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Laurie Reynolds
Laurie Reynolds

Laurie Reynolds

traveled in 9 countries Read more
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  • Laurie ReynoldsCaminos Aragonés and ViejoLaurie Reynolds
    2

    Flight to Spain

    May 24 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

    I’m in Charlotte, soon to board the flight for Madrid. My backpack got pulled for inspection at TSA. But it was the baggie of instant coffee and not the hiking poles that caused concern. After they tested it for explosives, I went right through. Everything went fine till we landed in Charlotte and found we were trapped on the jet bridge. The magnetic door stopped working and wouldn’t recognize the employees’ PIN numbers. When we finally were released, I started to get into that relaxed, copacetic, camino mindset.

    I walked my first Camino in 2000, to celebrate my 50th birthday and to prove to myself that I was not going to slide into decrepitude without a fight.

    25 years later, I’ve walked a Camino almost every year, and I’ve hit another major marker. 75 years old, entering the 4th quarter. I look forward to my annual Caminos, revel in the self-sufficiency, the solitude, the physical challenge, the natural beauty, the ancient architecture, and I wanted to make this year special. So I’ve decided on a route with a lot of mountains. But I knew I should have a Plan A and a Plan B. There’s no doubt my body is not what it used to be, but I don’t want to give up on myself either. I wanted to have a Camino with lots of mountains, but I am not so sure about my ability to climb them! So…

    I have spent many hours researching routes, mountains, alternative routes, castles, monasteries, and alternative routes to the alternative routes. I have good information, good GPS tracks and I can make decisions based on how my body actually feels when I’m walking. If I can’t do it all, I won’t be stuck in the middle of nowhere.

    Based on last year’s Camino and some Camino walking in Lisbon in October, I am fairly optimistic that a good day for me is 28-30 kms with 600-800 m elevation. We will see what I find out when I start walking, though!

    I am going to start in France, in a town called Urdos, which is one day over the border and gives me a good mountain day into Spain. From there, the Camino Aragonés (hopefully with a few detours for castles and monasteries) to Pamplona, and from there on the Camino Viejo till I get to the point where I will hopefully cut things a little short to go meet my son and grandson in Oviedo. I am approaching this entire Camino with the open mind of wait and see and don’t push yourself.

    Only one more plane ride to go, the long one! Tomorrow, I hope to sleep in Zaragoza.    Read more

  • Laurie ReynoldsCaminos Aragonés and ViejoLaurie Reynolds

    Camino 2025 starts tomorrow

    May 23 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    Tomorrow morning I will start out for Spain. From Madrid, I’ll take a train to Zaragoza. I’ve decided to spend a full day there, just to decompress a bit before walking. The last time I was in Zaragoza, walking on the Ruta del Ebro, I had been bitten by bed bugs and spent my afternoon washing clothes, spraying the bag, fun things like that. So it will be nice to have a rest day there, though I know I will be chomping at the bit to get walking!

    For more than 20 years, I have used the same horribly banged up and now filthy backpack. It is no longer made, but it is the pack I adore. I bought a new Osprey a few years ago, but at the last minute just didn’t want to change. So it has been sewn, duct-taped, and re-sewn. BUT — thanks to my sister, I got an unused, spanking new Mountainsmith Ghost pack on E-bay. The $100 price was a steal!

    Tomorrow off I go with a new pack, but an old body. More than on any other Camino so far, I am acutely aware of my aging body and uncertain about how it will perform. I have followed along with other peregrinos in my age bracket and know that flexibility and acceptance are the coin of the realm. The important thing for me is to be on the Camino, and if I can’t go as far as I hoped, so be it.

    Off tomorrow on a 6:00 am flight from Champaign.    Read more

  • Laurie ReynoldsVía Serrana and El InviernoLaurie Reynolds
    4

    Last day in Santiago?

    May 16, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    The question mark is there because Iberia workers have announced a partial work stoppage at the Santiago airport for today and tomorrow. In my opinion, it is totally justified. The nearby airport in Vigo is closed for runway repairs. Many of the flights have been diverted to Santiago, but there has been no increase in staffing by the big cheeses at Iberia. The workers are stressed and overworked, and they are only asking for more help to be brought on. It looks like there have been some concessions made, and today’s strike apparently only involved the cancellation of three flights. So I am mildly optimistic that my flight will go tomorrow morning as scheduled to Madrid.

    I’m glad to have had this day here, because I did have a lot of last-minute shopping to do. I was also able to have a nice long coffee with Ivar (who owns the Santiago internet forum). And I enjoyed having more time with Faith in the Pilgrim House. It always seems like I need her help. A few years ago she helped me take a Covid test online. In spite of how stressful it was, it did get me onto the plane! Another year she gave me a pair of walking sticks for me to take to Finisterre because my Z poles had broken. This year she brought me some duct tape to try to piece together the fraying fabric on my 24-year-old backpack. I was afraid that some of the baggage handling equipment might catch one of the little holes and just rip the whole pack open. Imagine how happy I was when an Australian pilgrim offered to undertake the repair job. She obviously knew what she was doing.

