Day 08 Ferrol to Sta Maria de Neda

From Ferrol to Sta Maria de Neda

Today's Distance:	10 miles / 16 km
MapMyHike	Relive
Total This Camino:	62 miles.
Total All Caminos:	1197 miles
Hostel/Albergue:	Municipal Albergue @ 6 eu

Notable memories

It's amazing to me how much more comfortable I am in Spain. Even just stepping off the plane in Santiago, I felt more at ease than I did in Ireland. I don't have a reason for that. It just is.

I have noticed already one huge difference between my hiking in Ireland and my hiking in Spain. That difference is the amount of people around me. Ireland, specifically the Dingle peninsula, was sparsley populated. That made accessing services really challenging at times. While here in Spain, of course, there are sparsely populated areas, most of my time is spent in either small cities or villages. This contrasts starkly with the hamlets of Ireland.

There is another difference that may account for this new way of feeling. I found Ireland to be much more physically challenging in the hiking, at least by a factor of two. The trails were much more challenging in that they are muddy, often very narrow, and traverse a lot of pastures. I would say mile per mile, I had to expand 50 more percent of energy on any of the Ireland trails, than  I have on the trails in Spain or Portugal.

I thought about it a little more and I have a third difference. Tonight in the albergue, I was able to discuss tomorrow's plans with other pilgrims. For example, where to stop and to compare information on places. Therefore I feel much more confident already about tomorrow's segment, as I've discussed it already today. In Ireland, there was no one else with whom to compare notes. Everyday was me and me alone figuring out what to do.

I know I want to hike in Ireland some more. I just have to figure out how to accustom my emotional feelings to the differences that Ireland, at least so far, has presented.

Starting the camino Ingles

 Ferrol

Blue skies and Sunshine

Which didn't last very long

An honest poor man but never a slave.

Sun is back and the rain is gone.

Closing in on Santa Maria de Neda

Santa Maria de Neda

Andres (Italy) and I having dinner. We both headed across the bridge in search of sustenance, and ended up at the same place. Great stories. He is following the coast, literally, tenting where necessary. We liberally mixed the English and Spanish.