O’Cebreiro was so built up as the hardest hill. But it was nothing compared to the day we walked up to Pradela, 2 days earlier, which resulted in an injury and rest day!! (See day 8.)
Today was harder, with ups and downs and then a long long down to Triacastela. Downhill is definitely harder on the body and joints than uphill–though uphill gets our heart pumping and our sweat glands going. We have lost most of the people we met and walked with since we took our rest day and they are all ahead of us, so the last couple days it had been me and Sofia on our own.
Also, there are a lot more signs for taxi services and people walking with day packs, and the albergue in O’Cebreiro posted the priority for beds with walkers and cyclists first and people with taxi assistance last. There was a graffiti: ” No more turigrinos.” I guess there’s a practice of coming to do the last leg of the Camino with a taxi tacking your luggage while you walk, or bus, from town to town. We are only 20km from Sarria, which is the closest you can start to get the Compostela certificate at Santiago.
Today:
“Happiness is not getting what you desire, but desiring what you have.” 
And after vegetarian macrobiotic….cow. Full circle (see living cow pictures above).