    The afternoon has been kind of flat, just wrapping olive oil in bubble wrap, packing up, and the very last of my shopping. It’s not that I get a lot, it’s just that I’m very indecisive and take way too long to figure out important questions like which T-shirts to get which grandkids. And I decided to go back to my favorite bean and spices place, as well as the cheese store down the street. So I have a lot to take home! For those who like beans, this place has a huge selection of beans all from Spain. Lentils, white beans, and the garbanzos that I just love. The cheese store is owned by the cheese maker, so I always like to buy few of their really good Gallego cheeses. Unlike one of my dear Camino friends, I am not a fan of the tetilla cheese, but I tasted a few others and got some really good ones today. One I especially liked was a blue cheese that was not quite as creamy as La Peral (my all-time favorite Asturian cheese), but was yummy. End of food tutorial.

    I can’t believe it was five weeks ago that I arrived in Spain. These Camino walks are so medicinal (in a good way). Though my body is definitely tired, and I know it was time to stop walking, it’s a positive high-five-giving kind of exhaustion.    Read more

  • Laurie ReynoldsVía Serrana and El InviernoLaurie Reynolds
    1
    2

    A few nighttime updates

    May 15, 2024 in Spain

    Who could ever tire of walking around Santiago at night? So beautiful.

  • Laurie ReynoldsVía Serrana and El InviernoLaurie Reynolds
    2

    In Santiago

    May 15, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

    Well, today I got a 6am bus from Muxia back to Santiago. From 8 am till 8 pm, I was on the move. I’ve just sat down in a vegetarian restaurant, and the food looks fabulous. It’s called A Porta Verde, and I will let you know.

    I have walked all over town, visited the Pórtico de la Gloria (I knew that photography was prohibited in the Pórtico, but I thought it was OK in the Gelmirez Palace —after innocently taking pics of some of my favorite civil Romanesque carving, I was told it was prohibido but that I could keep the fotos), I went to Ivar’s office, I’ve started my olive oil purchasing (yikes, have prices risen!), I got my compostela (no wait in the pilgrims office at about 6 PM, after more than 2000 compostelas had been issued), bought bubble wrap, went to my favorite frutería, and have met three forum members in different places. Not necessarily in that order.

    The one sad event came in the late morning. I went up to the market and headed straight for my favorite little booth selling lots of canned Galician products — sardines, bonito (a special tuna), etc. The place was locked up. I asked the butcher in the next stall if she knew anything about the owners. I had met them about 15 years ago, and I went there every time I came to Santiago. About 10 years ago, the woman told me that her husband had dementia, and I got regular updates every time I got to Santiago. The butcher told me that the husband has died and that the woman has gone to A Coruña to live. No more Conservas de Galicia.

    My pictures are for my peregrino friends who will recognize all the spots, except for maybe my favorite frutería, where I got 4 clementinas and 4 mandarinas for 65 céntimos.

    P.s. I am eating my wok bowl and it is very good. Lots of vegetables and great seasoning.    Read more

  • Laurie ReynoldsVía Serrana and El InviernoLaurie Reynolds
    1
    111

    In Muxia

    May 14, 2024 in Spain ⋅ 🌬 14 °C

    I have walked from Finisterre to Muxia (or the reverse) at least 5 times. 30 km, 600m. This time it was hard. The ascent at the end was a killer for me. If I’m lucky enough to walk this route again, I will split those 30 km in half. The little town of Lires, which used to have one old pensión and café, has had a small camino explosion.

    The weather was fine, with a little drizzle as I left and a few drops as I arrived. But nothing in between. I took a detour to the Lires beach, hoping the bar would be open, but it wasn’t. So I sat on a bench, looking out at the beautiful water, chomping on some nuts and drinking water, instead of my longed-for Fanta de Limón.

    I wasn’t feeling particularly social when I arrived, and after a good lunch alone of sea bass and razor clams, I walked out to the church on the rocky point. It’s a spectacular setting. The waves were ferociously pounding on the rocks and the tide was so high it would have been dangerous to walk out on any of them like I usually do. So I just sat, with the wind blowing like crazy and contemplated. The end of another walk —it always happens. No profound revelations after this month of walking, just a sense that life is good and that I am extremely lucky to have been able to walk another beautiful camino.

    It’s raining here and it looks like sunset will happen behind a thick veil of clouds. But I’m not disappointed because this has been a really full camino.    Read more

  • Laurie ReynoldsVía Serrana and El InviernoLaurie Reynolds
    1
    34

    To Finisterre

    May 13, 2024 in Spain ⋅ 🌧 15 °C

    This was thankfully a very short day of walking. About 15 km. Every step in the rain. I left at about 7:30 and I just kept walking till I got here. I was very much hoping to be able to see the coastline. Except for my very first Camino, I have always walked into Finisterre from Muxia. The main reason I chose to walk into Finisterre first this time was to have that nice long walk along the beach. I got that long walk along the beach, but I wouldn’t describe it as nice. Oh well, it wasn’t meant to be.

