Last night was great. We made it to a bar before a storm hit and enjoyed a couple of pints before Helen and Mark joined us. It was so wonderful to have caught back up with them. After more consumption of alchohol and friendly chatter, we left Helen and Mark to find some dinner. Monday night, and the town was rocking. Restaurants and bars were packed,we were lucky to get into one and get a table. The tapas was sensational. All different types of fish, olives and other niceties. A salad was next, and a huge steak and chips, and some sort of yoghurt for the finale. Best meal I’ve had so far, washed down with red wine of course. Had to dodge the rain on the way back to the hostal, and the rain persisted most of the night. A good sleep and felt pretty good apart from a niggle in my back. I forgot to mention yesterday I met a man from Newmarket, and have also been chatting with a couple from Yeppoon in North Queensland. And squirrels, saw squirrels. Reminded me of Hyde park in London. Also reminds me when the kids were young, I woke up one night thrashing in my bed, having dreamt a squirrel was running up my leg. Gayle woke up and was more frightened from my thrashing around  than I from the squirrel about to dine on my crown jewels. So we told the kids who thought that was hilarious. The next day when I arrived home from work, there was a computer print out of this mean looking squirrel with his tongue hanging out, and the slogan underneath, “your nuts are next”. Emily and Ashleigh were not sure how I would react,but we all had a good laugh. So this morning,a cool dull sky, perfect walking weather. There was lots of mud about on the side of the road, but we were fortunate that the black stuff was where we were walking. I walked with a few other pilgrims at the start, and after five kilometres, it started raining. On with the poncho and all was good. Surmising it might rain more, and the tracks would be muddy, I got changed into my  wet weather shoes at the next cafe. The weather cleared up and the natural paths weren’t a problem. At one stage we had to manoeuvre around two hundred odd kids, as apparently walking a stage on the camino is part of the school curriculum. They were a good bunch and very polite, wishing us on with beun camino. There were some climbs,but they were long and not too steep. When we reached the highest point of the day at Ciruena,there is a golf resort. I remember walking past this lovely location ten years ago. All the many lovely dwellings were empty then,and are still now. At least it looks like the golf course is being utilised now, but strange the buildings have never been occupied. The way did follow the N12 motor way for a bit, and also led through an industrial estate for the last two kilometres as we headed into Santo Domingo. Alistair went to find his accommodation. Jeff and I checked into an albergue. I noticed Jeff  leaning to the right in the last kilometre, and he said his back was playing up. Alistair texted Jeff to say he had a bath in his posh room, so Jeff decided to go over and hope to get some relief sitting in hot water. In comparison, our room is four metres long, and less than two metres wide. Just enough room for two beds along one wall, and access to the second bed.