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Camino Frances
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Camino Frances

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  • The Big AdventureCamino FrancesResenär

    Halfway There!!!

    24 september 2019, Spanien ⋅ 🌧 68 °F

    Moratinos, Spain
    Today's route took us through Terradillos de los Templarios, supposedly the place where the Templars hid the goose that laid the golden eggs, source of their wealth. The goose is obviously long gone, but tributes to the Templars live on. We had an interesting conversation with a local about agriculture in the area. Rather than individual farms, the farms are collectives, explaining the lack of fences demarcating territory. People live in towns or cities since once the wheat is planted it requires little tending. Sometimes about 50% of the homes in villages are vacant, as folks come out for the farming season (migrant farm labor not unique to the USA) and go back to the cities to work in between. Teams with harvesters and all sorts of farm machinery come from as far south as Andalusia during planting and harvesting time. The hand planted groves of fast-growing trees are planted in very moist areas and harvested every 10-12 years to provide pulp for paper as fast growing trees do not provide lumber of the quality from slow growing hardwoods. The fields of sunflowers are government subsidized to encourage crop rotation. The sunflowers are used to make oil but suspect there's not much of a market for that in the land of olive oil. The farmers used to burn the fields, but that's no longer permitted, resulting in an explosion of field mouse populations every 5 years. A village feline demonstrated her mousing skills at a rest stop. She was a momma kitty nursing a litter, so no time for games of cat and mouse. She made short work of a rather plump little critter and moved right along in search of her next morsel. We finished the day in Moratinos, population 58. Moratinos has a large hill/mound into which little caves have been excavated to form bodegas for storing wine, vegetables and whatever. Some date back 500 years. While many have been abandoned, some are still in use and have been known to serve as party central. Trees and rock are in short supply, so bricks of clay and straw seem to be the building material of choice. Oh, and did I mention that from Moratinos it's 376 kilometers to Santiago... we've passed the halfway mark!Läs mer

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  • The Big AdventureCamino FrancesResenär

    Killer Calves and Arms of Steel

    25 september 2019, Spanien ⋅ ☁️ 68 °F

    El Burgo Ranero, Spain
    Pilgrims dinner last night was an interesting mix of 3 Germans who spoke no English or Spanish, a young woman from Germany currently residing in South Africa and multilingual, a pair of Swedish sisters who spoke English, a Frenchman who only spoke French, and us. We managed to get through it, but the real fun was afterwards, watching Mike armed with google translator carrying on a conversation in French with Bernard, who had worked on ships and submarines. Liberal amounts of red wine lubricated the process and good time was had by all. This morning we scarfed down some fruit and trail mix to get an early start. The sun was a tiny smudge on the horizon and the dark quiet refreshing. In a 0.5 horse town you can't rely on streetlights but fortunately we have headlamps. We made our way to the next town before stopping at the second bar (yes, the place was actually named that... owners must have a sense of humor) for coffee and running into our new friend Michaela from last night. Our paths crossed multiple times during the day. Today’s fields of the meseta were smaller with more variety such as corn, kale, and a vineyard. Trees and bushes formed periodic wind breaks. The soil has gone from white clay when we originally started to rich brown, red, mustard and now red again. Sometimes it's rocky and sometimes not, a continual source of interest. Mid-morning before Sahagun, we passed through 2 pillars marking the official geographic center of the Camino. Yahoo! We've been walking for 23 days and averaging about 4 km per hour. At this point we have killer calves, arms of steel, and abs of...flab? Somehow in the mornings when we get up, doing crunches just doesn't make the list. We'll have some serious catching up to do in that department when we get home. It would be nice to go home with taut, flat tummies, but let's face it. It's probably not happening and besides which surely there are easier ways to lose weight. Of course, the hamburger we had for lunch in Bercianos del real Camino probably didn't help, but after walking for 5 hours we just needed a little protein. We finally made it to El Burgo Ranero around 3 pm. Spirits were flagging, and I don't think I could have gone on much past the 28 km we covered today. When we checked our accommodations for the night, it was a bit of a shock. Looks like we're staying in the town truck stop. Good heavens. Did I book a room for an hour or the night? Somehow the description and reviews were somewhat vague in that regard. But hey, the restaurant is open 24/7 and don't truck stops have great breakfasts?!Läs mer

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  • The Big AdventureCamino FrancesResenär

    My Kingdom for a Mule

    26 september 2019, Spanien ⋅ ☁️ 73 °F

    Mansilla de las Mulas, Spain
    Mike had a restless night, certain he heard knocking on doors until all hours. I, on the other hand, put my earplugs in, snuggled under the covers, and had the best night's sleep of the Camino according to my Fitbit. Exhaustion will do that for you. As for truck stops having the best breakfasts, not so much in Spain. The lone barista was prepared for the coffee onslaught, with saucers prepped with napkins, spoons, and the obligatory 1 packet of sugar, stacked high in the ready position. He was busier than a one-armed paper hanger in a windstorm, with breakfast limited to juice, coffee and pastries. With 13 kilometers to the only stop on the route, I developed a new appreciation for the saying "the Army marches on its stomach". A little protein goes a long way. We stopped mid-morning in Reliegos for eggs and coffee. One of the churches along the way is known to have stork nests on the steeple roof. If you time it right, you just might see the stork babies in the nests. As we passed I wondered, if storks deliver human babies, who delivers the stork babies?? Obviously, I've been on the meseta one kilometer too many. Approaching Mansilla de las Mulas, we can see a mountain range in the distance. Did my Scarlet O'Hara best to not think about that today. After all, tomorrow is another day. Mansilla de las Mulas was a medieval market town catering to pilgrims and did a booming business in mules. Bet those folks back then took one look at the mountains looming in the distance and knew a good thing when they saw it.Läs mer

