Day 9 was a really long day, and in many ways it was the end of a major chapter in my Camino journey. We walked 19 miles into Lugo, and if Lugo wasn't such a large city we probably would have stopped earlier. But we had been in very small communities for several days, and the lure of a larger city was strong. I stayed in Lugo for three nights, because my friend from America, Larry, was meeting me the following evening. I scheduled a day after he arrived without walking so he could adjust to the time change.
Also in Lugo I would bid farewell to Nagore, who had to bus back to San Sebastian for a son's birthday. Her companionship enriched my camino experience.
This day also started out wet, and we took some time preparing for conditions before leaving.
Conditions were nicer than the previous day, however, and although the weather was wet and grey, it was not cold and windy like the day before.
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In one small town we came across a small bar but the gate was closed. Nagore rapped on the wood anyway, and the owner came out and served us in a protected outdoor area. It was a wonderful little spot, and looking at their website, it appears to be a warm and inviting place to stay (Link) in the very tiny town of Vilar de Cas.
Along the way, Nagore - who had helped me confirm albergue reservations in advance of my arrival - got a message from the albergue I had already paid for for Friday and Saturday nights that there was no heat in my room, but I could "upgrade" for an extra 30 euros to a better room. Classic bait-and-switch! But after fuming about it for a while, I realized that this was a blessing in disguise, as we could all stay together at a different hostel. The one I had reserved was very small, and we would have split up.
So we ended up instead at the Hostel Porton, and it turned out to be my favorite hostel of the entire journey! Things have a way of working out.
By the time we reached Lugo, we are all tired enough that I'm not sure it mattered where we stayed! My feet were barking at me for the last several miles of the day's journey. And, of course, Lugo was at the top of a climb, right at the end of our day. But I was really excited to explore Lugo, with its Roman wall that circles the entire old part of the city. That is a UNESCO World Heritage site, as Lugo is the only city in the world with fully intact Roman walls.
And, after cleaning up, we went out for a well-earned dinner!
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