The unreal lives of sportsmen

 It is in the nature of these things that we don’t get a village for days and two pop up at once.  I presume the mightiness of the river Arillo was needed to separate these two communes, alike in dignity.  First, to Abadin.  Wiki helpfully tells me the municipality covers 196km2, which is 0.66% of Galacia, 1.99% of the province of Lugo and over a wapping 1o% of the Tierra Llana region.  About 2300 people live in the wider settlement, about a third of the number here in 1950. The ‘city council’ website https://www.abadin.es/ has some nice pictures, but even they rarely find a sunny one.




I was going to go to the bakery but then I noticed a watch shop.  https://jcgrelojeria.com/ They hope to lure women in with their ‘simple and elegant’ offerings. Men have to do with ‘New and Classic.’  I am dithering a bit with all this choice.  I think we will go to the Restaurante Niza.  https://www.restaurantenizaabadin.es/  They have a blog, but, alas, they see to have peaked on February 2017 with a Galician stew.  Mind you, they were not that frequent before hand.  Marvin Karweger reckons ‘This is the nicest place ever.  Along the Camino you often get ripped off. 2€ for a coffee or worse. But this place has very fair prices and there were some starters placed at the bar for free. I mentioned while paying that we also had some of those and was told that they are free. Even got a little plate of assorted starters after that brought to the table. So lovely. Thank you.’ You know, it is sunny out, I’m not going to dig any further.




We will skirt the edge of Gontán. Useless fact for the day, Keko - who is in my FM21 Deportivo save and doing well thank you, is actually Sergio Gontán Gallardo.  With me he has a Spanish Cup medal. In reality he left Depor in August 2021 and is currently playing the the US for Sacramento Republic FC.  A parent of one of my students is an ex-pro.  Many years ago I started a Football Manager save not knowing, till I got going, he was on the playing staff. In his first match he got sent off. I put him in the reserves to keep match fit. He was sent off in that match as well.  Many years later I told him.  He said it sounded like him.





We do go near a pilgrim hostel. We can wave as we go in the opposite direction.  https://www.alberguescaminosantiago.com/camino-del-norte/albergues/galicia/albergue-peregrinos-xunta-galicia-gontan-camino-del-norte/  It costs 10 euros, including disposable sheets and has room for 24 people.  It is open from 1pm to 10pm. A month ago Antonio said ‘If you want to chat in depth with someone, César is the one. Very good person’.  He gave it five stars. You may feel differently but Sam Lehrer added ‘Beautiful and clean Alberque with underfloor heating! Everything a pilgrim needs, warm shower and a bed!  Nice hospitalero! Thanks!’



Can we stay? No, the road calls us on.

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