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  • The Big AdventureCamino FrancesResenär

    Camino Family

    27 september 2019, Spanien ⋅ ☁️ 72 °F

    Leon, Spain
    Mansilla de las Mulas was a delightful small town with children playing in plazas and medieval city walls still standing. We had dinner at a restaurant in an old pharmacy and met Susie and Peter, a lovely couple from England who had spent considerable time in the Middle East and Far East. After the usual pleasantries the conversation inevitably turned to Brexit. They brought another perspective, feeling like the polarization it was creating was splitting the country not only figuratively, but ultimately literally. They feared the end of the United Kingdom, with Scotland and Ireland leaving the union to become independent countries, and only Britain and Wales remaining. Interesting times ahead. We awoke in the morning to roosters crowing and once again stumbled out into the dark in search of coffee. The small places in town along the route that we had scoped out the night before were locked up tight and we had to walk a few kilometers down the road to Villamoros before finding a place. We shared a table with Felix Sr. and Felix Jr., a father and son duo from Germany. The son had just graduated and was walking the Camino on his own. His father had joined him for a week, sharing the Burgos to León section. He had done the Camino before, but by bike. It was a special time that was quickly drawing to a close. Father was hoping that at the end of his gap year, son would head to the university and study law (like his father) or medicine (like his mother). From Felix Jr's face, you could see that the jury was still out. Back on the road we trucked on. The path followed the highway, passing through Puente de Villarente and Arcahueja. The Camino was slated to become very industrial on the way into León and having had the pleasure of that experience in Burgos, we caught the bus at Arcahueja for the last few kilometers into the city. León is the fourth largest city we will pass through on the Camino. Much of its heritage has been preserved, with ancient city walls incorporated into contemporary buildings and many historical buildings restored and still in use. Cobblestone streets as well as streets made of river rocks set in mosaic patterns wind through the city adding charm and pedestrian challenge. Plazas seem to be tucked everywhere, providing ample room for markets and outdoor cafes. As we sat to have a quick lunch, Christine, our French physician friend passed by and stopped to join us. She is ending her Camino in Leon as planned. Later while touring the cathedral we bumped into our British friend Helen. We've been in this city of 125k for only a few hours, and yet running into friends and familiar faces of fellow pilgrims as if it were a small town. The shared experience of the Camino provides a bond of kinship similar to that we've experienced over the years with our military and sailing families. No matter how far from home, someone's there to greet and look out for you as we take care of each other.Läs mer

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  • The Big AdventureCamino FrancesResenär

    Market Day

    28 september 2019, Spanien ⋅ 🌙 73 °F

    Leon, Spain
    We had a much needed rest day in Leon today, reveling in the luxury of sleeping in until 7 and starting the day at a leisurely pace. The moons aligned this time and it's Saturday, as in market day in Leon. Plaza Major is packed with food stalls and purveyors of all sorts of fruits, vegetables, nuts, olives, flowers and sausages. At the Mercado del Conde Luna, a central covered market, the vendors are mostly meats and seafood. Seafood stalls have fish of all shapes, sizes and colors, plus prawns, crabs, snails, and shellfish. As for the butchers, let's just say no part of the animal is wasted. Ears, snouts, feet, tripe, tongue and brains join hearts, livers, kidneys and who knows what all. Add in the assortment of sausages, whole lamb carcasses, and every cut of meat or poultry you can imagine and then some. Moving right along, the next plaza was the garment district with shirts, pants, socks, undergarments, hats and shoes. Ceramics and art were featured in a few other parks and squares. At one point we heard music and spotted a folk group/band marching with bagpipes. Bagpipes in Spain? The Celts were among the people who came to this area, though not as well known as the Moors. The population of Leon was out in full force, shopping, socializing, and enjoying morning beverages and snacks. We hopped on a cute little city sightseeing train that made its way through town, past all the major sights. It took us out past the Convento de San Marcos, a monastery built by the Knights of Santiago back in the 12th century. Over the years it has served as a hospital for pilgrims, a prison, and now a five star luxury hotel (the posh place featured in The Way with Martin Sheen). It's currently under renovation, so no opportunity to recreate those scenes. We ended up in front of Casa Botines, an incredible trapezoid building created by the famous Spanish architect Gaudi (of Catedral Sagrada Familia in Barcelona) for textile merchants. Combining function with artistry, it has been restored as a museum of art, history of the building, and tribute to the architect. Outside a bronze sculpture of Gaudi sits on a park bench, admiring his creation. We managed to cover a lot of territory on our "rest" day but hope to find dinner before the traditional Spanish seating at 9 pm so we can get to bed early. Tomorrow we are on the Camino again.Läs mer

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    It All Works out in the End

