Tuesday 8th Jul 2014...Camino Day 35!!!!

A good sleep and a relaxing morning after two days of over 35km each day I decided today would be a short day 22km and I looked for a town at that distance and found one so I was on the road by 9am.
There is something that has been bothering me for a few days now and I have not mentioned it here but when those two ladies tried to "attack" me with their sticks I honestly thought that the Pearson charm that as always been there for me had deserted me and gone forever and this was a major blow for my self esteem.
So this morning as I rounded the first corner here were these lovely ladies offering to stamp my passport and as you can tell from the photo the magic, the charm, the charisma is BACK!!!!!!

It was a pleasant walk on footpaths today and this is the only photo i could take without any pilgrims in it.

These Pilgrims are going the wrong way!!

I have walked the Way at a constant pace of 5km an hour which is a good speed for me and I was surprised how many pilgrims I passed today, many of them with small back packs limping or shuffling and there goes me as strong as ever after 35 days...... I stopped counting as I passed by pilgrim 175!!!!
This was so funny and it happened really quickly but I could see up ahead of me the two girls Katie and Libby(the stick girl) and I quickened my pace and got maybe 20 feet behind them when I noticed Libby did not have the stick at that exact moment she turned around shrieked and I said there better be a good reason and she came running past me and went about 50 yards into a cafe and came back with this!!!

She said that was so freaky they had been in the cafe for a coffee and started to walk when she realized she had left the stick so she turned around and saw me and thought oh no he knows he knows ...we all had a great laugh and I told them I would see them tomorrow!!!
Yesterday it was a hole in my shoe today a hole inmy sock good job I have another pair of socks!!!!

By 2pm I was settled in my small but nice hotel room...25 Euros

Did the usual and found there was a bakery next door these chocolate donuts were huge cannot tell the size from the photo but i have never seen them so big and no I did not buy one!!!!

Look Little Bluey has yet another Spanish cousin strangely enough this one is called Little Blackie!!!

Had my tea read on my kindle i was not sleepy and then went for a walk through town and bought some great Epsom salts with Magnesium and fluoride and had a great long soak in the tub after soaking my feet in the pilgrims foot bath.
Went downstairs and had a pizza and salad and now enjoying tea writing this and waiting for the big soccer game to start at 10pm  Brazil V Germany.
So it has finally come I am one day and 18 km

 away from my goal...before I started I knew I was in good shape and i knew I could hike 26 km a day what I did not know was if I could hike that distance every day.  My body has amazed me I have tried to feed and water it properly and I spend a long time pampering my feet, toes and legs..I try to get good sleep and be sensible in my walking distances and I can honestly tell you that I feel as strong as an ox, healthy and I think emotionally and physically in good shape...I will have to process many things after I finish but i know there have been changes in my life and they I hope will make me a better man but there will be so much work to do and to figure things out something I look forward to.
The big day tomorrow about 3 hours walking away before I see the Cathedral.....the apartment that I have booked on Thursday for a week I tried to get for tomorrow night too but it is booked so I have already booked myself into a small hotel close to the center for tomorrow night and then move to my apartment Thursday afternoon.
I would like to name everyone who has helped me, been an inspiration to me and supported me on this goal of a life time but all I am going to say is that you know who you are...Thank you so much!!!!
Today is Kirby's birthday and I want to wish him a great day......it is a big time for my Bank Family...Heather and Kirby will tomorrow be saying goodbye to their middle son Alex he is going to school in Australia for 6 months  have a wonderful time and be safe and then next month they say goodbye to their youngest son Zach who has a golf scholarship to Pullman University in Washington and their oldest son Ben is already away from home doing guided kayak trips so big changes in that household...miss you all.
Now some sad news.....in pains me to tell you that for the first time in my blog's history I have had to give someone a life time ban....I tried to show compassion as the Camino has taught me but when i read this e mail

it was too much so Ms.Paula take your punishment!!!  Because you have been a very special friend to me for years and I sort of like you I am willing to reconsider your punishment say after the Wirrly Gig festival(private joke)!!!
Things i learnd today.
Really did not learn anything today too much reflection on the upcoming 36 hours...blessings to all my readers!!!!
Yashi Kochi!!