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    • TravelerBrenda’s Camino
      Day 36

      Palas de Rei to Ardue

      June 5, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

      Today was hard. Just shy of 30km on rolling terrain most of the day. The sun was also out most of the day as well, so it was hot. I have developed something I have never experienced before, but you see it on the Camino all the time, "hiker's rash". I actually had it on my ankle at the beginning of the Camino, and it just went away, but now I have developed it on the back of my left arm. It doesn't hurt, just a bit red and itchy. Nothing a bit cortisone cream won't cure. Add that to the pharmacy I carry with me everyday.

      The terrain today was quite varied. The Camino begins to leave the oak and chestnut trees and now we are entering eucalyptus trees quite a bit. They smell wonderful. But the terrain also was on some roads, some busier than others, through villages and hamlets which are becoming increasingly more prosperous looking.

      The day was a bit more challenging because a school group of Irish girls are also hiking this last 100 km and seem to be on the same schedule as me, and though they are lovely and pleasant, I could do without the blaring music and their renditions of ABBA. So I found myself a few times, just stopping and waiting for a bit till they were further ahead.

      However, having said that, I am not a perfect pilgrim either. I had a what's app conversation with Claire for a bit, and then a video conversation with Christian in the last part of my day. They were both a welcome reprieve from a long day that was getting harder with every kilometre. It is not often that it is already nearly 6 pm before I am showered and getting organized. After two long days back to back, I am looking forward to a short 18 km day tomorrow.

      I visited the church of Iglesia de Santa Maria in San Xulian do Camino where legend says that the statue of Mary that was suppose to reside in the church kept being found by the fountain. In the 14th century, the villagers repeatedly put her back in the church, but she kept escaping, so they sculpted her into the wall to keep her firmly in the church!

      The Camino passes through a larger city of Melide, and though I was tempted by the "polpo" (octopus) which is a staple in this region of Galicia, I walked on through and thought that after a shower and some fresh clothes, and a glass of wine, I might enjoy it a bit more. It is a bit like lobster...I think they just boil it and serve it with some salt, and perhaps a sauce or spice. I have had it once already a couple of towns ago, and it is good. You just have to get over the fact that it looks like octopus, not the "calamari" we get which is considerably more appetizing and breaded!      Read more

    • TravelerVia de la Plata 2024
      Day 47

      Von Pause zu Pause

      July 14 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

      14.07.24
      Tag 47
      Camino Sanabrés, VdlP und VA

      Langweilige Strecke mit viel Landstraße und Fußwegen durch die Dörfer.
      So vergnügte ich mich mit vielen Pausen. Die Erste schon nach 3,6 km.
      2. Pause nach 9,5 Kilometer und nach der dritten Pause waren es nur noch 10 Kilometer bis Ourense.
      Zu meinem Glück hatten nicht alle Bars geöffnet. Auch die Bar "Pis Pas" war geschlossen.

      Die sehr guten Markierungen haben mir gefallen.

      Ourense, die letzte größere Stadt vor Santiago de Compostela nach 7,5 Stunden erreicht (rund 23 km).

      Verbrauch: 0,5 l Wasser + Pausenerfrischungen.      Read more

      See translation
    • TravelerCamino Sanabrés
      Day 16

      Day 52 - A Day in Ourense-Magosto Fiesta

      November 11, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

      Weather: 9 - 21 and sunny 🌞
      Feels like I have had a short winter and am back in Spring. 🙏🙏🙏

      The unfolding of an interesting day.
      At breakfast I started having a conversation with my roommate, Rebecca - although I didn’t ask her name till much later. Rebecca was having a day and night In Ourense before going to a yoga weekend in a nearby town. We chatted for a long time and the outcome was that we had a lovely day together.
      The Cathedral
      We started to head for the Tourist Information Centre but got sidetracked by the cathedral which was open and getting ready for a service associated with today’s Chestnut Fiesta. We looked and sat for quite a while - it was beautiful with good energy - and then continued on - but after getting all the info at the Tourist Centre we somehow ended up back at the cathedral where the service was about to begin.
      Of course now we stayed for the religious celebrations. The cathedral was full with lots of VIP types in the front rows. The ceremonies began with a procession of Galician bagpipers followed by men in white carrying a sacred statue. There was beautiful singing - choir and solo. It was an uplifting and interesting experience and in some ways reminded me of India where they also parade statues of great beings and sing and chant.
      We left when the speeches started because I couldn’t understand any of what they said.
      The service left us with a calm and uplifted feeling ready for the next event.

