Portomarin and less than 100km to go!

I am now in Portomarin.  It is crazy full of pilgrims.  So many young Spanish kids.   The place is nuts.

With all the new people have you seen many of your camino trail friends?

Nancy met me when she got to town three hours after I arrived.   I spent the day with a nice couple of 26 year olds from New Jersey.  They were both music majors.   A really nice couple.  I also ran into my priest friend,Chema, and my German friend Lois.

I got the best compliment from my German friend, Otmar.  He said " Leischen, you are friends with everyone on Camino"  I was very pleased.  It is all possible by walking with many people on the road.  Talking for awhile and then moving on at your own pace. 

How are you doing with all the extra people on the road?  More Housing? more variety in food?

There is more variety in housing but we were turned down at 4 arbergues before we found one to stay in for the night.

Do you have to leave earlier to arrive earlier in the next village to get a room?

I am not getting up earlier.   I am just seeing what I can find and if I run into too big a problem, I am getting a hotel room.  People are leaving the albergue at 4:00 a.m.   It is craziness here.  The guide book says you have to have a sense of "detatched compassion" from here on out.

Well, I don't know about that... but I can see the area is very pretty.