    I had no idea what time it was when I rang the bell of my small hotel. It’s a family run place, and the owner was there cleaning rooms. In spite of the sign on the door that said check in at 4 PM, she very kindly looked at her books and said I could go up to a room she had just cleaned. But, she said, I’m sorry that that the bathroom floor will still be wet. I burst out laughing, since I was a walking puddle, and after a few minutes of a puzzled look, she too burst out laughing.

    It seems odd that after hours of walking in the rain, standing under a shower is the thing that appeals the most. But unlike when you’re walking, the water is hot, and when you step out of the shower, you have a towel to dry off, and dry clothes to put on!

    One of the reasons I had decided to do such a short stage today was because I had wanted to go up on the “back roads“ to the lighthouse. There are some sacred rocks, which apparently cured infertility, and also the ruins of a hermitage from early Christianity. I was just about to accept the offer of a nice lunch with a few people I had met, when the sky suddenly seemed a bit brighter. Feeling lucky, I decided to go up to the lighthouse instead.

    If you can believe it, there were about three hours of glorious sunshine. I was able to walk the entire planned 10 km loop. When I got back to town, the sky was dark once again. I was very very lucky. I am not going to push my luck and will forego the chance of a decent sunset.    Read more

  • Laurie ReynoldsVía Serrana and El InviernoLaurie Reynolds
    1

    To Cee

    May 12, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    This was originally going to be a short day. 15 km. Down to the coast. Not much elevation. But yesterday afternoon, after hearing Michael, Flavia, and the hospitalero go on about how beautiful the waterfalls at Ézaro were, I did some Wikiloc searching. I found tracks that would take me from right where I was, past the Piedra Cabalgada again, to Ézaro’s ocean overlook from up high, down to the Falls, and then over to my original destination, of Cee. It added 10 km and a couple hundred meters of elevation to my original plan, but it was well worth it.

    I have now earned the Triple Crown of waterfalls on my Camino this year. This one has the distinction of being the only waterfall in Europe (or maybe in the world, but that’s not been confirmed) that falls directly into the sea. I was glad to arrive midmorning, because the eight parking spots for buses were empty, and only a handful of cars were in the lot. I sat on a rock, ate some frutos secos, drank water, and just listened and watched as the water crashed down. Very peaceful.

    The route was a lot of forest track, kms on some untraveled roads, a couple of kilometers through some dense woods, and only a few on a wide shoulder of a fairly busy highway. I really enjoyed it. In one small village, the woman who was getting her cows ready to be milked told me a story of emigration that fits perfectly in the statue I saw yesterday. She is trying to keep the family dairy farm going, but she says it is very hard work without a man, though she has a brother who helps out when he can.

    I’m in a small hotel in Cee, a coastal town at the head of an inlet. Its restaurant was pretty highly rated so I didn’t waste time walking around and looking at menus. My first zamburiñas in a long time! After lunch, I went down to the beach and small harbor and then decided to continue along the water to the next village, Corcubión. Since it is Sunday, there were a lot of families out and about.

    The weather today was cloudy and cool. Perfect for walking. I’m hoping the forecast for a few days of rain is wrong, but oh well.    Read more

  • Laurie ReynoldsVía Serrana and El InviernoLaurie Reynolds
    111113

    To Logoso (30 km, 550 m)

    May 11, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    I knew I was getting a visit from Michael and Flavia at my destination, so that put some pep in my step. For the first four hours, we were engulfed in mist, so there wasn’t much to see. But the time went quickly because I was walking with a few different people.

    I had a coffee break in an albergue’s café, where I ran into Grigor from Slovenia. He was describing Some sort of NGO work he was doing, and then said “I am a lawyer.” I said “I am too!”. At the table over from us, someone shouted — oh no, I’m a criminal! Well, it was funny at the time.

    I had a nice long lunch with my good buddies, and afterwards we walked up to see the Pedra Cabalgada, which is a rock positioned so precariously on top of another rock that you can’t believe it won’t fall. But it hasn’t yet. We also walked down to the nice river and enjoyed catching up on the last two years since we had seen each other. All in all, very nice day.    Read more

  • Laurie ReynoldsVía Serrana and El InviernoLaurie Reynolds
    1
    1

    Day 1 to Finisterre

    May 10, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    I am feeling the effects of the advancing years. Every other time I’ve walked to the ocean, I’ve always stayed in a place about 4 km further than where I am today. It was a good idea to stop here, the Albergue Rectoral de Mamede. Private rooms are a bit pricier than I’ve encountered so far, but it’s nice, has hot water, a comfortable bed, and good places to hang the clothes outside to dry. My GPS shows 31 km and 800 m of ascent, so it wasn’t too shabby of a day.

