Hi All,
Well I´m off on my travels in Spain again, this time I´m going to finish the last stage of the Via de la Plata which I have been walking over the past 2 years. I´m starting in Salamanca where I left off last year and doing the last 475 kms to Santiago de Compostela, I already left Aussie on the 16th Oct and this is the story so far.
Endured the usual hideous 36 hours of flights from Hobart-Melbourne-Kuala Lumpar-London-Madrid and arrived at my hotel in Madrid at half past midnight. Into the centre the next morning and Madrid is still as vibrant, colourful and busy as ever, had a walk around and bought a few essentials then caught a coach in the afternoon for the 3 hour trip to Salamanca. Arrived at the pilgrim hostel to find it was closed for the day for fumigation!-The day I arrive they decide to get rid of the bed-bugs!!! Got a room in a hostel that I stayed at last year, had a walk around town and a drink or 2 then retired.
Day 1 -19th Oct Salamanca - El Cubo (35kms) Got away at 9.25am, beautiful sunny day and a brisk 12·C, first 10kms were all thru the suburbs of Salamanca then along the hard shoulder of main roads until a village called Villanueva where I found a bar and had a cafe con leche and a slice of Spanish tortilla. As I was leaving a German peregrino(pilgrim) came in and we had a chat. Uwe (his name) said he had been walking for 5 days and I was the first peregrino he´d met! Mmmmm, gonna be a quiet Camino this time. Next 5kms were on a track across open ploughed fields and lots of corn-on-the-cob plantations, also a bit of dung-spreading going on as there was that unmistakable aroma of piggy-poo, I contrived to think fragrant thoughts! Next 15kms were a nightmare walking along a track next to a motorway, there was already a very good national road going North but the Spanish decided to build this brand new motorway parallel to, and 100m away from the old road. It´s something to do with having a huge grant from the EU and having to use it or lose it, no wonder european finances are in such a mess! Neither if the roads were in the slightest bit busy! Had a rest under an acorn-popping oak tree and Uwe caught up with me, had another chat then left him there. Staggered into the hostel at 6.30pm with Uwe arriving 15 mins later, hostel very nice and cost €5, Uwe went out to a bar for dinner and i stayed at the hostel and ate some bread rolls that I had bought, early to bed
Well I´m off on my travels in Spain again, this time I´m going to finish the last stage of the Via de la Plata which I have been walking over the past 2 years. I´m starting in Salamanca where I left off last year and doing the last 475 kms to Santiago de Compostela, I already left Aussie on the 16th Oct and this is the story so far.
Endured the usual hideous 36 hours of flights from Hobart-Melbourne-Kuala Lumpar-London-Madrid and arrived at my hotel in Madrid at half past midnight. Into the centre the next morning and Madrid is still as vibrant, colourful and busy as ever, had a walk around and bought a few essentials then caught a coach in the afternoon for the 3 hour trip to Salamanca. Arrived at the pilgrim hostel to find it was closed for the day for fumigation!-The day I arrive they decide to get rid of the bed-bugs!!! Got a room in a hostel that I stayed at last year, had a walk around town and a drink or 2 then retired.
Day 1 -19th Oct Salamanca - El Cubo (35kms) Got away at 9.25am, beautiful sunny day and a brisk 12·C, first 10kms were all thru the suburbs of Salamanca then along the hard shoulder of main roads until a village called Villanueva where I found a bar and had a cafe con leche and a slice of Spanish tortilla. As I was leaving a German peregrino(pilgrim) came in and we had a chat. Uwe (his name) said he had been walking for 5 days and I was the first peregrino he´d met! Mmmmm, gonna be a quiet Camino this time. Next 5kms were on a track across open ploughed fields and lots of corn-on-the-cob plantations, also a bit of dung-spreading going on as there was that unmistakable aroma of piggy-poo, I contrived to think fragrant thoughts! Next 15kms were a nightmare walking along a track next to a motorway, there was already a very good national road going North but the Spanish decided to build this brand new motorway parallel to, and 100m away from the old road. It´s something to do with having a huge grant from the EU and having to use it or lose it, no wonder european finances are in such a mess! Neither if the roads were in the slightest bit busy! Had a rest under an acorn-popping oak tree and Uwe caught up with me, had another chat then left him there. Staggered into the hostel at 6.30pm with Uwe arriving 15 mins later, hostel very nice and cost €5, Uwe went out to a bar for dinner and i stayed at the hostel and ate some bread rolls that I had bought, early to bed
Hello everyone
Thanks to those who wrote, cant reply individually, always someone trying to get on the computer!
