24. Day 22 to Cea

The day starts today at 4 o'clock. I stayed in bed for a while longer, but then got up. It was already a bit cold again at night, and I was too lazy to unpack the sleeping bag. I didn't really need to be quiet, since I was alone, but there were 2 pilgrims from Holland across from me. By the way, we three were the only ones there last night. I thought it would be busier in the past few days. Maybe that will still come.

In any case, I went down and had a yogurt and a mini muffin and then slowly set off. At first a bit tired and lacking motivation, and it was a bit colder today than the previous days. I first walked a bit longer out of the city, and then I traveled along country roads through many small villages, some of which really consist of only 3 houses. Then I also entered the forest for a while. After 14 kilometers, I reached a larger town, although calling it a town would be an exaggeration. But there were a few bars, a nice main square, and a bit more, though everything was naturally still closed and everyone was sleeping. So I continued. It started to rain lightly, but that's nothing new anymore. I continued mostly along country roads and through small villages. Then I went through an industrial area. Here, there was already a bit more going on. There were also shops and bars, but I wanted to take a break in Ourense first. So I continued, and the stretch was already dragging on. After a total of 35 kilometers, I reached Ourense. The city has over 100,000 inhabitants and has a lot to offer. At first, I intended to stay here overnight, but I decided to add another stage. I went through a few suburbs, and then I was in the city. It's always a culture shock to come from the villages into the city with shops, bars, and restaurants every 10 meters. And so much hustle and bustle. In general, I like to explore cities, but it doesn't seem to work so well on the Camino. Most of the time, there are only small guesthouses, which are a bit more expensive. I got a stamp for my pilgrim's passport at the tourist information and then went to the supermarket, where I took a good half-hour break on a bench. After that, I continued. I had really considered staying there, but there was no rain in the forecast, and it was still relatively early. So I set off. I was cold, and that's why I hadn't taken anything off. So I set off and was really not motivated. In Ourense, it was already decorated for Christmas, and a large tree was being prepared. I had to walk for at least an hour along a major road. Then it went uphill. I saw that in the travel guide, but I wasn't aware that it would be so steep and long. I walked for about 1.5 hours just uphill, and it was quite steep. The difficulty was compounded by the fact that it was a road where cars were coming from both sides, and there was no sidewalk. And the cars were, of course, zooming down, so I had to not only fear the height but also worry for my life a bit, but I survived; it was really an effort, and I regretted every step that I didn't just stay in Ourense. Although then I would have had to walk that distance tomorrow. Halfway up the path, I took off my long shirt and my hiking jacket, both of which were already soaking wet. The drivers also looked a bit pityingly. I think if someone had picked me up, I wouldn't have said no, but no one stopped. Luckily, there was a bench at the top where I took a short break. I really thought about what I should do, because the steepness just wouldn't stop, but going back wasn't an option either. Soaking wet, I continued. Flat and then a bit downhill. Later, I entered the forest. I was completely exhausted from the elevation gain and would have loved to be in my bed already, but there were still 15 kilometers in the program, and unfortunately, there were no other guesthouses in between. So I continued, again going through forests and fields. I passed many small villages again and was surprised that the dogs were so aggressive because they are used to pilgrims. I continued, and then I saw a sign in the distance for Cea, my destination. I had forgotten that the village is known for its bread. Otherwise, I would have packed some spread. So I went into a bakery, but they only had a whole loaf of bread. But I really wanted to try it, and maybe one of the guesthouses would like some bread. If not, I have bread for the next 3 days. Just annoying that I now have to carry the whole loaf. But I was so tired and didn't feel like going anywhere else. So I got to the guesthouse at 5 PM. The owner wasn't there yet, but there were two ladies from Korea and another pilgrim from Spain. So I first showered and then toasted 2 slices of the bread in the microwave. And I must say: It's really great bread. I'm already looking forward to putting cheese or something else delicious on it tomorrow. I just have to make sure that the accommodation has a microwave. And luckily, I brought a knife with me.

Then I chilled and rested in bed after this exhausting day. There’s a bit of rain forecasted for tomorrow. So you can't really plan, or you have to plan for 2-3 possible ends of the stages.

We will see...