    29 september 2019, Spanien ⋅ ☁️ 79 °F

    San Martin del Camino, Spain
    For our last dinner in Leon I was hoping to have a great meal. One of the challenges of the Camino is Spanish dining habits. Lunches are large, served between 1-3 pm. Then everything closes and they roll up the sidewalks until 5. The people begin to surface about 5, when drinks flow freely accompanied by pinchos or bocadillos (fairly substantial appetizers). In small towns where the Camino is a primary industry, you can usually find a pilgrim dinner being served around 7 or 7:30 as most albergues lock the doors at 10. Any curfew violators are in a world of hurt, with no place to stay and no access to their stuff in the albergue. In the cities where pilgrims are a minor addition to the economy, finding dinner can be a challenge. Forget about early bird specials. No self respecting Spaniard would dare step foot in a restaurant before 9 pm. How do they do that? I decided not to leave things to chance, firing up the iPad and consulting TripAdvisor for dinner recommendations paying particular attention to serving hours. Found one place with outstanding reviews and service that began at 7. We made our way through the city and were on the doorstep at 7:45 pm. When I asked about dinner, the guy looked at me like I was crazy and said they didn't start service until 9 pm. Tomorrow's a long haul, so staying up late or skipping dinner weren't options. We headed back across the city, willing to settle for Burger King if necessary. Several blocks later we spied a door and sign indicating a dining room upstairs. No one in sight at ground level to ask, we trudged up the stairs. The place was deserted, but a gentleman was quietly setting up tables. When I asked what time dinner was served, he said how about now. Music to our ears! We settled in and chatted with him about regional specialties. He was very proud of the Leonese cuisine and talked us through the menu. He even brought us a sample of cecina, an aged, dried beef like none we'd ever had in the USA. It was bursting with flavor, slightly smoky, sweet and melted in your mouth. When the roasted lamb arrived, it was a "when Harry met Sally" moment. The owner was pleased with our appreciation, and we had the best meal of the Camino to date. In the morning we took off for San Martín del Camino, a long slog on a path paralleling the highway, broken only by stops in suburban Leon bedroom communities for coffee, juice and snacks. Those mountains are getting closer with every step.Läs mer

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    Ah, Love!

    30 september 2019, Spanien ⋅ 🌙 79 °F

    Astorga, Spain
    Last night at the albergue pilgrims dinner the subject turned to shoes. As you enter the facility there's a big closet with racks filled with an assortment of footwear. Pilgrims are expected to take off their hiking gear and deposit them on a shelf to avoid tracking dirt all over the place. Dick, from California, was lamenting his shoe experience on the Camino. His favorite hiking boots bit the dust shortly before his departure. He took them in for repair, but they were declared DOA. That put him in the position of embarking on the journey with untested foot companions. He started in new boots which gave him blisters, then switched to trail shoes. His feet were hurting, so plan C was sandals. Hopefully that works as he's running out of options. We are very pleased with our Hoka trail shoes which are serving us well. At this point they are rather dusty and the tread is showing signs of wear (after 350+ miles you would too). We're debating whether we should burn or bronze them when we get home. We started the day in darkness, on a path paralleling the road which meant we were listening to sounds of traffic while sucking in diesel fumes. Now wait, someone said this was supposed to be the prettiest part of the Camino. Scenery picked up as we crossed the Puente del Paso Honoroso, a 19 arch bridge from the 13th century made famous by a knight who had been rejected by the lady who was the object of his affections. He put an iron collar around his neck and conducted a jousting tournament for 2 weeks, taking on all comers. After defeating 300 contestants he removed the collar from his neck, declaring himself to be freed from the bondages of love. Good to know he finally moved on. We passed through Hospital de Orbigo, Villares de Orbigo and Santibanez de Valdeiglesias as the accompanying terrain turned to rolling hills. This is just a little warm up for the mountains looming in the distance. On the way into San Justo de la Vega near the Cross of Santo Toribio we could see Astorga in the distance as our first troubadour/ flamenco guitarist serenaded the pilgrims urging us onward. The music was nice, but the thought of chocolate, one of Astorga's claims to fame, is what kept us going. Just may have to substitute chocolate for arrival beverages.Läs mer

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    Old Home Week

    1 oktober 2019, Spanien ⋅ ☁️ 66 °F

    Rabanal del Camino, Spain
    Astorga, population 11k, is an interesting place and home to the strong mountain people known as Maragatos, who historically knew their way around mules and mountains, creating a transport hub for moving goods from coast to interior. The Maragato heritage is celebrated in the cuisine, as well as commerce, as transporting cacao beans from the New World led to processing it into chocolate long before Milton Hershey was even a twinkle in his grandmother's eye. Of course we had to stock up on chocolate for our journey, sampling the different varieties before making a selection. We headed to the town square for arrival beverages and to watch the famous city hall clock figures, a Maragato man and woman, strike the bell on the hour. On the way we ran into Sheila, an American from California, Des, our Irish friend, and a young Camino couple (Ottowa/Los Angeles) we've chatted with along the way. We finally made our way to the place advertising a pilgrims meal at a decent hour, and ran into Peter and Susie, our British friends. We managed to drag ourselves back to our lodging in time for curfew. We exited Astorga before dawn, bound for Rabanal del Camino. We've left the flat meseta behind and climbed steadily uphill into the mountains of the Leon region. Clay and straw building materials have given way to carefully fitted stone, almost a cross between a mosaic and jenga. We've seen sheep and cattle in the fields. Paths wind through small villages, fields and woods. Passing through Valdeviejas, Murias de Rechivaldo, Santa Catalina de Somoza, and El Ganso, we finally arrived in Rabanal del Camino for lunch. What a crazy day! First we stop off for coffee at a cowboy cantina in El Ganso, then it's a hot dog (?!) for lunch in Rabanal. We'll make an early night of it tonight as tomorrow's route takes us by Cruz de Ferro, followed by a deep descent into Molinseca.Läs mer

