day. We are all amazed at the body's capacity to recuperate overnight!