My Camino in Spain - Section 7 (Ponferrada to Sarria)

We begin Section 7 on Tuesday, September 15th, the 5th day of our trek.  It was a relatively easy day; we covered 15.6 miles over mostly flat terrain, as we walked from Ponferrada to Villafranca.  We started out warm and dry, and finished as chilled, soaked pilgrims.  Not much opportunity to take photos because of the weather.  The few photos I did take were in the first 9 miles, when we had drizzle and even some dry patches. We stopped at a bar in Cacabelos for a coffee and a few minutes later it started to pour. We decided to stay put for a while, hoping the weather would let up. No such luck.

We stepped out of the bar at noon and psyched ourselves up for a two hour walk in the rain. Scenery was beautiful. If you have to hike 6 miles in the rain, it might as well be here.

Our reward was a delicious late lunch at the restaurant, La Seville, in the center of town, where we feasted on an appetizer of homemade croquettes, followed by their specialty, pizza! We selected ours with shrimp, garlic and tomatoes. We were stuffed, but dinner usually isn't until 8:00 pm...

We checked into the guesthouse in where we were staying (with dinner included.). The proprietor informed us, "Dinner is at 6:30. I think my wife is serving roast chicken!"

The first few miles, mostly in drizzle

This was the day of food.
Here is a field of huge, healthy squash

At 10:30 am it is too early for vino,
but a good time to pick bunches of grapes, both green and red,
at their prime.  It's harvest time at the vineyards.

Gerry found a nice mushroom specimen.

This billboard heading into Cacabelos provides comic relief.
I chuckled repeatedly over the next few miles.
We don't regret missing out on a walk in the town's park,
but it was nice of them to offer.

I did my anti-rain dance before I went to sleep, truly stuffed. But it didn't work.  Day six, Wednesday, September16th, is considered by many to be one of the toughest day of the Camino.  It is the walk to O'Cebreiro.  It was a a 18.4 mile trek, mostly flat, until the final 5.5 miles, which was a steep ascent of 2,035 ft.  The climb was a challenge, with the fierce winds and rain.

Gerry and I hike well together. We usually follow our "No Whining Allowed" rule, but we make exceptions. We are sensitive to each others injuries. Today Gerry had problems with his IT Band, and I had knee and calf muscle issues. So we stopped often to stretch or rest.

Temperatures were chilly. It was 58 degrees when we started this morning, and about 50 degrees when we arrived here, two very soggy pilgrims.

It rained 80% of the hike, but we did manage to quickly snap some photos during the brief dry spells.

Getting ready to brace the elements, after a coffee in
Trabadello, 6 miles into the hike.

Some Spanish folk art along the way.

Warming up with a bowl of soup in Herrerias,
the last town prior to our 5 mile steep climb...

Not only steep, but very, very muddy.
I am being cautious and taking my time.
No face plants allowed.

The scenery?  Spectacular!

The views make it worthwhile.

Stormy skies above.  Lush green below.

I would do it again in a heart beat.  We have now walked over 100 miles on the Camino.

Day # 7, Thursday, September 17th, was another relatively easy day of slightly over 13 miles, mostly downhill.  We walked from O'Cebreiro to Triacastela.  The final 5K was a little too steep for my liking, but not much I could do about it, but slow down, wince a bit, and enjoy my surroundings.

It was a brisk 45 degrees when we hit the trail at 8:30, but not raining, hallelujah! It warmed up to a balmy 50 degrees by noon. It only rained 30% of the time, so our "dry / wet" ratio is on the mend.

Also, it was a most excellent berry day, with at least 10 stops for blackberries, We even stopped once when we saw an elderberry bush. After I ate half-a-dozen elderberries, Gerry remarked, "I don't think there are any poisonous varietals of elderberries." So far, I am still alive.

It was another spectacular day on the Camino.

The mist has lifted by the time
we approach the first village this morning.

Other pilgrims walk on by, but Gerry and I stop
and peer into the barns we pass.
I guess we're nosier than your average pilgrim.

The mist returns once again as we pass this statue of a pilgrim.

I love the lush green countryside.
Clearly northern Spain is not experiencing the severe drought
that we have in California.  It makes me feel less guilty
when I run cold water over my feet a few minutes each evening.

Beauty right in front of me....

...Beautiful in every direction as I gaze off into the distance...

Friday, September 18th.  We have now begun our second week on the Camino.  Today is the walk to Sarria.  A 16.2 mile day on the Camino without any rain, and with plenty of sunshine, very little wind. It wasn't exactly the hike we planned...