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    Cruz de Ferro

    2 oktober 2019, Spanien ⋅ ☁️ 72 °F

    Molinaseca, Spain
    We had a delightful dinner with 2 young ladies who are also on the Camino. Emma, 26, from British Columbia, Canada is on a break from school. When she returns, she'll be finishing up her degree in forestry. She's following in family footsteps, as both parents and her sister have done the Camino. Alex, 19, from Perth, Australia, was taking a break from work and school. When she finishes the Camino, she's heading to Portugal to work for a bit before heading to England. She plans to live, work, and study in England for about 2 years before returning home. Her field of studies is economics and international relations. She was very down to earth, had all her plans well researched, and was the most squared away 19 year old I've ever met. We finally called it a night as we're all heading out early. The sky was still dark when we left in the morning, only stopping in town for a quick café con leche. It's almost 8 kilometers to the Cruz de Ferro and we hope to be there early. It was a steady climb uphill and just when we thought we should be there, we entered the small town of Foncebadon, which we joked translated meant "fooled you, you still have a few kilometers to go". Sigh. Fortified by orange juice, we continued on. We finally made it to the Cruz de Ferro, an iron cross originally mounted on an oak tree, on Monte Irago with an altitude of 4,938 feet, the highest point on the Camino. Traditionally pilgrims leave a stone signifying a burden at the cross and say a prayer. The closest spot to the heavens guarantees the quickest transmission, I guess. Many things are not what they used to be, and this was no exception. The oak tree has been replaced by a telephone pole (direct line to heaven?) and even though there have already been over 300k pilgrims this year, the size of the stone pile was not commensurate with years’ worth of pilgrims. Determined not to get distracted by the disconnect, we carried on the tradition, leaving stones as well as a star from the US flag while we said prayers for family, friends and country. Two kilometers down the road we passed through Manjarin. While we jokingly refer to small places as a one-horse town, this was literally a one-person town. Manjarin is occupied by the last of the Knights Templar, who is dedicated to caring for pilgrims. Though the guidebooks said rustic with no electricity or running water, we did see solar panels and a wind generator out back, concessions to the times I suspect. The descent from the Cruz de Ferro was steep and rocky with large slabs of slate throughout. The numbers of rocks in the trail seemed directly proportional to the steepness of descent. If the rock had been snow, this would have been a triple black diamond ski slope with moguls worthy of an expert. We earned the billy goat badge by carefully picking our way downhill safely while young folks behind us jumped from rock to rock with amazing speed. We stopped for a quick lunch in Acebo before finally making it to Molinaseca for the night.Läs mer

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    Terminal Exhaustion

    3 oktober 2019, Spanien ⋅ ☁️ 72 °F

    Cacabelos, Spain
    Our dinner companion of the evening was Everett, a Dutch vocational school administrator. After a particularly grueling year involving a school merger, he took a 2 month sabbatical to walk the Camino. At age 60 he is in the final years of his career and contemplating a change. He enjoys team building and wants a chance to build something new. He is totally enamored with the Camino and hopes to use the time to think and figure it out. Interesting that he's the third school administrator/principal that we've met, though each from a different country. Still a bit tired from yesterday's workout, we chose to wait for breakfast at our lodging before hitting the road. Scrambled eggs never tasted so good! We actually left in daylight this morning and felt like we were walking by ourselves since we were well behind the familiar pilgrim morning rush hour. First town up was Ponferrada, a decent sized town located between 2 rivers. The Knights Templar made it one of their headquarters and put it on the map as far as the Camino is concerned. They built the Castillo de los Templarios, a 13th century castle worthy of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. Too bad we have a long haul today, as it really would have been nice to do the tourist routine and go through it. Instead we settled for a fantastic café con leche and raisin bun stop before continuing on and finally exiting the city along the river. The route today was up and down hill, but nothing near as challenging as yesterday. Good thing as we are still exhausted from yesterday with stiff and sore calves. We passed a winery offering a wine tasting with pinchos for 1.50 euros, practically a steal by US standards, but didn't dare stop for fear we'd never start again. We finally practically crawled into Cacabelos, our destination, later this afternoon.Läs mer

