Bill Arney

Learning a new way to walk thanks to my walking partners,  Frederikka and Ramón. They start late, especially when the day is only 20 km. And they take long breaks to eat and look and enjoy. Liza and I would have been in Grandas de Salime 3 hours earlier; it was just our style together. But we arrived in this small village late after a wonderful time of looking, gawking,  lots of oh wow’s, and time to sit and admire the dammed up lake below. At one point, after a long sit down on a rock, Frede said, “I just never know if I will ever get back here again” (she’s 21). She’s right. And the view was worth the savoring.  The day started,  again,  in heavy fog as we ascended … who knows where. The sun cut through the fog just as we were above the lake behind the dam. Way above the lake … we had an 800 m descent to do over the coming 8 km. A huge lunch, including BBQ ribs at the town just across the top of the dam,  and then 6 km up again to Grandas. We walked sometimes in a line, sometimes 2 together and 1 on his/her own, rarely three together. A fine day of beautiful views, still budding friendships, quiet when necessary,  and clean laundry at the end.