 Our intention was to take the shorter of two options, the 11.6 mile direct route into Sarria, instead of the southern detour which adds on an additional 4 miles via the town of Samos, home of the Benedictine monastery, one of the oldest and largest in Spain.

After about 5 miles, our pilgrim friend Jan from Capetown, So. Africa walked by us.

"I thought you two weren't doing the monastery route", he said. "The monastery is less than a mile ahead."

Oops. We had goofed. But we enjoyed the path less traveled, through a peaceful valley. I felt like I was in a prior century. No sign of technology or modern times as we passed through the tiny villages.
Part of the trail was on a shaded woodland path, lush with ferns. It was quite tranquil and beautiful and worth the extra four bonus miles. When we arrived in Sarria, and checked into the Alfonso IX,  I was ready for some vino.

This rustic barn near the stream has seen better days.

A local village cemetery.

I'm on my way to Sarria, via the monastery in Samos
(little do I know.)

Ah, this is a feast for the eyes.

A lovely setting for this farm house (?) or barn house (?)
from days gone by.

The monastery.  A sight worth walking miles out of our way to see.

So ends Section 7 of our Camino.  We walked a little over 67 miles in this stage....

My Camino in Spain - Section 8 (Sarria to Santiago)

This is the 8th and final section of the pilgrimage.

A 14.2 mile walk on the Camino today, Saturday, September 19th,  as we walked from Sarria to Portomarin. It was beautiful, but we were certainly not alone. What a contrast from yesterday.

Sarria to Santiago, a distance of 100 km, is the 8th and final stage of the Camino. Half of the pilgrims that do the Camino do only this segment.  From Sarria to Santiago is 100km, and is the minimal distance one must cover to receive the official certificate of completion, the Compostela.

Some of the enjoyment is taken away when a group of six walk nearby loudly yakking to one another. I absorb the natural beauty of the Camino more fully when it is quiet. I see and hear more clearly. I've come to treat the Camino with respect.   Yet I also don't want to be judgmental of others.

A dense morning fog was stubborn and did not clear
until about 11:00am, when we walked through a small village.

This is a horreo (granary).
It is at nearly every farmhouse since we've entered this region.

Green pastures, where a few cattle graze.

Harvesting the potato field.  It's a family affair.
Grandma is the boss.  She tells the younger generations what to do.

A view from the Camino, when we pause for a break.

It helps to get off your feet now and then.

The church in Portomarin, our destination today.

The town square is lined with cafes and hostels.
Many options for pilgrims to stay, and wine and dine.

Our Guest House, where we are privileged to stay..

Chef Enrique greeted us when we arrived at the Casa Rural Santa Maria, on the outskirts of time.  He asked us what time we preferred to have our dinner.   At 8:00 pm, he prepared a fabulous dinner for us:  a vegetable soup with potato and kale, pork ribs with fried potatoes, a fresh salad with tomatoes from their garden, and homemade Santiago cake for dessert.  It was heavenly.

Sunday, September 20th, was a 16.2 mile day on the Camino, as we walked to Palas De Rei.  It was one of our warmer days and also relatively easy, with nothing terribly steep.

Although there were plenty of other pilgrims, they were more subdued. Maybe they were tuckered out from yesterday.

We passed many farm villages and noticed several granaries.
 

When we stopped for lunch, after 11 miles, I ordered a "vegetable sandwich" and received tuna fish and tomato on grilled bread. I didn't know tuna was a vegetable, but that's fine. I could use the protein for the final five miles.

We reached our destination, Palas De Rei, under sunny skies mid afternoon, and hailed a taxi to our guesthouse, located 5 miles off the Camino. Another great day!

The fog slowly lifts as we begin our walk.

I'm keeping a steady pace during this section
which is more urban than most of the Camino.

A photo-worthy granary in the fog.

 

And another granary under sunny skies.

We pass by farms constantly, practically every mile. 

The landscape near the trail, midway through our hike.

A privilege to stay at this guesthouse.
The building is 300 years old. 

First floor of the guest house, with the original stone walls.

Monday, September 21st, it was an 18.2 mile walk for us to get to the town of Arzua.  It was Day #11 on the Camino and a bit more difficult than yesterday, with 1,918 feet of descent.  Hard on the old knee.

But it was worthwhile, and I can't think of any where else I would rather be. We crossed several river valleys and passed farm after farm after farm. We walked through several villages; none could boast of a population greater than 100. Very quaint and charming.

