We woke up to a wet world after a good night’s sleep. We packed our packs and went downstairs for a breakfast of toast and coffee. We were hard pressed to get started as it had begun raining. We donned all our rain gear and started out. It was to be a relatively short hike, only 15 km to get to Muxia.

The rain wasn’t too bad, starting out as a soft rain, getting a bit harder as we went. At one point I had to laugh as I looked up ahead and saw Tony lift Mandy lock, stock and barrel over a huge puddle that covered the entire road, so her sandaled feet wouldn’t get wet.  And wasn’t that thoughtful after he tried to walk across a river on the old stone blocks, getting his own boots wet, that had to be used prior to the local community building a bridge over it.

We had a good many pilgrims passing us the opposite way heading to Finisterre. I was charmed when two pilgrims started to sing “Singing in the rain” as I walked past with my umbrella up. I had to join in the song. As usual it was Mandy up ahead in the lead, followed by Tony and Stephanie and me pulling up the rear. I’m slow but steady. Getting stronger and more sure footed with each day. But it’s still reassuring that every now and again Mandy spins around to check how we’re all doing, then spins back around after a few backwards steps to carry on. 

After we were about halfway there the rain abated, making happier hikers out of all of us. But the thing that gave us the biggest smile was something that came up unexpectedly behind us – a man on a horse! And it was a beautiful horse and a handsome man! He said the horse’s name was Peregrino, Pilgrim. How appropriate. We followed the horse’s hoof prints most of the way into Muxía. We headed to the albergue that our fellow hiker, Leo, recommended, as he’s been staying there. It’s a grand place – we have a private space and bath for the four of us. We’re in heaven! And, as we were checking in, who should appear but the man on the horse! We had Mandy ask him where in the world he put his horse and found it tied up right outside to a statute.

We settled in, got laundry into the machine and went out for a drink. Imagine our delight when we found yet another pirate shop where we couldn’t resist a pose after having cleaned up our hikers selves.