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    New Friends

    4 oktober 2019, Spanien ⋅ ☁️ 72 °F

    Trabadelo, Spain
    Yesterday was a really low point and I kept wondering what were we doing? Felt as if we'd been sold a bill of goods and the Camino was a ruse foisted onto foreigners to keep small towns in Spain alive. After all, I read that Foncebadon had been an abandoned village inhabited only by wild dogs in the 1990's. Maybe we should be honoring our American heritage by walking the Oregon Trail. A chance happening totally turned my mental state around 180 degrees. When we stopped for arrival beverages in Cacabelos, a very nattily dressed older gentleman approached Mike and asked him if he spoke English. Turns out our new Spanish friend Jaime likes to come down to the café along the Camino for a glass of wine in hopes of practicing his English with pilgrims. He's done the Camino himself and enjoys sharing the camaraderie. When I asked about the beautiful lapel pin on his sports coat, he said he was a retired military man, a former Air Force pilot. He was delighted to learn of our military background as well. We knew we should be heading for lodging, but we lingered over a couple of drinks. When we finally said we had to leave, he said he'd be back that evening. As luck would have it, the only place we found for dinner at a reasonable hour last night was back in the same spot. Jaime returned midway through dinner, so we joined him on the terrace afterwards. He happily answered our questions about life in Spain and the dining habits. Turns out they eat their big meal at a late lunchtime, then finish off the evening with light fare. We'll have to try that when we're done walking the Camino and are hanging out as tourists. Jaime asked how I'd learned Spanish, so I spoke of growing up in Venezuela. Originally from Santiago, he lived in Argentina during his teenage years and retired to Cacabelos. It was amazing how much we had in common, discussing life in general. Hours earlier we met as strangers, we ended the evening as friends. Today's Camino took us over rolling hills through vineyards of the El Bierzo region, some fields of newly planted vines interspersed with older vineyards. Leaving Cacabelos at dawn, once again we were treated to a spectacular sunrise. We are getting hooked on beautiful sunrises, freshly squeezed orange juice, and café con leche. The El Bierzo soil is obviously very fertile. Vegetable gardens and orchards are tucked everywhere. The path was lined with chestnut trees loaded with nuts and fig trees laden with fruits, not to mention all the apple trees. Whereas the meseta was endless fields of grains uninterrupted by borders or variation, between the hills, fields and orchards, the El Bierzo provides a mélange of sights and sounds. We walked along a river most of the day, arriving in Trabadelo, a small lumber town, in time for lunch.Läs mer

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    Up the Mountain Again

    5 oktober 2019, Spanien ⋅ ☁️ 64 °F

    O Cebreiro, Spain
    Morning mist rose from the valley and descended from the mountains to create a surreal start to the day as the sky gradually lightened. According to a local, the mist will burn off early afternoon. While pretty to see, it's not good for the chestnuts as it burns the fruit and yields smaller nuts. We arrived in Herrerias in time for café con leche and a little exploring. Today's a special day. We are treating ourselves to an experience for well-heeled pilgrims of old and riding horses up the steep hill (third highest point on the Camino) to O Cebreiro. Think of it as a day of rest for our aching feet, though I suspect we'll have pain in other places tomorrow. Our fearless leader is Victor, the spitting image of Antonio Banderas' older brother and a former economist from Madrid who did the Camino years ago. At the time he asked about horses, but there were none. He has since chucked corporate life and has been leading trail rides from Herrerias to O Cebreiro for the last 6 years. Mike saddled up on a mare named Luna, while I drew Babieca, named for El Cid's trusty steed who I suspect was not a gelding. The ascent up the mountain was breathtakingly beautiful on a steep and rocky trail. The horses were slow and steady, picking footing carefully in many places. They've made the trip so many times, they know exactly where to go. Midway up we stopped to water the horses and give them a break as they are working hard. Two hours on horseback and we covered a little over 8 kilometers, which would have taken us at least 3 hours with the incline, not to mention the wear and tear on our bodies. We had time to check in, have arrival beverages, and find a laundry so we don't have to tote around clothes reeking of horse. After a quick lunch we explored the settlement, a collection of buildings and a church with a resident population of 30. O Cebreiro has multiple claims to fame, making it not only a Camino stop but also a tourist destination. It was established as a pilgrim refuge initially, and the Galician natives built sturdy round huts with thatch roofs called pallozas to withstand the harsh elements. A legend about a local priest celebrating mass during which the wine literally turned into blood and the bread became flesh, with claims that the holy grail is here, draws many. This was also home to a priest who regenerated contemporary interest in the Camino by going all over the route in the 1980's, spray painting yellow arrows to mark the way. We ended our day by attending mass with a pilgrim blessing in the little stone church, followed by heading up to a clearing on the hill to watch sunset.Läs mer

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    Coming Down the Mountain

    6 oktober 2019, Spanien ⋅ 🌙 66 °F

    Triacastela, Spain
    The mist that seemed so enchanting yesterday was not as welcome this morning. We left O Cebreiro in the dark wearing our headlamps and ponchos as the mist was steady, almost like a fine rain. We were glad we'd scouted out the trail the night before. We were an hour down the trail before the sky became light without any sort of sunrise delight we've come to know. Walking down the hill on wet, leaf covered paths was a tad dicey and we were thankful for our poles. Yesterday we thought we were at the third highest point on the Camino, as hyped in all the literature until the subject of Alto do Poio comes up. While O Cebreiro gets the credit, Alto do Poio is actually 30 feet higher. And of course we had to go down and then up. Leave no hill unclimbed must be the Camino motto. We made multiple stops, fortified by cake and coffee, as we walked through clouds up and down hill. When we finally began our descent down the mountain for real, it was a welcome change from our Cruz de Ferro experience. The path was wide and the descent gradual with spectacular scenery. At one point we were making our way through a little farming community whose road was under construction. As we debated turning versus going straight, a Mother Teresa lookalike beckoned us forward. Gotta love those little old Spanish ladies... they have a way of keeping you straight. She also had a plate in her hand with homemade crepes. She "gave" us one for a donation, and pleased with our generosity, offered to make more. We begged off and continued on. Sometimes you have to share the trail and today we encountered multiple herds of cattle on the move. The first time they were coming at us, so we quickly moved to a side to make sure we didn't get trampled. Then I had an awful thought. Please don't let any of those cows get the urge and lift a tail. Dodging cow pies on the trail is one thing. Not sure I'd ever get the smell out of our clothes if we ended up in the line of fire. Fortunately the herd passed without incident. The second time we encountered a herd, it was on the path in front and going the same way. Was a good time for a break to give them a chance to get to their destination. We made it to Tricastela by early afternoon.Läs mer