    I left Santiago later than usual, almost 8 AM. This was because San Martin Pinario has a big buffet breakfast included in the Pilgrim price, so I thought I would take advantage and have some fruit salad, orange juice, toast with tomatoes and olive oil, it was glorious.

    I had not remembered the two pronounced climbs in today’s stage, but I will definitely remember them going forward. Another sign of advancing age! Thankfully, the last nine km were almost all shady, because the temperature was over 80 F (28 C) in the afternoon. Though that’s not extreme, it is hot to walk in the sun.

    One of the prettiest little villages anywhere on any Camino that I’ve seen is Ponte de Maceiras. An ancient bridge with a very full river, rushing underneath it, several old mills, an old church, and some beautiful stone houses. It’s always a good place to take off your shoes and soak your feet in the ice cold water. Someone had beat me to my favorite spot, but he graciously moved over so we could both fit.

    Leaving Negreira, I always stop at the sculpture dedicated to emigrants (Galicia had a huge number in the late 19th and early 20th century). I spend a few minutes sitting on a bench near there and thinking about all of the people in generations of my family who left their home country because of economic necessity. And that of course leads me to think about the millions of people who are suffering that same fate right now, for all sorts of reasons.

    There are lots of people walking to Finisterre. Predominant nationalities seem to be French, Italian, and US. There will be a group dinner for anyone who wanted to sign up, and since we are essentially in the middle of nowhere, I assume many will.    Read more

  • Laurie ReynoldsVía Serrana and El InviernoLaurie Reynolds
    12134

    Arrived in Santiago!

    May 9, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 25 °C

    I had a very short day today, less than 20 km, so I didn’t set an alarm and slept till after seven! By 8:00 I was on the way. Chatted with a lot of people, both people walking, and people out and about. As you get closer to a big city, you are bound to run into all sorts of people who are using the same space as you are to get to their own destinations. It’s sometimes a rude awakening to realize that not everyone who is out there is walking to Santiago! I had a particularly nice long chat with a woman who was planting potatoes. She had a daughter living in Illinois, but she was sure she would never go that far from home to see her. Luckily, her daughter comes back at least once a year.

    I was so happy to be able to finally visit the Colegiata de Sar, a beautiful 12C Romanesque church ear Santiago, which had buttresses added to keep it standing in the 14th or 15 century. The part of the cloister that remains is really beautiful, and I’m glad I got to see it. Free for pilgrims!

    This Camino crosses the bridge close to the spot where the terrible train accident happened. It’s been many years, but there are still memorials up there. So many lives at short.

    When I arrived in Santiago, it was pretty clear it was a holiday. Lots of music, a few parades, tons of people (but there’s nothing unusual about that). As I was watching a little band playing traditional Gallego instruments, I turned around to a tap on the back and saw it was Faith! We had a good long chat, and I’m thinking that on my return to Santiago, I may take her up on her offer of the Pilgrim House debrief. I’ve never done anything like that, but think it might be enlightening.

    Since I am leaving Santiago tomorrow to walk on to Finisterre and Muxia, today is more of a regular day than a celebratory ending. That will come in good time.    Read more

  • Laurie ReynoldsVía Serrana and El InviernoLaurie Reynolds
    1
    11

    Mosteiro de Carboeiro

    May 8, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    Promptly at 4:30, José Manuel picked me up. A very knowledgeable and garrulous man, he was not content to take me only to the monastery, but also took me to a huge pazo (estate) and several scenic lookout points. But for me, the prize was the monastery.

    I had the church all to myself, and it was beyond what I had imagined. So many intersecting and overlapping arches, the high vaults— it gave almost a gothic-y feeling of soaring space (sorry, I really don’t know what I’m talking about, but that was the impression it gave me). No human figures on the capitals, but lots of very intricate plant designs. I was very happy that I had spent a lot of time outside yesterday, and today my focus was just on the beautiful interior.

    I learned that Enrique Iglesias made a music video in this church, and it scandalized the church authorities. I watched it, and I have to say I am shocked. Since the monastery is owned by the government, the church had no input, but there was a lot of controversy

    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=m3We7p78XTo

    I am ending the day sitting out on the terrace of my Casa Rural, eating a good salad, and feeling very grateful.    Read more

  • Laurie ReynoldsVía Serrana and El InviernoLaurie Reynolds
    2

    Another day, another detour!

    May 8, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    Pico Sacro (Sacred Peak) has an important role in the Saint James story. It is told that when the two disciples bringing St. James’s body from the holy land arrived in this part of the world, they spoke with La Reina Lupa. (a pagan queen). She told them to bring the body up to the top of Pico Sacro, with the nefarious plan that the dragon in residence would take care of the intruders. Thanks to divine intervention, however, the dragon was killed. Reina Lupa converted to Christianity and some say she is also buried in the cathedral in Santiago.

