Just before six
am there began some activity in the room.
I could hear people getting up and using the bathroom. I needed to get up, but my stomach was ready
to erupt and I was fearful of a blowout.
By 6:30am us old guys were up and I spent several sessions in the
bathroom. As we were ready to leave the
albergue, nature called me upstairs for one more use of the facilities. I did
my best to maintain the peace.
It was a nice morning
walk from Melide to Aruza. The
temperature was cool and we were pleasantly surprised when the sun broke
through the grey sky contrary to the weather forecast. There were lots of hills, up and down, then
up again, walking through the beautiful Galacian countryside. The villages were ever so very charming with
their blooming flowers contrasting with the grey and tan of the stone buildings.
Gardens with many varieties of vegetables looked ready for harvest. As we passed, I watched a farm family, the father,
mother and children digging potatoes from their private plot. 
I walked ahead of Pat and Mike and came upon a couple walking hand in hand. "How long have you been married," I asked. "44 years," the man responded. We talked a few minutes and I learned that the couple resides in Queensland, in Northern Australia. Further along, I came upon a woman accompanying four children ages ranging maybe 7-14. "Are these your children," I asked? "Yes", she replied with a smile. "They seem to be enjoying themselves and it's nice to see you walking with them," I added. She nodded and gave me a big grin. As I walked on I heard the voices of the children laughing and singing a song. I decided to remember them as the Oz Family.
We made it to the
town of Aruza before 1pm and stopped for lunch at a cafe in the main square. A
mixed salad with tuna hit the spot for me.
Our accommodations were about ten minutes outside of town at Casa Lucas. We telephoned the Casa and in short order
Pepe arrived by auto to shuttle us to the casa. Pepe's English was as minimal as is our Spanish,
but we still managed to communicate. Casa
Lucas sits in the countryside, on a hill overlooking a reservoir. The lake is sizable, perhaps ten miles long. The Casa is a small family run bed and breakfast and has only six units; two apartments and four single rooms. Each unit has its entry from the outside. The main building has a beautiful common room for eating or relaxing and also houses the residence of Pepe and his wife. Casa Luca dates back to the 1700's and has been skillfully restored, expanded and updated. The attention to detail is impressive with cathedral ceilings with dark stained rustic timber beams and old world stonework. Rooms have a country cottage feel and are stylishly furnished and decorated to maximize their Spanish charm. Pat stayed in one of the apartments which we called his "villa", while Mike and I each had a private room. Except for us, there was a group of Philipino's staying at the casa. They live in Switzerland and are also walking the Camino. If you want to get lost from the world around you, Casa Lucas is the is definitely the place to go.
After check-in
we decided to walk down the hill to the lake.
We were accompanied by the resident Mastiff who twenty days ago
delivered a litter of eight puppies. The
dog led our way down the path to a boat dock at the lake's shore. I watched as she waded into the chilly waters
to a depth that covered her underside and swollen teets. She stood still, eyes
surveying the landscape around her. I
think she enjoyed the cool waters.
Dinner was home
cooked and began with a dish of pasta
with mussels. It was followed by the
main course , a pot filled with monk fish atop slices of potato and onion. It was
exceptionally good.
