The church in Sarria is at the top of a hill. The Camino goes by the church so up we went. We did get a nice view of Sarria. Leaving town we crossed a old, medieval bridge and were soon making great time to Barbedelos.
The Camino is covered by a blanket of people. Most of them just started in Sarria. They have new walking and running shoes. They even smell of perfume and cologne; items considered a weight luxury if walking long distance or in the mountains. Many are not carrying backpacks, they use a bag hauling service. Surprisingly, a majority of the walkers now starting are female.
We have encountered school groups walking with nuns or teachers that number in the thirties. I've come to refer to them as rolling slumber parties. Fortunately, they usually stay at the church or municipal Albergues which we have come to avoid. Even the smaller private Albergues are now full. Many booked weeks in advance by tour groups.
We once again had to yield the path to cows. It is quite fun to watch their owners relocate them from barn to pasture. The many livestock along the way are a nice distraction. We also muse at the way the folks in new shoes struggle to avoid the manure and mud. We got over clean shoes weeks ago.
We are excited about staying in Portomarin. It is the only stop on a lake. We crossed the large bridge to find a large stairway to climb to enter the city. After walking all day you don't want to see stairs. The community is small, but definitely a vacation town.
Rent here is high for the rooms you get. At least ours had a tub. We stayed at the Pension Arenas. Their pizza was overpriced and mediocre. The tourigrinos (nickname for people who start in Sarria) were in the mood to party and were loud until 1:30. Maybe later; I finally slept from exhaustion.
Tomorrow we leave for Portos.
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