    I have seen Pico Sacro’s recognizable shape from afar many times and from different directions on different caminos. This was the year to get up to the top. Pico Sacro is only a few kilometers off this Camino. Once again, I am grateful for Wikiloc . I found a track that did not involve backtracking, but made for a perfect little bump out and back to the Camino route.

    The 360 views are pretty great, and I could definitely make out the Santiago Cathedral spires. I was surprised to have the place all to myself, but enjoyed a couple of mandarins and some nuts while sitting on a stone on the top and rotating to change the view every few minutes.

    From there to today’s destination was only a few kilometers. Since tomorrow is a big holiday in Santiago, I stocked up on a few groceries before heading to my Casa Rural. I did not know until last night that the Ascension is a huge deal fiesta in Santiago, second only to St. James’ day in July.

    The casa rural is a beautiful place, Casa De Casal. The home has been in the family for many generations, and Patrícia’s father and mother converted it into a Casa Rural. They have a huge amount of land, because her father had been a commercial flower seller, selling flowers to all the stores in the province. It’s a beautiful and very restful place. It’s not normally the case that I am showered and done with washing clothes by two, so I can enjoy the grounds in the sunshine and admire the many shades of green.

    16 km and 524 m of ascent. From one nice Casa Rural (Quinta das Maceiras) to another.    Read more

  • Laurie ReynoldsVía Serrana and El InviernoLaurie Reynolds
    1

    A very full day to San Miguel de Castro

    May 7, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    There is a 12th century monastery about 6 km from the town where I stayed last night, the Mosteiro de Carboeiro. There is also a very popular waterfall (one of the two longest in Spain) about 6 km from the monastery. And with my favorite GPS website, Wikiloc, I was able to find a trail connecting the two.

    When I left town this morning, I wasn’t sure where I would end up. And those first 12 km, to the monastery and the waterfall, were just glorious. A couple of unexpected Romanesque churches along the road, a monastery in ruins at a bend in the river, and then the trail to the waterfall. With the amount of rain the past few days, the sound of rushing water was with me the whole way. And then the waterfall- just wow.

    After a snack and a long break watching the water come pouring down, I had to figure out what to do. With the help of Google maps I found a way to reconnect with the camino without going back to where I started. This put me in a good place to reserve a room in a casa rural that was about ten kms beyond where I had slept last night. So I am in the Quinta das Maceiras, in the little hamlet of San Miguel de Castro. I am only about 25 km from Santiago, but I am not going very far tomorrow. Because I very much want to visit the inside of the monastery, and it was closed today. So tomorrow I’ll walk a short stage and will get a taxi to take me back!

    This was one of those days that I had gauged correctly and ended with me being pretty well drained. I like that feeling —not total exhaustion and ready to drop, but overjoyed to arrive and take off my pack and shoes. 29 km and about 700 m are my new max!    Read more

  • Laurie ReynoldsVía Serrana and El InviernoLaurie Reynolds
    11

    A gentle day of walking

    May 6, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    That’s about the best way to describe the 24 km, 300 m walk in the cool temps, partly sunny. It was just about perfect— leaving Lalín on the beautiful river walk, then merging onto the Camino Sanabrés in Laxe, finally seeing lots of others. I didn’t have rain or flooded paths, just long stretches of those Galician “green tunnels,” sometimes wide enough for a car to drive through, other times narrow and hemmed in by ancient moss covered stone walls.

    I had snippets of conversations with about 5 or 6 people — a yoga teacher from the US, a German banker, a very young Swiss pilgrim, and several members of a self-described “posh camino” group who are spared no luxury or comfort (and I am not being critical, really).

    The highlights of this stage for me are the 10 C Taboada bridge and the 13 C church nearby, with a carving of Samson killing the lion (though I think the story is that he tore the lion apart with his bare hands, not that he lanced him from on top of a horse). The weather was nice, so I was able to sit and enjoy both spots. Lots of lollygagging today!

    I have some wiggle room to play around with over the next few days since I did a couple of longer days than I had anticipated. It will be fun to figure out.    Read more

  • Laurie ReynoldsVía Serrana and El InviernoLaurie Reynolds
    1131

    To Lalín — wet again!

    May 5, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    I must be losing my strength — only 22 km and 350 m, and I was dragging and straggling by the time I got to Lalín at about 1:30. Part of the reason was no doubt the rain. Though it never got torrential, it was relentless. So much mud and water to navigate undoubtedly slowed me down, but I was surprised when Wikiloc told me it was only a 22 km stage

    In spite of the rain, this was a beautiful stage. The predominant color was green, and the predominant sounds were twofold – water and humming. The water came in all sorts of sounds — trickling, gurgling, rushing, roaring even. At one point I could see four different not-so-little lwaterfalls converging into a river, which was high and moving fast. In fact, some of the bridges I walked over were almost underwater.

    And the humming was the sound of the milking machines that came out of all of the dairy farms. I have never walked this stage without seeing at least one person leading cows to pasture. But today they were all being milked, I guess. I saw several milk collection trucks throughout the day, so that confirms my suspicion that everyone was getting milk ready for market.