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    Homestretch

    7 oktober 2019, Spanien ⋅ 🌙 73 °F

    Sarria, Spain
    We make a point of scouting out the next day's route out of town the night before. It gave us the opportunity to check out an interesting ferriteria, an ancient smithy where pilgrims of old had their horses shod while they had a bite to eat, one stop shopping back in the day. It also made it easier to successfully navigate the turns and crossings of the Camino in the dark before it disappeared into the woods. Headlamps are great, but finding markings is still a challenge. Mike's guidebook said the trail would be flat, so he was rather skeptical about the elevation guide I had from the pilgrims office. The fact that Triacastela is in a valley should have been a clue. We spent most of the morning climbing uphill. Thank heavens we had a great breakfast to start. We were looking for our morning café con leche break when we passed through Fontearcuda and spied what looked like a pilgrim rest stop. Turned out to be a place to get your inner Zen on, but carrot juice with kumbaya is no substitute in our book for the high-test stuff. On to the next hamlet we went. This time a detour of 50 meters had promising signs, until we got to the turn off. At this point no coffee is worth going down a 50 meter flight of stairs which we would then have to climb back up. We pressed on and our efforts were rewarded by a roadside café with café con leche accompanied by a cookie and a beautiful view. The holdout was well worth it. We're walking through farm country, very picturesque with rich brown loamy soil, gardens of all sorts, and livestock grazing in green pastures. Our excitement for the day came on the outskirts of Furela, when we encountered a donkey roaming freely along the side of the road. Looked like he had broken free of his hobbles as he was dragging some sort of strap attached to a hoof. We informed a lady we saw in a nearby garden, but she didn't seem impressed. Perhaps he's a habitual offender. He was happily grazing, so on we went. By midday we made it to Sarria, our destination for the day. Sarria is officially 115.5 kilometers from Santiago, our ultimate goal. It is also the last place to join the Camino and still qualify for the Compostela, a graduation certificate of sorts. Evidently it is a popular place to begin and we expect to encounter a greater number of pilgrims from here on out. To us it represents the beginning of the end and we are on the homestretch. If we can just last 6 more days, we'll be in Santiago!Läs mer

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  • The Big AdventureCamino FrancesResenär

    We are officially two digit midgets!

    8 oktober 2019, Spanien ⋅ ☁️ 64 °F

    Portomarin, Spain
    When we scouted the route last night, the Camino took us right to a city staircase that could have been the inspiration for the stairway to heaven song. Ever resourceful, we found a gentler, kinder route that still involved some serious incline to connect with the Camino. After listening to our new Camino friends talk about their experiences with nuns, Mike has a new theory. He thinks that the route was laid out by the nuns of old, to give those pesky pilgrims ample opportunities for penance. Once outside the city we walked through an enchanted forest with moss covered rock walls lining the path, massive ancient chestnut and oak trees as well as the occasional babbling brook. Disappointed that the dim light meant the camera couldn't do it justice, we tried to engrave it in our memories. Even the sounds of the forest are magical. Speaking of sound, we have grown quite accustomed to the quiet footsteps on the path accompanied by sounds of nature and the land, punctuated by the occasional "hola" and "Buen Camino". We were warned that the peace and quiet would go by the wayside once we got to Sarria. Even so, we weren't quite prepared for the "John Wayne rounding up his posse to go get us some Camino" scenario we encountered at breakfast. We downed breakfast as quickly as we could and hit the trail, hoping to stay ahead of the crowd. We skipped over the first hamlet offering coffee and pressed on to Morgade. We ran into Everett, our Dutch friend, who was having a low spell dealing with shin splints and not sure if he would be able to finish the Camino. After exchanging shin splints tips, we added a pep talk geared towards the school administrator that he is. At this point we are within a week of graduating. Even if we have to crawl on our hands and knees to Santiago, we will make it. He laughed, point well taken. Just past Morgade we went by the 100 kilometers to Santiago marker. That makes it official, we are now 2 digit midgets! Since we entered the Galician region, we noticed a change in the markers. All the others gave distance in kilometers, maybe including one decimal point. The Galician markers spell it out in meters. Guess the message is that as we enter the homestretch, we should savor every meter. We finally made it to Portomarin ahead of the projected rain. Good thing too, as the descent to the river before the city was through a long, steep and rocky ravine, payback for having skipped those steps in Sarria no doubt. We crossed a modern bridge into Portomarin, then climbed a few more staircases up to town. Portomarin has been relocated from its original location on the river. Back in the 50-60's, Franco built a dam to create the Belesar reservoir and hydroelectric plant. The original town was soon submerged, so the townspeople disassembled the church and historic buildings, brought them uphill stone by stone, and reassembled them. You have to admire that dedication to preserving history.Läs mer

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  • The Big AdventureCamino FrancesResenär

