Day Nine (Sept. 16, 2011)

We left our pensione at 6;30 am = Joanie still not 100%!  We were off at a fairly fast pace, terrain was mainly flat.  We stopped for coffee in Toro del Rio and visited the CHurch of the HolY Sepulcher.  The day wa more pleasant as here was high cloud = but still very hot ...temp 29  30 degrees.  Most pilgrims seem to be sending either their whole packs or park of their gear on ahead to hotels and therefore aren´t getting blisters and foot problems and don´t look as sweaty as we do!  By 9 in the morning our shirts are totally wet!  We all were listenening to i pods today which really helps with the pace.  Since we had our hotel booked we weren´t rushng to make sure we could find a place so we looked for a place to relaxs...found one on a bank above the camino path, overlooking a small vineyard.  Joanie sacrificed her space blanket for us all to sit on and we took off our boots, leaned our backs against our packs and pulled out lunch === yogurt and fruit!  The vineyard below was harvesting white grapes and we waved and yelled buenes >dias  to the workers.  Muriel (me) got up to take a photo of the scene and the head man motioned for me to come down for grapes.  I found a path down to the vineyard and after taking a photo the vinter loaded me up with an armload of grapes.  We ate our fill and still had so much that we started handing (throwing) them to pilgrims on the trail who were very appreciative.
Soon we packed our backpacks up onto our backs once more and we were off!  It got a little warmer btween 1 and 3,  countryside was quite beautiful with stunning vistas we could see from the tops of all the hills we climbed.  Onxce we rached Viana we found our hotel, checked in and sat outside for a beer, along came deacon Paul, who sat down to chat,  Several other pilgrims wandered by.  We thne went up to our room and showered and cleaned up......what luxury!!  Before we went for dinner it stated thunder and lightening......wondering if we will need our rain ponchos after all......tomorrow!
PS  ;:.....Sian....I was finally able open my utube video from Sam and Sofia......love it...watched it so many times.......
Pilgrim 3
xxx  thanks for all your support !!!
apologize for spelling.....half the time we are in the dark doing this....on a spanish keyboard.  !