Day 2 El Cubo - Zamora (32kms) 65kms so far Up at 7.00am, pitch dark and freezing, hospitalero(guy who runs the hostel) brought us breakfast of coffee, juice and croissants for €2. Out of the door at 8.15am just as the sky was turning red with the dawn, left Uwe behind but we met up again at the next village(Villanueva de campean) and had tortillas and coffee, Spanish tortillas are not like Mexican ones, they´re very thick omelettes with potato in them - very filling and cheap. Scenery got a bit more interesting then with more trees and then changed back to the yellow and brown sun-baked ploughed fields and cornstalks. Got to Zamora at 4.30pm, Uwe rolled in 20 mins later, after ablutions i found the library and got on the internet then went shopping for dinner and road-food for the next day. When I got back to the albergue there was a few more people there and the hospitalero was organising a communal meal, there was Mick from Australia, Gervaise from Ireland, Rafael from Guatamala, Uwe from Germany and 3 Spanish cyclists Manuel, Davi and Jesus! Had a great meal and the Spaniards spent the evening teaching me dirty words in Spanish. To bed full of wine about 11.30pm
Thanks to those who wrote, cant reply individually, always someone trying to get on the computer!
Day 2 El Cubo - Zamora (32kms) 65kms so far Up at 7.00am, pitch dark and freezing, hospitalero(guy who runs the hostel) brought us breakfast of coffee, juice and croissants for €2. Out of the door at 8.15am just as the sky was turning red with the dawn, left Uwe behind but we met up again at the next village(Villanueva de campean) and had tortillas and coffee, Spanish tortillas are not like Mexican ones, they´re very thick omelettes with potato in them - very filling and cheap. Scenery got a bit more interesting then with more trees and then changed back to the yellow and brown sun-baked ploughed fields and cornstalks. Got to Zamora at 4.30pm, Uwe rolled in 20 mins later, after ablutions i found the library and got on the internet then went shopping for dinner and road-food for the next day. When I got back to the albergue there was a few more people there and the hospitalero was organising a communal meal, there was Mick from Australia, Gervaise from Ireland, Rafael from Guatamala, Uwe from Germany and 3 Spanish cyclists Manuel, Davi and Jesus! Had a great meal and the Spaniards spent the evening teaching me dirty words in Spanish. To bed full of wine about 11.30pm
Internet at last !
Day 3- 21st Oct Zamora-Riego del Camino 36kms Total so far 103kms
Up and away by 8.50, Uwe´s feet are giving trouble so he´s staying in Zamora another day. Overtook Rafael after a while then he caught up with me and we walked into Montamarta together and had a drink in a bar. I sat by road to eat a cheese and tomato roll and Rafael walked on , next section was very hot with brown and yellow parched fields. Arrived at 1 horse village Riego at 6.30pm to find Rafael already in hostel, went for dinner together at bar, very basic steak and chips. We´re the only 2 at the hostel so we had a dormitory each, just as well as I could hear R snoring from the other side of the hostel!