    Passing Thoughts

    9 oktober 2019, Spanien ⋅ ☁️ 57 °F

    Palas de Rei, Spain
    Leaving before daybreak has its advantages. The stillness of the morning followed by the sounds of the earth coming to life is the most wonderful music to the ears. Watching mist rising in the fields is an experience to savor. Our path through the forest gave way to meadows and little clusters of buildings that pass for towns. While it is easy to zone out with your own thoughts, observing the surroundings provides delightful surprises when you take the time to notice. Passing through a small farming community, I had to pass around a tractor parked beside a barn. As I passed, I just happened to notice the make. No John Deere tractor here, it was a Lamborghini! Can't begin to imagine what it sounds like when fired up by no doubt a gentleman farmer. More commonly though, are all the different plants growing wild by the side of the trail. Interspersed with weeds has been a plethora of herbs. Dill, rosemary and lavender were common to start. Now they've been joined by thyme, oregano and mint. Today we had a new addition to the forest of chestnut and oak. Copses of eucalyptus trees added perfume to the air. As we passed through Ventas de Naron, we spied Capela a Magdalena, a small chapel built with stones from a collapsed 13th century Templar hospital and dedicated to Mary Magdalene. Curious, I poked my nose in briefly. No pictures allowed and they'd stamp your pilgrim credencial for a fee. Note that everywhere else is happy to stamp your credencial for free. Sounds to me like an attempt to perpetuate her reputation as a member of the world's oldest profession by charging for something others offer for free. Hmmm. Mike pointed out today that we're 90% of the way through our journey. Good thing because the tread on our shoes is getting very worn. That prompted discussion of what we were looking forward to at home and various plans. We both agreed that our shoes and hats would not make the trip home. Perhaps we should have an adios sombreros and zapatos ceremony in Madrid our last night. After 48 days of washing clothes in the sink every night, we'll practically kiss the washer and dryer when we get home. Mike promised he'd only wake me up early 4 more times. On that note, we finished the last of our really long days (25.4 kilometers) in Palas de Rei.Läs mer

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  • The Big AdventureCamino FrancesResenär

    Different Flavors

    10 oktober 2019, Spanien ⋅ 🌙 57 °F

    Melide, Spain
    We thought we were in good shape for our departure in the dark from Palas de Rei this morning. The clue should have been yesterday at lunch when we sat at a corner café watching the blank stare of pilgrims straggling down the steps from the church and looking for Camino signs. The arrows were posted around the corner on the side of the building not visible to them. We were like traffic cops gesturing to send them in the right direction. Our turn was this morning at the edge of town, when a highly visible arrow took us to the left in the direction of the last albergue and we missed a barely visible small arrow to the right. About 100 meters out of town, something just didn't feel right. We were going uphill when the guide said we'd be heading down, and there was a conspicuous absence of pilgrims ahead or behind. The granite markers that had been practically every 5 meters yesterday were also missing. We backtracked to the last visible sign and started over. Sure enough, we found that concealed arrow and got back on track. The sun came up by the time we arrived in Casanova, a must stop for pictures, coffee and a stamp on the credencial. Not much else to see, so carried on. The Camino has taken on a very different flavor since Sarria, less of a pilgrimage and more of a touristy vibe. Tour buses drop folks off at major intersections, looking well rested and well dressed, not exuding the "I've been wearing these 2 shirts for the last month and can't wait to burn them" attitude. I'll bet their trail shoes even still have tread. As you pass through little towns, taxi signs are prominently displayed everywhere... a rarity before. No matter. As the newcomers saunter along the trail, we just blow on by walking with a purpose. We have our Camino on! There are still a few familiar faces. We are delighted to see Everett is still at it, his shin splints manageable at this point. Hector and Walesa, fellow Army retirees we met back in Leon, seem to be on the same schedule. We traded foot care tips and supplies as Hector just lost a toenail. We made it to Melide in time for a lunch of the most scrumptious grilled Galician scallops served under a kiwi fruit trellis. Feeling refreshed, we went to find our lodging. My heart fell when I saw the sign on the dilapidated corner building with a sagging roof. Our night at the truck stop was one thing, but this is way beyond "suck it up Buttercup". Fortunately the corner building was only serving as signage and the albergue was a few doors down.Läs mer

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  • The Big AdventureCamino FrancesResenär

    Are we there yet?

    11 oktober 2019, Spanien ⋅ 🌫 63 °F

    Arzua, Spain
    We decided to head straight for the Camino this morning and skip the trek past all the churches in town and up the hill. It only seemed like the thing to do as I'd "been there done that" while exploring town yesterday afternoon. We had a pleasant all downhill jaunt out of town and into the woods by ourselves in the dark. Just as Mike remarked that we had the trail all to ourselves (markers confirmed we were on the right path) we came upon a river and a trio trying to walk across very large, uneven steppingstones. The fellow in front was struggling, and the 2 behind were trying to shine a light to help. The first pilgrim almost made it across before losing his balance and falling off near the end. Turns out he was not with the next 2, and they were a bit abrupt with his lack of adequate lighting and progress. They took off up the hill and we jumped in to see what we could do. The poor fellow was an 81 year old French Canadian man from Quebec who spoke little English or Spanish. We helped him to his feet, got his pack and gear back in order, then took his arm and guided him up the hill. He told us his wife of 35 years had died in April and he had left Canada 5 September to walk the Camino. He was planning on walking all the way to Finisterre, visiting the basilicas along the way. He also hoped to spend time in Madrid and Paris visiting art museums before heading home in November. We walked together until our first coffee stop when he chose to continue after thanking us profusely for our help. Wow, 2 years of high school French really came in handy. We were in desperate need of our first café con leche of the day, plus who could pass by a place named No Camino? Refueled, we hit the trail once more, this time running into Hector and Walesa. We walked together for a while comparing notes. We aren't in a hurry as today is supposed to be a short day, only 14 kilometers, which is like a rest day at this point. We made it to Arzua well before noon and settled in for arrival beverages. When I fired up the phone to locate our lodging, we had a very rude awakening. Seems the place was 4 kilometers north of town and back the way we had come. Those nuns got us again for skipping a hill and church. Mike needs to get a better travel agent as being way out of town and in the wrong direction was not welcome news, especially considering that tomorrow was already slated to be one of our longer days. We located our lodging, dropped off the backpacks and went exploring. Not much out here other than a 17th century historic hospedia across the street that has been lovingly restored into a luxury hotel and restaurant that actually starts serving dinner at 7. That's the Spanish equivalent of the early bird special! We made dinner reservations and headed back to check into our place. A shower and laundry later, we had a quick lunch of salad and grilled scallops before settling in for some rest.Läs mer

