day 23 - samos to portomarin

picture the scene. as soon as they are awake the 3 sisters move as one to eileen´s bunk to see how she is and find her lying down with her sheet up to her chin. "i think i need a doctor she says" and as all the sisters begin to gasp in horror, eileen suddenly cries "a head doctor!" and then leaps out of bed to do a little jig. turns out she had been up since half five as well though that was because she was sleeping next to a whale - who also woke everyone in the refugio at one point in the night when he started screaming in his sleep.

pilgrims set off by 8, had a little coffee and went on our way. no breakfast so had lunch at sarria at 12. a little pilgrim named irene lobbed bread at john´s and it landed in the curtain, shocking the waitress a little bit, but he deserved it. on our way, stopped at top of sarria to go in church and get a stamp. eileen got new knees at the farmacia and became a new pilgrim.

long slog ahead, stopped at various bars on way to portomarin - all pilgrims feeling the pain. portomarin reached half nine - a town that had been moved brick by brick up the mountain from the valley. surrounded by water, superb views and setting sun but pilgrims couldn´t care less. luckily was the best refugio pilgrims have stayed in so far - very clean, warm water, lots of beds etc lynda cooked up some pasta, eileen was the laundry fairy. all collapsed into bed.