      Next the thermal pools
      By that time Rebecca had decided she wanted to stay in Ourense a bit longer than planned and wanted to revisit the thermal pools. She had been yesterday. So we hopped in her car and off we went. I felt very grateful because otherwise it would mean me deciphering the public transport or doing the 60 minute walk.
      We went to the ‘private’ pool - Outariz Thermal Station - which has a Japanese theme: lots of pools of different temperatures, pools with spa jets, cold pools to alternate with the hot, gentle music playing and notices encouraging silence and reflection. It took a while for me to relax into the experience but when I did it was blissful. I only got out when the body said that was enough for one day. If I lived in Ourense the ‘terma’ would be a regular event. For €5.70 you get a locker and two hours of bliss. Sorry no photos allowed. But I did take one of the public pool.
      https://www.turismodeourense.gal/en/recurso/est…

      The food expo came next
      This was a bit out of town - where we hoped to get something to eat. A bit of a disappointment in that the three course meals were between €30 and €60 but with pretty incredible menus. We had a look around and snacked on the free food. From what she shared, Rebecca seemed to be a bit of a foodie. She knew what foods were specialities in which areas and towns. Somehow I felt guilty taking the free food when I was never going to buy anything. But it was interesting to see the focus on good food in Galicia - and it shows in the meals I have had so far.
      Rebecca had a phone meeting so I had time to do a bit of journaling before we headed back to town.

      The Magosta Fiesta
      At 6 pm there was a concert and free roasted chestnuts in the Plaza Major. We got there a little before 6 and with Rebecca’s bold youth we quietly jumped the already huge queue to get our cone of chestnuts. She had to head off quickly and I had come all the way from Australia so I didn’t feel too bad about our bold move. The Spanish wait very patiently and when I left around 6.45 there was a queue around the corner and up the street.
      There was all sorts of local music and people dressed up as well-known traditional characters- with giant heads. It was great fun.
      The chestnuts were a bit of a disappointment - not so fresh - not as good as the ones the Korean girl roasted a few night ago. Nevertheless I had participated in the Magosta Fiestal and was very happy that I had participated in the free chestnut experience and heard some of the local music.
      However … on the way back to the hostel I chomped a chestnut on my sensitive tooth. It was very painful and I became grumpy and impatient with every one and everything. I remembered a saying of one of my teachers - trying to get pleasure from the world brings pounds of pain. Even though I had a lovely day I was reminded that all joy and happiness resides within.

      Buen Camino

      PS: After a good sleep, meditation and reflection, the next morning looked bright and cheerful again.

      Hostel Grelo
      Both the hospitalaros here speak English which is such a bonus for us Spanish deficient pilgrims. 😄
      The building is just on the edge of the old town and has three dorms. I think there are 6 of us here and spread out through the dorms so we are not in top of each other. There is a kitchen and lounge area. For €15 you get sheets, blankets (although I still used my sleeping bag/blanket as their blankets are a bit thin) and a towel and breakfast included. In Spain that is always toast or light pastry and coffee/ teas etc. because most people have eaten a big meal at 8.30 pm or later.      Read more

    • Norman GrahamCamino Via de la Plata 2022
      2
      Day 38

      Villar de Barrio - Ourense 37 km

      June 6, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

      After a chat with the ladies today we decided that we would like to spend some time in Oursense, the ladies wanted to try the famous sulphur baths and I wanted to do some sightseeing, and some shopping for essential supplies. The only way that we would have the time to do that was to get there today, so it was agreed that Meg, Kathleen, Anita and I would walk part of the way then hop in a taxi to shorten the time. Mirjam and Anne were going to walk the full 37km (young, fit and fearless).

      Kathleen found and booked an Airbnb in Ourense for two nights. So we slept late and set off at 0830. The path was mostly very flat and the landscape unremarkable but we made good time to Xunqueira de Ambia. Anne had sent us a photo of Mirjam enjoying a late breakfast in a café there so we went looking for it. (Yes they had left before us!) Meg had a terrible cup of tea but the coffee was good and the barman called for a taxi to take us into Ourense.

      We had a bit of bother finding the Airbnb, it turned out that the building numbers were old and no longer in use but we got there eventually. The apartment was great, two bedrooms, a great bathroom and well fitted kitchen/living area. It had everything we needed, including a coffee machine! It was also right around the corner from the cathedral where we would need to get our credentials stamped and well located for all kinds of shopping.

