Day 9 - Vestiena to near Inesi

26km (282km) - 6 hours 30 minutes - weather fine

We were 10 minutes away from our destination and walking past a large stack of cut logs. I heard a voice calling; Anita! She had been waiting for us. As a surprise, she had travelled down with Esmeralda.

Esmeralda is an actor with Riga's Dailes Theatre. She stayed with us in Melbourne a year or so ago when she was touring with a play in Australia. Esmeralda won the role of the young woman, Baiba, in the film version of the classic Latvian story, Put Vejini (Blow, Wind). Esmeralda was 16 and has been an actor ever since. She is also at present the face of L'Oreal's Latvian advertising campaign.
Esmeralda's house is near Inesi and apart from the timber house built in 1905, there is a large barn of the classic design with very thick stone walls up to about 2m. The roof is steeply pitched and still has wooden shakes rather than the ubiquitous asbestos sheeting - the first I have seen on this trip. There is also a large dam where Mark and I carried out our ablutions, and an impressive, well developed garden.
We have just finished a big meal and I feel well prepared for the next 2 days walking, before I arrive at Gunta's place near Zaube.
Tomorrow will be as far north as I go and then I will be heading south-west to cross the Daugava River at Kegums.
Today started with a straightforward, non-stop 20km walk from Vestiena to Inesi. The road was generally quiet, well-surfaced and through forest. At both the villages we encountered there were large muizas (manor houses). The one at Inesi has a large surrounding park where we had lunch. After Inesi, the landscape was lush, undulating farmland. From Esmeralda's, we could see the Gaizinkalns' tower in the distance.
Mark's feet held up well today. My blister is a little larger and is spreading almost underneath the heel. It may be that my orthotics don't leave much margin for error and I am at a loss to know what to do. I am inclined to wait and see what develops - it will probably burst eventually. If it bursts under the heel, walking will be difficult.
I have encountered difficulties with my technical equipment. I am sorry you were denied the blog yesterday. Perhaps you thought that Mark and I had encountered serious issues during our ascent of Gaizinkalns. The technical difficulties continue, and were probably caused by my trying to include another video on the blog, after the popular success of the "walking feet" video. Hopefully, with Juris's continued assistance, these matters will sort themselves out.
Thanks again to Mark for his company over the last couple of days. It has been a critical time and Mark has helped me get through.