Day 25. October 8, 2015. Soto de Luina to Cadavedo. 21 kms

Climb every mountain,

Ford every stream,

Follow every valley...

Although the albergue, an old school house, was almost empty when I arrived, allowing me to acquire a coveted bottom bunk, it was full by the end of the day, all twelve double bunks. It is remarkable how calm it is in these crowded rooms: people moving quietly around, gliding by each other with barely a word, and certainly never a cross one, in these difficult conditions. This is one of the benefits of the Camino, putting you together with so many people in an unfamiliar situation.

And another, of course, is meeting different people with different points of view. I heard of a young American at a recent albergue who was arguing with some Europeans until two in the morning that Germany was totally responsible for two world wars.

As I walked over to the hotel last night for our pilgrim's menu, a bus arrived and discharged a load of elderly tourists. Some wore shells, but others were pretty frail, so I thought they must being doing a bus-tour Camino. But no, I met a couple at breakfast this morning, who told me that they stay at a hotel for several nights, and each day the bus drops them off and picks them up. So they carry only a day pack. But they probably arent walking it all.

And we backpackers too enjoy different levels of food and accommodation. We are not all equal on the Camino. Pilgrims first class stay at hotels. Pilgrims second class stay in rooms and private albergues and eat at restaurants. Pilgrims third class stay at the basic albergues de peregrinos and cook their own food in the kitchens. Pilgrims fourth class sleep in tents, and may or may not cook their own food. I am a second to third class pilgrim.

Very fine weather, today. There were stars in the sky as I left the albergue, and the clear skies with a few clouds persisted all day.

It was a day of ups and downs. The main road weaved around the valleys that ran down to the sea, whereas we zigzagged down the sides of the valleys, forded the streams at the bottom, and then zigzagged up the other sides. Someone's guide book compared the total ascent to climbing Cebreiro, the notorious hill on the Camino Frances. At times we came back to the sea, with magnificent views of the rocky coast.

Happiness is climbing 300 feet and finding at the top a bar where I can order a large coffee and a ham and egg omelette!

There are so many different kinds of people on the Camino. I listened for about five kilometres to a German Swiss fellow who could talk the hind leg of a donkey. He told me about his work, his house, his mother, his wood, and asked not a question of me. Eventually, I had to stop for a pee, to let him go on.

Then I met a German woman who works for a software company that manages schedules for railway companies including Via Rail. I made her promise to get the E & N line running again.

And I keep running into a very pleasant stout young German with two even younger girls in tow. It's an interesting ménage a trois. And I ran into the young German girl, Frederika, whom I hadn't seen for a week or so. I think there are more Germans on this walk than any other nationality.

As I left town this morning, a enterprising fellow had parked his car where he could accost every pilgrim who passed, handing out a blue leaflet advertising rooms at reasonable rates. Tonight, for 20€ I have a single room with sheets, towel, and washing machine, and a sort of breakfast, all included. It's a good deal, considering the alternatives. The normal albergues, for say, 5€, are crowded, and sometimes squalid. The private albergues, for 10€ to15€ , are less crowded, very clean, with nice showers and a pleasant common room, but you still have to use your own towel and sleep in your bag in a dorm. So it's worth paying a bit more for a private room.