I slept the sleep of the dead last night and did not wake until 09:30 this morning which does not sound exceptionally late, but it is no easy feat while living communally. By 11 I was in the rain on this, the second last day as a pilgrim. Alessandro left about the same time and we hiked in proximity the whole day.

The rain was off and on with occasional thunder, lightning, and hail. The Camino zigzags across the highway several times and in and out of small river valleys. Much like yesterday. Lots of oak and the non-native eucalyptus tree here abouts.

My midday humor was provided by the woman serving drinks at a small bar in Calle de Ferrieros. Alessandro and I stopped in to escape the rain and get a coffee. For the second round, I asked for a sherry. She did not know what it was and tried to bring wine. I know for a fact that I was asking and pronouncing properly with two different words. Finally an old guy at the bar said sometime, probably that it is a type of brandy, and I got what I wanted from a very dusty bottle.

Eventually, we made it to the roadcrossing for Arca and took it a short distance to the refuge. It is a big place with a few new faces although it is mostly empty. It does have a large common room with plenty of seating and a fireplace filled with wood Alessandro begged from someone. The large kitchen and grocery store next door means home cooking for everyone. Our first course is pasta courtesy of mamá, Alessandro. The second course, tortilla española, is cooked up by Robert from Quebec. As usual there is enough wine to float a major navy vessel.