Short day to A Fonsagrada

This was just about as perfect a Camino day as you could design. Nearly all off road, through a few picturesque hamlets, two serious ascents (with only one slightly steep descent), blue sky with puffy clouds. Maybe a little short but all in all it was A-ok. 21 km, 650 m elevation. (I guess I wasn’t paying attention when I said there would be no more big elevation days, but this wasn’t so bad). The only slightly frustrating part is that you can see the town, strung out along a high ridge, from about 15 kms away. And you never seem to get any closer.

I arrived pretty early, which was not planned. But the nice meson, where I had hoped to take a long rest with a snack, did not open until an hour after I was there. So I just kept walking.

I am in the region of Galicia, which seems to get all the buzz about being green and beautiful. But for my money, Asturias is much prettier. Since it is more prosperous, the little villages are prettier and better maintained. But more than that, there are way fewer eucalyptus trees. I won’t start on my anti-Eucalyptus rant, but I do not like those trees!

There are two very well-known pulperías here, so I will go and have some pulpo (octopus). I do like it a lot, but only for about five or six bites. I must be quite the connoisseur because I’ve been told that my assessment of good and bad is spot on. It has to do with the texture — there is a perfect sweet spot between not too mushy and not too chewy.Read more