Day 4 Melide Sunday 5^th May 2013

We were up and out early on Sunday morning. The Pension Bar Guntina was closed on Sunday so we found an unsuspecting and slightly surprised café nearby and proceeded to order 6 rounds of toast, six omelettes and six cafes con leche. The unflustered girl behind the bar womanfully coped with all. She was later joined by an elderly man whom we supposed was the owner. It was only when settling the bill we discovered that the elderly man who had made coffees and cleared the tables was just a regular customer who rose to the occasion.

This was another classic Camino moment.

We headed West, as always, with the rising sun directly behind us. Barry and I stopped to take an iconic photo while Phil and Brian disappeared in a blur in the distance.

Left to right: Rosemarie, Phil, Brian, June, Padraic, Josephine, Barry and Joe

This was out last encounter with our fellow pilgrims from Northern Ireland. Rosemarie and June would walk the full 26km that day to Arzua. For reasons of health and safety we decided to cut the stage in two. Making a stop in Melide was not to prove such a bad decision after all.

On the way to Melide, Phil stops to take a photo of the flock.

This was probably our warmest day. It was also the last day we walked in uninterrupted sunshine.

Our hotel was the well-appointed Hotel Carlos at the entrance to the town. The braver souls went for a meal in a local restaurant that specialised in the regional delicacy – pulpo – octopus. Not to everyone’s taste. I sulked and skulked in a café on the Camino and met Jim from New York State who is a Presbyterian Minister who was determined to walk another 15km that afternoon to Arzua.

Barry brought us on a virtual wine tour of Riberio del Duero during our evening meal. The proud hotel owner, Luis, served us up his signature liqueur café. The coffee was in line to get an award later that week. We sure hope he got it!