My preference in the mornings is to leave the albergue by myself and stumble around sleepily –I mean, walk in solitary mindful meditation. 

So it should have come as no surprise when somehow I whacked myself in the face with my hiking pole (I can’t believe I am admitting this). It didn’t really hurt but I now have a growing bruise under my eye. 

Oh great. Looks like I’ll be walking to Santiago with a black eye. So while I still feel good, I look a little alarming. People are asking me if I fell on my face or hit my head on a bunk.

 No. No, I say…it was the Basques.

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I’ve decided that instead of taking full rest days off along the way (barring illness or injury), I would take a shorter, more leisurely walk once a week or so. Today was my first “easy” day. I loved not feeling rushed and had time to poke my head into every church and cemetery and read all the signs. And had time of course to say ¡hola! to all the perros.

When I arrived in the small village of Ventosa, I followed a little perro up the road. This is where he lead:

A hotel! And not just any hotel but a beautiful old house with gardens, a sunny sitting room and elaborately furnished dining room.

I ditched the college kids and checked in. I may stay here a week.

Cost: 40 € includes breakfast and wine on the terrace

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