Onward through Galicia

Our drizzly mornings finally gave way to cloudy, cool days. I still have to wear my long-sleeved shirt when we start out in the mornings.

Galicia draws many comparisons with Ireland in terms of weather and geography. And it’s widely believed that Celtic peoples settled Galicia. The Romans ruled here for many years, as did the Moors. The “discovery” of St. James’ remains in a marble ark in 813 sparked the Christianization of Galicia and the reconquest of Moorish-held lands by the Spanish Christian kings.

The country we’ve walked through is lush and green, with rolling hills, soft paths through eucalyptus and pine, dairy farms and corn fields, mossy ancient walls and centuries-old crosses marking the Way.

Saturday night was party night in Sobrado. The party started at 10:00 and went on until 3:30, including live bands. So we didn’t get a lot of sleep that night. But Sunday we walked only 7 miles and stayed at an albergue/pension in a small town. The owner is Maribel, a very sweet and motherly lady who couldn’t do enough for us. She fixed us a delicious dinner, insisting that we keep eating long after we were full, and kept teasing our Dutch housemate, Peter, that he looked too serious, “like a German!” She was especially perturbed that flies were coming in and landing on the food, and she kept after them with her fly swatted. She showed us a postcard she’d received from some French guests, addressed simply to “The Fly Killer, Boimorto, Spain.”Read more