There is gold in the smallest of places.

I just happened to find a bar full of working men in Los Arcos. I ordered the hugest G&T and sat with my iPad…because of course the first question is “Do you have WiFi?”…If they do…I stay and buy..mmmm. I was thrilled that Paul and Fiona said have dinner with us as their hotel had a restaurant…but it didn’t have a washing line outside the window. I’m grateful for small mercies.

It did occur to me that this wasn;t what I had paid for so in the nicest possible way, I rang Ireland …as you do…and pointed out that accommodation seemed to be going downhill a little. Patricia was lovely on the phone and immediately said that there had been cancellations and they had changed my Sunday accommodation. It is quite busy with pilgrims arriving at every hostel, hourly…so I was happy.

I though I may as well pop into the huge church that dominated the village. Everything was built around it, cafes etc. I pushed open the wooden door and the inside was like a golden palace. The interior was huge with fading old gold everywhere. I never ceased to be amazed. An older lady had dusters on her shoes and was quietly polishing the floor by rubbing one shoe over and over the same place….but I was hungry, so after a few centime coins and lighting up a few electric candles that flickered tentatively..the electricity often goes off everywhere, I went for dinner.