Day 4 - 22nd Oct Riego del camino - Tabara 32kms Total so far 135kms
Left at 8.50 again, Rafael is done in from yesterday and is just going to walk 8kms to the next village so I´m leaving everyone behind in my dust! Really cold this morning, had to wear coat and gloves, another over 30km day, by the time you get to the hostel, shower, wash clothes and find food it´s time for bed. Got quite hot in the afternoon and caught up with a tiny 66 yr old Austrian women-Renate- who was carrying a pack on her back that was bigger than her plus another smaller pack on her front. We found hostel together and were soon joined by about 6 cyclists. Walked into town and met an Australian couple(Kevin and Sue) from Adelaide who had a daughter living in Hobart. We had dinner together then I went back to the hostel.
Day 5 - 23rd Oct Tabara - Santa Marta de Tera 24kms Total so far 159kms
Easy day I thought, only 24kms, but i had not reckoned with the rain that greeted me in the morning, waited until Renate and the cyclists had left and got way at 10.20 in the drizzle. Hit roadworks after an hour and got some really sticky mud on the boots, you feel like your walking on platform soles and the boots get really heavy, didn´t last long though. Passed the cyclists later digging mud out of their wheels, had a nice piece of tortilla in a bar at Villanueava de las Peras then back out under an overcast sky. Just before Santa Croya a man hailed me from a building set back from the road and made drinking signs at me, this was speaking my language of course so I went over. There were 7 guys all sitting round a long table covered with the remains of a meal and various bottles of alcohol, they plonked cheese, salami, bread and wine in front of me and we had a great chat in my halting Spanish(they said it was very good!). Turned out they´d been out hunting rabbits and showed me 1 dead hare, the entire results of their hunt! This building was a bodega, a place where they make wine and it had a cellar that had been carved out of the ground underneath the house, I got a guided tour and they sent me on my way with a bottle of wine. Got to hostel at 5.30 to find Renate already in residence, had rolls for dinner and went and watched TV in a local bar.
Day 6 - 24th Oct Santa Marta - Mombuey 37kms Total so far 196kms
Away at 8.50, Renate already gone but caught her up after half an hour, another half an hour and caught up with Kevin and Sue, chatted for a bit then left them behind. Found a shop in Calcedilla and sat on a bench to eat breakfast, Kevin and Sue went past and I think they must have stopped in the next village cos I never saw them again. Rain squalls in afternoon and scenery starting to look bit African with long yellow grass,stopped at a place selling coffee in Villar de Farfon and found it was run by a South African couple and the guy´s mother, thew were missionaries of some sort and it turned out that the mother had lived in Lakeside, a suburb of Cape town at exactly the same time that I was living there - small world! Cold head wind in late afternoon and started raining as I approached Mombuey, found Hostel and located the Hospitalero for the key. I was the only pilgrim there, it was like a barn inside with no windows, spent quite a creepy night there!
Day 7 25th Oct Mombuey - Puebla de Sanabria 31kms Total so far 227kms
Away at 8.50(Why always 8.50?) very cold, been looking for an anti-dog stick to carry for days, found one this morning and 2 minutes later had to use it to repel a stroppy little mongrel.Pretty walk, lots of puddles, sky turning black with rain, walked thru 4 villages without seeing a human being let alone a bar or a shop, 5th village had bar with roaring log fire so in out of the rain and coffee and a brandy. Long walk afterwards, stayed on road for a bit because my info says some parts of this section are unpassable after rain. Arrived at Puebla in pouring rain, €10 for this hostel as opposed to the usual €5 and the dormitory was very cramped, facilities very good though. There were 2 French walkers, 2 Canadians, a Swiss and a Spaniard in residence, the Canadian Louis and the Frenchman Jean-Louis cooked for evryone and we all chipped in and had an interesting dinner(rice soup!) for €3. Conversation a mixture of Spanish and French - rather confusing.