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  • The Big AdventureCamino FrancesResenär

    Santiago or Bust

    12 oktober 2019, Spanien ⋅ 🌧 61 °F

    Amenal, Spain
    We left Arzua on a wing and a prayer this morning, even the roosters weren't up but the cats were rounding up the last of their nightly field mice conquests. We were armed with headlamps and iPhones. Mike considered retracing yesterday's steps, but we already had a long hike (25+ kilometers) without adding to it. I plugged tonight's lodging address into google maps and off we went, skirting farms and country houses on the backroads. Mike used the Camino app to verify progress towards the official trail. We were tracking right along when Cujo and his brother appeared out of nowhere. Mike quickly shifted his poles to the ready position, but it turned out the dogs were just keeping things in order since the usual little old Spanish ladies were not up yet. We passed without incident and connected with the trail farther down the hill. We spent the day walking through eucalyptus forests. Still haven't spotted any koalas. We passed a large tour bus parked at a crossroads. Looks like the Grand Circle Camino tour, dropping tourists off to have a go at the Camino before picking them up and whisking them off to luxury accommodations for the night. After 760+ kilometers on the Camino with multiple nights in questionable lodging, sure sounds good to me. We've also encountered students on fall break walking sections as a group, like the field trip of all field trips. We've heard that young folks try to get the Compostela to pad resumes, similar to our Eagle Scout. To each his own. A couple of hills, rivers and villages as well as the requisite café con leche, we made it to Amenal, our last stop before Santiago de Compostela.Läs mer

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  • The Big AdventureCamino FrancesResenär

    We made it!

    13 oktober 2019, Spanien ⋅ 🌧 57 °F

    Santiago de Compostella, Spain
    We were not looking forward to the final leg of the Camino. We only had 16.6 kilometers (10.3 miles) to go, but anticipated a slog as the weather forecast called for 100% rain starting at 0200 and continuing for several days with the possibility of flooding. We briefly considered napping for a few hours and continuing on yesterday, but we were just too tired to keep going. Besides, this is why we have ponchos! At least our place was starting breakfast service at 0630, so we could have something substantial to eat prior to starting out. Sure enough, we woke up to a steady drizzle. Made the usual last-minute email message check before leaving to ensure everything was in order and got the message that my aunt had died. We practically flew out the door and made our way to Santiago de Compostela as quickly as possible. Since we'd already had our coffee at breakfast, we only made one quick stop for orange juice and didn't even bother to take our packs off. We dodged puddles and small rivers on the trail and covered the distance in less time than it took me to run the Army Ten Miler back in 2005, sans backpack. We were thrilled to see familiar faces of Camino friends at the pilgrims office in Santiago de Compostela, and to find out we'd made it in time to get our compostela (certificate of completion) today. Then the real challenge began, coordinating with airlines and family to get back. Thank heavens for my sister Joan, who filled in the lodging and transportation piece in North Carolina. Having faith that it would all fall in place, we finally fell into bed exhausted.Läs mer

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  • The Big AdventureCamino FrancesResenär

    Epilogue

    14 oktober 2019, Förenta staterna ⋅ 🌙 86 °F

    In Flight
    Our time on the Camino has come to an end. Trying to put it in perspective starts with looking at why we were drawn to do it in the first place. I was intrigued by the challenge and adventure, wondering what I would find. Mike saw it as a celebration of life, feeling the joy of being able to do this as an affirmation of all the blessings in our lives. What was the final verdict? Did we have the big Shazam of life altering experiences? Reflecting on our Camino experience will take time, particularly given its abrupt ending. As I sit on the plane traveling at a speed far in excess of the past 6 weeks, I feel truly blessed to have had the opportunity to slow down, savor life, and renew a sense of what is truly important in the greater scheme. To develop an appreciation for the small, subtle things like a mid-morning café con leche, a smile, nod or words of encouragement from a fellow pilgrim, or a guaranteed bed at the end of the day is a privilege. Waking up each morning and witnessing glorious sunrises as the day comes to life is a priceless treasure. To walk by yourself yet never alone, we're honored to feel the presence of family and friends walking with us in spirit. We've connected with fellow pilgrims from all over the world, sharing an experience and communicating despite language barriers. We are all traveling this planet and time together, like it or not, and it's high time to set aside our differences and make it work. If only each of us would climb on board with faith, persistence and tolerance, we could build a better future.Läs mer

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    Resans slut
    14 oktober 2019
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