Best food in Spain

Got a txt from Karen last night(13th)- she is safely home.A load off my mind.


Walked from Tineo to Polla de Allende today-about 17 miles.Mostly thru beautiful countryside.
Niq (the Phiolsopher)had to hitch a lift as his heel is playing up.The Albergues are usually full & he found an hotel -Nueva Allendesa.I didn´t actually want to eat a five course meal.I have been given advice on the Camino 'eat for the hunger that will come'.Also the hotelier informed me today is the Vigil of the Assumption so tomorrow is a Fiesta.Bringing all my 'cultural awareness'to bear & being 'culturally sensitive'I made the supreme sacrifice & ate all 5 courses - only as a nod to the Festivities u understand.Unfortunately,I did not do justice the the glass container(about half a bucket in size)of red wine - but I tried.
First course was small pieces of toast & a v light pate followed,allegedly by a soup.It had lashings of gravy,cabbage,spicy black pudding,chorizo & a lump of pork.When I had demolished the meat Le Patron whisked it away to be replaced by a round object containing mixed vegetables bound together with a kind of omlette.
Wanting to give in but remembering all my 'diversity training'I heroically tackled course 4-sort of mashed calf meat(ahh)again in a kind of ball of veg in a sauce.I had made slight inroads to the wine but gave up when dessert arrived.3 kinds of cream with 3 types of sweet cakey tart items.
Le Patron was all the while talking to me in French (yes I am a linguist now).Eventually,I said "Senor Chef -Bravo".This seemed to cause no end of pleasure to my host.I slithered upstairs like one of those pythons you see on wild life programmes that has just eaten a whole deer & slept... The Church Bells eventually woke me.
Feet don´t look pretty but are in good order.Joints not brilliant but nursing them.Finished with a v long v steep descent into Pola - I took about a 'fortnight' to make sure I didn't do any damage to joints.We've got some beauties to come.
Keep the prayers up please!