It was an easy, peaceful, and beautiful 7.7 km walk on good, flat trails between Arzua and O Pino – like a walk in the park, really. We arrived at Casa do Horreo in O Pino in time for lunch and an early check-in, thanks to Pablo.

It was a pleasant change to be in the company of so many pilgrims on the busy Camino Frances this morning. More pilgrims responded in English to “hola/hello” compared with the Camino del Norte. One lovely lady from California who had paused to admire the view said the beauty makes her teary-eyed. She said she is grateful for her blister because it has forced her to slow down and enjoy the scenery more.

We kept pace for awhile with a small “assisted Camino” group which included a man in a wheelchair and a man with one leg using crutches. It’s wonderful that people with physical challenges aren’t excluded from the Camino and that others are willing to help make their wish a reality.

One of Dan Mullins’ interviews popped into my head. It might have been the Innes Jewell episode which is one of my favourites. It resonated with how I feel after walking for more than three weeks. Innes was concerned about the well-being of a pilgrim and asked if he was okay. He said he felt empty. That wasn’t a bad thing, though, because now that he was “empty,” he could decide what to put back in. I loved hearing that! Have Dave and I cleared away mental clutter when all we’ve have to do is walk, eat, sleep, repeat for more than three weeks? 🤣 Could be!

We just returned to our room after having dinner here at Casa do Horreo. We had an interesting conversation with Pablo about what life is like running a small family-owned hotel on the Camino in a tiny town with a population of 24. We also learned something about the wild pig problem.😬Pablo is definitely a hard-worker and very kind to take the time describing to us his life here and it’s not easy!

View from our window at Casa do Horreo in O Pino