    The weird display paying homage to Franco and Juan Carlos is still there, but gone are the many plasticized pages describing the owner’s lawsuit against someone, I was never sure if it was the government or a neighbor. Maybe it has been resolved.

    As I was coming into Lalín, I was remembering the excellent meal I had here years ago. And since it’s Sunday, I was expecting there to be all sorts of great options for a leisurely Sunday lunch. After I washed clothes and showered, I headed out in search of a good restaurant.

    Imagine my surprise (and disappointment) when I learned that every restaurant in Lalín booked for Mother’s Day lunch! I have found a decent tapas place, though, and I’m a happy camper.

    Everyone says it won’t rain tomorrow — may it be so.    Read more

  • Laurie ReynoldsVía Serrana and El InviernoLaurie Reynolds
    1242

    To Rodeiro — 27 km and 700 m

    May 4, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    I think I can remember several short stretches in which it wasn’t raining, but my memory has one overriding picture of a rainy and very windy day. There was one stretch out in a big field when I could see the wind blowing sheets of rain across my path. It was a memorable day, because it has been years and years and years since I had a full day of rain on the Camino.

    Today’s route goes up to a high spot with great views, but there would be no views today. I had already decided. I was going to take an alternate lower route so that I could visit a Romanesque church— and if you can believe it, the rain stopped just as I got there, so that I could take out my phone and take pictures of this really beautiful doorway.

    It was raining when I started out, but not a pounding rain. After several hours, though, my feet were completely soaked and were not going to get any wetter. So I became less picky about working my way around puddles.

    The early part of the walk has two petos de ánimas (alms box for the souls in purgatory — I never did understand how payment would make its way up to get their release, though). And then comes the only bar on this 26 km stretch (which is why the crowds have not yet descended on this Camino). I remembered the owner from several other Caminos and it was fun to hear her impressions of how things have changed.

    After that stop at about 8 km, my next stop, about 4 hours later, was a little covered Galician bus stop. There I bumped into a forum member— She was heading out and we agreed to meet up at dinner.

    I try to find the beauty in these days, and there was plenty today to keep my spirits in good order. How can I complain when I’m 73 and still walking caminos?! Once you descend into a chorus of whining about the rain, things get self-pitying, and what’s the point of that?

    It was great to arrive at the Hostal/Albergue, though, where I have once again opted for a private room. No hairdryer today so my shoes will probably be wet tomorrow, but that’s OK because more rain is forecast anyway!    Read more

  • Laurie ReynoldsVía Serrana and El InviernoLaurie Reynolds
    112

    To Chantada — 34 km and 900 m

    May 3, 2024 in Spain ⋅ 🌧 12 °C

    It felt weird leaving this morning, knowing that I would not be meeting up with Clare, since she was heading to Madrid. Time to make a mental adjustment.

    When I left Monforte this morning, I had pretty much made up my mind to stop after about 24 km in a new albergue that has been built inside the 14th century Bishops Palace adjacent to a beautiful 12th century Romanesque church. I’ve never been able to see the inside of the church, and I heard that the hospitalera had the key. On the way, I went to two lookout spots over the Minho River to see my other favorite horseshoe bend. The regional government has spent a lot of money, improving the lookout points, and the views were great, even though it was cloudy.

    When I got to the albergue, had a rest, and visited the church and the albergue facilities, I just couldn’t bring myself to stop walking. It was not raining, there was no one else there, and everything all around was wet, I decided to do the last 8 km into Chantada . This meant descending on a beautiful but slightly wet and slippery trail, crossing the river and then ascending to the top on the other side.

    The Minho Valley is supposedly its own microclimate, and when I crested the top for the last 5 km into Chantada, the gusts of cold wind and strong rain hit me in the face. Just as things were feeling grim, I came upon a group of very joyous Portuguese pilgrims. The time passed quickly, but I was so happy to arrive in my hotel. Hair dryer, heat, towel heating rack— all of those amenities were very much appreciated.    Read more

  • Laurie ReynoldsVía Serrana and El InviernoLaurie Reynolds

    Nice day to Monforte de Lemos

    May 2, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C

    It seemed almost like a rest day. The walk was very pretty, and I took a little detour to go to a hill fort that dates to the first or second century, before the Roman arrival. At places like this, I stop and think about things — my life, their life, whether we were similar in any ways. There were many body-shaped rock-lined spaces right below the surface, and I wondered if they were graves.

    We did have one fairly short and not too steep ascent, and we also came across our very first loose dog. He barked, and he did come close, but that was about it. That was the first loose dog we’ve encountered during almost three weeks of walking.

    When we got into town, I went straight to the pharmacy to see if I could get something for my incessant cough. This is very similar to something that has happened to me on two other Caminos— it starts as an allergy and then deteriorates into a bad cough, and I cannot shake it. I showed the pharmacist the name of the medicines that I had been given the last time, and she just pulled them off the shelf and gave them to me. That’s a very different attitude towards prescription medication than what I found in the south of Spain.