Day 8 26th Oct Puebla de Sanabria - Padornelo 23kms Total so far 250kms
On my way by 9.30 into the pouring rain and today´s task is to climb from a height of 900m up to 1650m over a 6kms stretch, after half an hour my supposed waterproof boots have allowed my feet to get soaking wet and after 2 hours the rain has penetrated my poncho and I´m wet all over. Stagger into a bar at Requejo to find Louis and Jean-Louis there, nice fire going so hang my socks in front of it and watch them steam, after half an hour it´s back out into the downpour to start the big climb. Got to the top 3 hours later, wasn,t too steep but the incessant rain was wearing me down, so when a big truck-stop appeared out of nowhere with a bar, restaurante and hotel I dived in and warmed up with coffee ond brandy. After an hour watching the rain beat against the window I gave up and went and lashed out €25 on a room and had a hot shower, washed all my clothes and hung them on the RADIATORS in the room, everything was dry after 2 hours. spent the evening in the room with a bottle of wine and the TV!
Day 9 27th Oct Padornelo - A Gudiña 32kms Total so far 282kms
Still raining when I got up but stopped before I left, walked down road to Acibero a pretty little village, I´d lost my anti-dog stick yesterday so obviously this news travelled thru the dog grapevine and 2 mangy mutts circled me barking agressively, I tried a trick I´d read about, I bent over and picked up an imaginary stone, the dogs fled immediately, I chucked the imaginary stone after them anyway just to make sure! Nice forest walk down to Lubian where I was supposed to have arrived yesterday then a stiff climb up muddy and puddle-covered track to A Canda. When I saw the track disappearing down into the next valley I decided to stay on the road for the next 3 hours to A Gudiña, very boring but a lot easier. Found Louis and Jean-Louis already in hostel and JL half-cooked some mince for us which we had to chuck back in the pan!
Day 3- 21st Oct Zamora-Riego del Camino 36kms Total so far 103kms
Up and away by 8.50, Uwe´s feet are giving trouble so he´s staying in Zamora another day. Overtook Rafael after a while then he caught up with me and we walked into Montamarta together and had a drink in a bar. I sat by road to eat a cheese and tomato roll and Rafael walked on , next section was very hot with brown and yellow parched fields. Arrived at 1 horse village Riego at 6.30pm to find Rafael already in hostel, went for dinner together at bar, very basic steak and chips. We´re the only 2 at the hostel so we had a dormitory each, just as well as I could hear R snoring from the other side of the hostel!
Day 4 - 22nd Oct Riego del camino - Tabara 32kms Total so far 135kms
Left at 8.50 again, Rafael is done in from yesterday and is just going to walk 8kms to the next village so I´m leaving everyone behind in my dust! Really cold this morning, had to wear coat and gloves, another over 30km day, by the time you get to the hostel, shower, wash clothes and find food it´s time for bed. Got quite hot in the afternoon and caught up with a tiny 66 yr old Austrian women-Renate- who was carrying a pack on her back that was bigger than her plus another smaller pack on her front. We found hostel together and were soon joined by about 6 cyclists. Walked into town and met an Australian couple(Kevin and Sue) from Adelaide who had a daughter living in Hobart. We had dinner together then I went back to the hostel.
Day 5 - 23rd Oct Tabara - Santa Marta de Tera 24kms Total so far 159kms
Easy day I thought, only 24kms, but i had not reckoned with the rain that greeted me in the morning, waited until Renate and the cyclists had left and got way at 10.20 in the drizzle. Hit roadworks after an hour and got some really sticky mud on the boots, you feel like your walking on platform soles and the boots get really heavy, didn´t last long though. Passed the cyclists later digging mud out of their wheels, had a nice piece of tortilla in a bar at Villanueava de las Peras then back out under an overcast sky. Just before Santa Croya a man hailed me from a building set back from the road and made drinking signs at me, this was speaking my language of course so I went over. There were 7 guys all sitting round a long table covered with the remains of a meal and various bottles of alcohol, they plonked cheese, salami, bread and wine in front of me and we had a great chat in my halting Spanish(they said it was very good!). Turned out they´d been out hunting rabbits and showed me 1 dead hare, the entire results of their hunt! This building was a bodega, a place where they make wine and it had a cellar that had been carved out of the ground underneath the house, I got a guided tour and they sent me on my way with a bottle of wine. Got to hostel at 5.30 to find Renate already in residence, had rolls for dinner and went and watched TV in a local bar.