We saw our Camino friend Kathleen when we stopped for coffee. Even though we only met on the Camino and had dinner together several evenings earlier, it was like seeing a long lost friend. You tend to cross paths with the same people. It is part of the "Camino magic." Friendships are easily formed, and not forgotten.

"The Way" is marked by yellow arrows and /or the scallop shell,
which can be found on the ground, on buildings, trees, poles, walls,
you-name it. 

Still, you can miss a marker every once in a while and score unintentional bonus miles.

A very artistic trail marker.

59 is my lucky number, as I was born in 1959.
We pass this sign which tells us 59 km to Santiago!

At restaurant pulperia Garnacha, in Melide,
a town famous for its octopus (pulpa.)

We share a delicious platter of pulpo - boiled octopus
seasoned with olive oil, paprika and salt.
Also a plate of sauteed Padron peppers and a basket of bread.

A typical view from the trail today.

Gerry takes his chances and pets a calf over an electric fence.

We carry on, and appreciate our surroundings.

Our favorite granary (horreo) of the two dozen or so we saw today.

We take a breather, and let our stinky socks breathe as well
before we walk the final two hours of the day, into Arzua.

Tuesday, September 22nd, the sun did not shine at all today during our 14.2 mile walk. The hike was fairly easy and relatively flat. We walked through deep forests, thick with oaks, pines, and planted eucalyptus trees and ferns.

We kept our berry streak alive. Twelve days straight of foraging on fresh blackberries!

Our eyes were pealed for mushrooms, and we spotted several different species along the trail.

It wasn't a good day for picture-taking, as it was overcast the entire walk. We donned our rain ponchos when it started to drizzle right after our mid morning coffee break. It was in the 50s, which is cool comfortable walking weather.

I feel a bit melancholic, as our Camino is drawing to a close.

Plodding along through the woods,
decked out for the approaching rain.

We think this is a shaggy mane mushroom, an edible species.

Another shaggy man (?) and a good-sized one.

 

It is much larger than my hand (and I have big hands.)
Too bad I don't have a frying pan.

We like the granaries, especially narrow ones with stone bases. 

We pass by many homes with grape arbors.

Wednesday, September 23rd is our final day on the Camino.  Sunrise is at 8:21 am.  We are on the Camino before dawn because we have over 10 miles to cover on the road to Santiago.  Our plan is to arrive at the Cathedral in time to attend the pilgrim mass at high noon.  We've heard it's a good idea to arrive early, because the Cathedral will fill up to its capacity of 1,000 before noon.
  

The walk was a mere 10.7 miles from our village to the Cathedral in Santiago. I concentrated on the sights and sounds more than ever, and really wanted to enjoy each and every step. It seemed almost surreal when we had only one mile to go. The Camino experience is the journey itself, not the destination.

Still, we were happy to attend the Pilgrim Mass at high noon; standing room only. We had arrived at 11:20 am, early enough to get a seat in a pew 2/3 of the way back. The Cathedral is a site to behold. It is massive and very ornate. I don't consider myself religious, but I felt at peace among the pilgrims.

After mass, we walked around the corner to the Pilgrim Office, to receive our certificate of completion Compostela. It is awarded to bona-fide pilgrims who have walked at least the last 100 km of The Way. Your verification is the stamps you collect in your "pilgrim passport" along the way. You need 2 stamps each day. Stamp are issued by hotels, bars, restaurants, shops, churches and museums.

We stopped for a gelato before we checked into our hotel. The display window of the gelateria which showcased over a dozen flavors was too tempting to resist. No sooner had I ordered my cone when I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned around and it was Franco, the Italian we met our very first evening on the Camino! We laughed and gave each other a big embrace. Yes, I do believe in the Camino Magic!

Our final rest, before we reach Santiago.

Our final granary before we say goodbye to the farm country.

We approach the Cathedral, our destination.

This is only part of the altar.

I show my credentials, and receive my completion Compostela.

The Immaculada Plaza, across the street from the Cathedral.
Monastery is front and center, with hotel on the left.

A close up view of the ancient monastery. 
Our hotel is in the attached building to the left.

The long corridor of our hotel at the monastery

The garden view

It is fitting we happen to be staying in a monastery building on the last night of our pilgrimage.

What an experience!  A total of 215 miles in 13 days.  Each day was a wonderful adventure.  

I am humbled and grateful.