DQY 42 RIBADISO

Day 42...a short walk of 7 miles in 4 hours.  I'm in Ribadiso.   Stopped three times for coffee.  Arrived at 11:30 am.  Weather overcast; no bright sun until noon.  The trail was sharp uphill and then down and up and down..  continued that way all morning.  Saw lots of new people and many repeats.  The father and daughter from Valencia, Spain walked with me for a while.  Yesterday we talked about their annual festival with the giant paper machi people that parade.  We were there in 2010 and saw them parade!  Nice to be able to talk about something when I learn what town they are from.  Saw the large family with the orange shirts again and another large family group including grandparents... but no matching shirts. 
There were two young men who are running their pilgrimage.  Not sure if they get extra points for that!
An Italian girl in my albergue last night had a very unusual walking stick.  This morning on the trail we talked about it.  She had a much small one when she started and one day an older Spanish man approached her and asked if she would exchange walking poles with him and take his to Santiago for him?  When she agreed he told her it would  carry special prayers for himself and his wife.  So it carrys a great deal of responsibility to make sure it and the prayers arrive in Santiago.  See the photo and you'll see the size of the staff.  Not sure I would have agreed to do this but she is young and strong and I'm sure she will finish with it in the next two days.
Feeling better today, but still taking it easy.
Buen Camino