valdareeeee, valdaraaaahhhhhh!

so, after the coolest ren-fest ever... (somehow better than in michigan because they had shows on how they make clay tiles, how they carve stone, and falconry, etc... not to mention men in tights throwing flags.... ahh, i love eurpoe!)

we continued on with the camino. we passed the meseta (imagine a plain that takes over a week to cross... yelch!), and have returned to a hilly region after criossing 2 mountains. the scenery is MUCH improved. and, to add to interest, we have passed through several more distinct cultures. we started in basque country in the mountains, hit their past enemies and now friends, the castillians in the areas of castilla and leon, and then spent a couple days with a people known as marigatos, with an unknown ancestory who are very proud (read here excellent service and very tasty food!!!) and are now in galacia, land with yet another language that is >NOT spanish, but they seem to understand it fine. it is very nice here.

there are now daily showers, but they don´t last too long. the scenery is fabulous, and we are in our hiking groove with the return of hills and great views. the food is interesting, they are known for their hard cider (oh boy), a special white wine, and pulpo (ocuçtopus!!!!). there is even cabbage in the soup now (read here, more vegitables and tooting up the trail.

we have also witnessed a travestçy to nature. it was not only a mullet, it was a mullet of dirty brown hair with poorly proportioned front hair, and the back hair was placed in cornrolls (braids) that were not well cared for and were starting to get matts BETWEEN the cornrolls! you have been warned, do not let this happen to you or your loved ones. this is not an internet hoax!

we will be in santiago in a couple of days. hard to imagine we are almost done. at this rate we should have time to go to finnesterre (the end of the world!, or at least before the americas were "discovered") and dip our tootsies in the water.

i am starting to have a little anxiety about returning to the real world. we left it so suddenly, i hardly remember the kentucky house we are returning to... but we are still flying home on the 18th!

there was a lot more that was supposed to go in here. we are having a fabulous time!
love to all! and pulpo!
auds