    We were in town early, and by noon I had checked into the parador— a splurge I booked months ago. It’s in a 17 C convent right next to the 13 C castle tower. The receptionist was very nice and found me a room that was ready, even though I was hours before check-in. I guess that walking into a parador with a grungy backpack and hiking poles gets you some special treatment, or else it gives staff the incentive to get you out of sight quickly.

    One of the best things about staying in a Parador is that the towels are so huge and thick that you can squeeze all the water out of your hand washed clothes with them.

    Clare and I had a good lunch in a popular local place, while she played around with schedules and accommodations to figure out her next moves. My bet is that I will start out from Monforte alone tomorrow.

    It’s a cold grey dreary day, but at least we didn’t get rain while walking.    Read more

  • Laurie ReynoldsVía Serrana and El InviernoLaurie Reynolds
    23

    22 km and 700 m to Pobra de Brollón

    May 1, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 4 °C

    I woke up this morning and saw that once again weather.com predicted clouds and no rain till late afternoon, while the Spanish, weather website aemet.es showed rain all day. I chose to put my faith in weather.com, even though it had let me down yesterday. Both websites showed the same cold temperature, though – 38 F/3C. Another day to put my smartwool socks on my hands. But I would much rather have those warm lambswool gloves that are sitting at home in my Camino box!

    This was a planned short-ish day, because I wanted to have a good chunk of time in Monforte De Lemos tomorrow. I have stayed there two or three times, but always arrived on the late side after a pretty hard walk. It’s a small city with some interesting things to see.

    I had forgotten how beautiful this stage is. Lots of green, lots of flowers, lots of big vistas from up high. No cultural or historical sites, but plenty of natural beauty. And the rain held off until I was about four minutes from my destination.

    There is now an albergue in town, but I learned that the pensión where I had stayed years ago had reopened (its owners closed it when they retired, but their kids have reopened it). Very nice.

    Clare and I have had a good and very filling lunch in La Taberna Vieja, and we are going to stay here till the thunder and rain stop.    Read more

  • Laurie ReynoldsVía Serrana and El InviernoLaurie Reynolds
    231

    To Quiroga in the rain (28 km and 700 m)

    April 30, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

    It wasn’t a totally rainy day, but there were several long-ish periods, so my shoes and feet were soaked most of the day. This is a very nice stage even when it’s raining, way up high with four other paths paralleling below — the river, the train tracks, the national highway, and the local highway. And there I was on top of all of it! The Sil River is dark green, blending in with the greenery all around. With the grey sky, the color palette was fairly reduced—except for billions of bright yellow flower bushes (gorse or broom, I’ve been told they’re called).

    The Camino goes through several little villages— all have at least a few inhabitants, a few renovated homes, and the great majority falling apart. I can’t imagine that there is anything that will bring these places back to life, but maybe the Camino will do it!

    One of my two favorite Sil River horseshoe curves is on this stage, and luckily it wasn’t raining when I got to that spot! I sat and had a few handfuls of trail mix and soaked it in — then the rain started and I really soaked it in.

    I am in a nice place in Quiroga— hair dryer and heat! Now my shoes will dry for sure.

    Looks like rain for the next few days.    Read more

  • Laurie ReynoldsVía Serrana and El InviernoLaurie Reynolds
    2

    A longer route to A Rua

    April 29, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    The day from O Barco had to be either 13 km or 40 km. I was not interested in the 40 option. I had learned on the forum that there was a way to visit an old abandoned estate (Pazo) on the other side of the river, which would also add a little bit of distance. I did some more searching and found that there were several trails on that side of the river that would take me up high, to some waterfalls, and then to a couple of little towns on my way back down to the river. I pieced together some Wikiloc tracks and got a good alternative – more than 13 but less than 50! I wound up walking 24 km with about 600 m elevation gain.

    It was a combination of two local trails, both very well-maintained and marked. I saw several people out walking, all single women from the nearby villages, and also met a man tending his little patch of grape vines. The waterfalls were quite nice, and the walk along the ridge at the top gave such a different view than what we normally see walking down by the river. I came into town over an ancient pedestrian bridge, and saw that there was a Roman millario right next to it! I am very happy to have done this route, and I arrived in A Rua just in time to have a menú del día with Clare.

    Despite the weather forecast, it was a glorious day, but rain is back in the forecast tomorrow. It looks like the morning will be dry, so I will start out good and early!    Read more

  • Laurie ReynoldsVía Serrana and El InviernoLaurie Reynolds
    31

    To O Barco de Valdeorras

    April 28, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    Nice walk, nothing spectacular, but pretty. It was our first encounter with the Sil River, which merges with the Minho eventually. It is very full these days because of all the rain.