      As we were walking near the apartment, much to our surprise and great delight we met Julia, and so we all went out for lunch together with Julia leading the way, and in another happy 'coincidence' Guillermo joined us as well, it felt a little like we were getting the band back together! The food was good and the conversation flowed the way it does around meal tables.

      Later that night, Mirjam arrived, she had gotten into Ourense late and we suggested that she stay in the Airbnb with us. When I set off that morning from Villar de Barrio, I was sad because I would not see her again until this time next week, so I was delighted to see her now, even for just a short time. She had just walked a hard 37 km and had 24 km to do tomorrow with a very long very steep incline, so I was happy to be able to give up my bed for her. I slept on the surprisingly comfortable couch. Although we were in the very centre of the city, all was quiet, and we slept in peace.      Read more

    • ueliVia Lusitana VRSA nach Ourense
      Day 38

      Ourense

      October 14, 2019 in Spain ⋅ 🌧 13 °C

      Heute Finale mit Sohn. Wir sind zum letzten Etappenort zurückgefahren.
      Dann sind wir bei Sonne und Regen nach Ourense gelaufen. Empfang bei der Kathedrale von der Familie. Der heilige Jakobus in der Kathedrale bildete dann den Schlusspunkt und Abschluss der Via Lusitana und meiner Pilgerfahrt.
      Es folgen noch die „Schlussgedanken“.      Read more

      See translation
    • TravelerSpain 2023 + Nancy
      111
      Day 6

      Ourense 2

      May 20, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

      Getting to know the city and hiking in the afternoon/evening (paseos del río Miño) + termas

    • Norman GrahamCamino Via de la Plata 2022
      Day 39

      Ourense 15 km

      June 7, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

      After a good sleep I woke just before Mirjam got up and prepared to leave, I was sad to be saying goodbye to her today knowing that I would not see her until she returned to Santiago from Finisterre on the 12th. We have planned an evening meal with everyone in our little group on Santiago for the 13th of June, it will be great to have everyone together.

      The ladies were going to the sulphur baths and I did some sightseeing, I went out to the cathedral to get my credential stamped and whilst I was there I did the tour. It was interesting but to be honest not much different from every other cathedral I had ever visited. After my experience in Salamanca I couldn't help but see it as another cultural relic of Christendom dependant upon the secular world for survival. I went to see the cloisters of St Francis as much for the walk as anything else, but there was not much to see, you could walk around it and take a few photos but there wasn't much to it. However, they also had a museum there telling some of the history of the city, and that was quite interesting.

      Mirjam sent back word that there were very many more peregrinos on the camino, but that was expected. In order to get a Compostela you only have to walk the last 100km and Ourense is 110 km from Santiago and so many people start their camino here. She also said that she had gone the right hand route, which is very slightly less steep, and that was the route we had also decided to go in the morning. Meg had organised for two of our bags to be transported to our next albergue, and as mine was the biggest bag, I shared it with Anita. I went out to Decathlon and bought a 20L daypack for only 10€ and put all the stuff I needed for the day in it. The walk that day was so much easier for all of us that we decided to have our bags transported each day until we got to Santiago.

      I decided not to go out for dinner with the girls, I had had some pizza for lunch and wasn't really hungry, and I wanted to do some admin type stuff anyway and spend time reflecting on my camino so far and how I thought it had changed me. As Socrates is reported to have said at his trial, "the unexamined life is not worth living."

      I really enjoyed our time in Ourense. It was great to have some time to do tourist type things, and to get some much needed supplies, best of all it was great to spend quality time with Meg, Kathleen and Anita, to see Julia and Guillermo and Mirjam, and to my great joy, by a random chance, I met Anne in the street, we didn't have long to chat but it was such a delight. She had been busy with university stuff and so was booked into a place with good wifi, so it was a wonderful and unexpected meeting. Much as it is a beautiful and interesting city, for me, those moments were the best thing about Oursense.      Read more

    • Kaiser MikatoVia de la Plata
      Day 9

      Ourense

      August 3, 2014 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

      7:50 set off as last :). 9:50 breakfast in Panelas

      In suburb of Ourense we found a pharmacy and an ATM.

      12-13pm: We passed through Ourense along the rio Barbaña. It should be nice city but we had no time for sightseeing. Still 105 km ahead and only 2 days left.
      We met P+P again: they took a taxi, because Paolo couldn’t walk any more.      Read more

    You might also know this place by the following names:

    Ourense, Orenso, Orense, OUQ, オウレンセ, 32001, Оренсе

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