The advantage of getting a comfortable accommodation on the top of a mountain, is that you can just cuddle up in the warmth of the bed until sunrise, and then start counting your blessings as the sun   breaks through the morning mist.
I think there is no better natural wonder than watching the start of a new day from atop of a mountain. The bells of the little church added the spiritual dimension to what was already astonishing.

The descent to Triacastela was very pleasant crossing grazing fields for cattle whose neck bells were echoing in the valley from afar.

A tall statue of a pilgrim battered by a fierce wind, is posted at the high point of a pass as a sign of respect for the hardships that pilgrims of all times went through to reach the longed destination. Santiago is only 145km away from that point.

In this very spot, I met Tom, a premier league baseball coach from Palm Springs, California, who retired from the job to assist his cancer stricken mother who recently passed away. Now he seems a bit lost without a bearing and the Camino more than a tribute to his mum, seems a need to gain confidence on himself. Anyway we stuck together for the day, and I even proposed him to share a room at the target destination.

Another keynote encounter for the day was finally my dreamed-about young and pretty Russian girl, by the name of Maria! However having worked out some of my deadly sins, during the long solitary hours of walk, and in particular Lust, I only entertained her with some polite conversation and I learned that she is assistant curator of the Heritage museum in St.Petersburg for medieval art and history.

At Triacastela, Tom and I booked a double room in this quaint private Albergue, and I improvised myself as doctor to medicate the terrible plagues on Tom’s feet. The poor guy has been walking in such state if devastation for many kilometres, just because his oldest daughter shall meet him at noon on Oct 10, in the main square in front of Santiago cathedral. To meet this schedule he has to cover at least 30k a day, but I have doubts he can do it. Anyway I did my best as an engineer to cover up his martyred feet.

Santiago is now only 130km down the road.