    The camino goes through some abandoned villages, and one real town. There are lots of small family owned vineyards. I talked to a couple out working on their parcel, and they said that they and most of the small owners in this area just grow enough grapes to make their own wine for the year. There are lots of huge industrial vineyards as well, but the Camino didn’t pass by any of them today. Since it was a day on the short side, I left late and didn’t really get into my normal walking mode. Kind of lollygagging and realizing I was feeling tired.

    Three of us had a late lunch and when I got back to the room at about five, I lay down and woke up after midnight. That was probably the longest night uninterrupted stretch of sleep I’ve had since I’ve been here! Maybe it had something to do with the allergy pills I’ve started taking (a regular occurrence when I walk in Spain in the spring), but whatever it is, it’s a strange sensation to wake up at midnight, feeling refreshed, and ready to go!    Read more

  • Laurie ReynoldsVía Serrana and El InviernoLaurie Reynolds
    311

    Snow and 800 cyclists

    April 27, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C

    Today I walked from Montes de Valdueza to Las Médulas and then another 8 or 9 km to Puente de Domingo Florez. Wikiloc tells me it was 35 KM and about 900 m elevation gain.

    It had been raining all night, but Pilar had told me that the entire distance was on a “pista forestal” (Forest track). That meant no jagged rocks, no extremely steep elevation, all dirt, and no rivers to ford. As I went from one side of a mountain to another, the weather kept changing. At one high point, it was snowing. About halfway there, I ran into three guys setting up a refreshment stand. They told me I was about to encounter 800 cyclists, all of them completing a 101 km circuit from Ponferrada. There were about 200 walkers, but I was unlikely to see them given that they would be much further behind.

    When I started down from that point, it turned into a pea soup fog, with an occasional few minutes of rain. But when I got to Las Medulas, it wasn’t raining, and the view was as spectacular as ever.

    I was going to spend the night there, in a little rural hotel, where I have been several times. But when I got there, the grounds were covered with campers and tents and caravans. I decided that even if there were rooms available, it was going to be a late night party. I decided to continue on nine more kilometers. That will make tomorrow a very short day so that’s nice.    Read more

  • Laurie ReynoldsVía Serrana and El InviernoLaurie Reynolds
    6

    Ponferrada -Peñalba de Santiago- Montes

    April 26, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 10 °C

    This was a tough but exhilarating day. 27 km and 1200 m up — I think that’s the most elevation I’ve done yet. Actually it was a couple of steep rocky descents that almost got me, but I did fine with my poles and going very slowly. One water crossing had a lot of very fast moving water, but luckily it was not that high at the space I had to cross.

    The trail started out through vineyards and fields, and then switched to forests. The last part was mountainous and rocky. It was a great combination.

    My first destination was the beautiful little pueblo of Peñalba de Santiago. It was one of the last places to get electricity and paved roads in all of Spain, I believe. The houses are stone, with slate roofs, sometimes lots of flowers, sometimes wooden balconies. And there in the middle sits a 10 century Mozarabic church. It has horseshoe arches just like Santo Tomás yesterday, and a recent restoration revealed some original frescoes. One side of one doorway has some beautiful calligraphy, written in what I am assuming is Latin.

    I had a long stop in this town, meeting the man who runs a small Albergue here, and also getting my Kas de Limón fix in the small bar in town.

    Then came the last 8 km or so, starting out with a very steep and rocky climb to a field with a maze laid out in tiny stones. But it was the descent that was the piece de resistance. Incredibly rocky and steep, with frequent water crossings, and signs that I was walking in Roman canals. Though it’s hard to believe, for me at least, the Romans transported water from here to 24 km away where they had a gold mine whose remains I will visit tomorrow.

    My destination for tonight was the monastery of San Pedro in Montes De Valdueza. Though the monastery is pretty much in ruins, the local church authorities opened a small Albergue here, not so much for people walking to Santiago but more for the many people who walk in these mountains. The woman who is in charge lives in town, and she gave me the keys to the monastery! I can’t get into the church though, unfortunately. Because I am a Pilgrim, she will bring me my dinner and fixings for breakfast. It’s kind of weird being the only person in this big place, but tomorrow night there are going to be 70 mountaineers here, and I think I prefer being alone!

    I dodged a bullet and had only a few sprinkles on the last couple of kilometers into town. It’s raining now, and the forecast is that it will continue. But maybe I’ll be lucky tomorrow like I was today.    Read more

  • Laurie ReynoldsVía Serrana and El InviernoLaurie Reynolds
    11

    Sevilla at night — for Irene

    April 24, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    Since I am not walking tomorrow, I took advantage and walked through Santa Cruz and the Judería after dinner. And then around the Cathedral as night fell. It is beautiful. I also got a great ice cream. How could I resist? There had been a huge line there all day and as I went by on my way back to the hotel, there was only one other person there. My first ice cream on this Camino, and it was really good. The name of the store Abuela in case you are looking for a great ice cream in Sevilla. You will recognize it by the long line!Read more

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