Day 11: Castaneda to Arzua

24 May:
We were moving to Arzua today so decided that the taxis would drop the others at Castaneda and the Irish lady and I would continue to the outskirts of Arzua so that she could walk on flat surfaces into town.  When we went downstairs, Bob told us that Adrian had started walking early and was already on his way to Castaneda.
We dropped the group off where Adrian was and continued to Arzua. The taxi dropped us two off just before Pension Rua and we started walking from there. We found the Froiz supermarket and bought provisions for the next few days and then continued to the centre of town.

 We turned left at the church and followed the yellow arrows out of town, up the hill to the park and across the road to the hotel Suiza.

She told me that her ankle was aching from the rocky path and we sat outside in the sun until our rooms were ready. The others arrived and we all had lunch at the hotel.
In the afternoon Janet asked me if I would like to go back to town to find something she had seen in a window on the way into town. we walked almost out of town and still hadn't found the right shop. So we walked back on the other side of the road. Close to the plaza she found the shop with the necklace she wanted to buy for Pat but it was closed for siesta.  We had dinner in the hotel.

Day 10: Melide to Castaneda

Adrian suggested that we start walking a little later in the morning when it would be warmer. It was very cold until about 10am - sometimes just 5°C.  So, today they set off at 10am to walk to Castaneda.
The arrangement was that he would phone me about half an hour before they arrived in Castaneda so that the Irish lady and I could join them and walk the last km or so with them.
When we got the call they had already arrived at Castaneda which was at the top of a very steep and difficult hill and 4 of them were on their way back to the hotel in a taxi.
Our taxi took us to Castaneda and we found Adrian at a café-bar on the roadside.  There was no way she would have managed that hill so I just followed her as she walked the few dozen meters down the road as far the incline and back again.  It wasn't as much as she had wanted to walk but there were no other flat, even sections to walk so I called a taxi which dropped Adrian and me off in the town city. 
Reinette and I walked to the parish church and then I searched for an electronic shop that might have an adapter with a USB port for my tablet - but no luck.  We sat with the Irish lady and had a drink and then I followed her back to the hotel, stopping at a sport shop and a small supermecado on the way.
I was sitting updating the blog when 2 peregrinas walked in. One was hobbling. They asked for rooms for 2 nights but the hotel could only give them one night as they were full for the weekend.
Bob, Adrian, the Irish lady, Reinette and I had dinner at the hotel. The 2 Canadian girls were there and I chatted to them.  One had a really sore foot and the other aching shoulders.  I offered to give them a massage after supper.
Barbara is an emergency nurse in a hospital in Calgary and said that she has helped many pilgrims on the Camino. I massaged both feet and then did Linda's shoulders. We shared emails and hope to keep in touch.