Day 6 - 24th Oct Santa Marta - Mombuey 37kms Total so far 196kms
Away at 8.50, Renate already gone but caught her up after half an hour, another half an hour and caught up with Kevin and Sue, chatted for a bit then left them behind. Found a shop in Calcedilla and sat on a bench to eat breakfast, Kevin and Sue went past and I think they must have stopped in the next village cos I never saw them again. Rain squalls in afternoon and scenery starting to look bit African with long yellow grass,stopped at a place selling coffee in Villar de Farfon and found it was run by a South African couple and the guy´s mother, thew were missionaries of some sort and it turned out that the mother had lived in Lakeside, a suburb of Cape town at exactly the same time that I was living there - small world! Cold head wind in late afternoon and started raining as I approached Mombuey, found Hostel and located the Hospitalero for the key. I was the only pilgrim there, it was like a barn inside with no windows, spent quite a creepy night there!
Day 7 25th Oct Mombuey - Puebla de Sanabria 31kms Total so far 227kms
Away at 8.50(Why always 8.50?) very cold, been looking for an anti-dog stick to carry for days, found one this morning and 2 minutes later had to use it to repel a stroppy little mongrel.Pretty walk, lots of puddles, sky turning black with rain, walked thru 4 villages without seeing a human being let alone a bar or a shop, 5th village had bar with roaring log fire so in out of the rain and coffee and a brandy. Long walk afterwards, stayed on road for a bit because my info says some parts of this section are unpassable after rain. Arrived at Puebla in pouring rain, €10 for this hostel as opposed to the usual €5 and the dormitory was very cramped, facilities very good though. There were 2 French walkers, 2 Canadians, a Swiss and a Spaniard in residence, the Canadian Louis and the Frenchman Jean-Louis cooked for evryone and we all chipped in and had an interesting dinner(rice soup!) for €3. Conversation a mixture of Spanish and French - rather confusing.
Day 8 26th Oct Puebla de Sanabria - Padornelo 23kms Total so far 250kms
On my way by 9.30 into the pouring rain and today´s task is to climb from a height of 900m up to 1650m over a 6kms stretch, after half an hour my supposed waterproof boots have allowed my feet to get soaking wet and after 2 hours the rain has penetrated my poncho and I´m wet all over. Stagger into a bar at Requejo to find Louis and Jean-Louis there, nice fire going so hang my socks in front of it and watch them steam, after half an hour it´s back out into the downpour to start the big climb. Got to the top 3 hours later, wasn,t too steep but the incessant rain was wearing me down, so when a big truck-stop appeared out of nowhere with a bar, restaurante and hotel I dived in and warmed up with coffee ond brandy. After an hour watching the rain beat against the window I gave up and went and lashed out €25 on a room and had a hot shower, washed all my clothes and hung them on the RADIATORS in the room, everything was dry after 2 hours. spent the evening in the room with a bottle of wine and the TV!
Day 9 27th Oct Padornelo - A Gudiña 32kms Total so far 282kms
Still raining when I got up but stopped before I left, walked down road to Acibero a pretty little village, I´d lost my anti-dog stick yesterday so obviously this news travelled thru the dog grapevine and 2 mangy mutts circled me barking agressively, I tried a trick I´d read about, I bent over and picked up an imaginary stone, the dogs fled immediately, I chucked the imaginary stone after them anyway just to make sure! Nice forest walk down to Lubian where I was supposed to have arrived yesterday then a stiff climb up muddy and puddle-covered track to A Canda. When I saw the track disappearing down into the next valley I decided to stay on the road for the next 3 hours to A Gudiña, very boring but a lot easier. Found Louis and Jean-Louis already in hostel and JL half-cooked some mince for us which we had to chuck back in the pan!
Day 10 28th Oct A Gudiña - A Laza
36kms
Total so far: 318kms
Beautiful day, Jean-Louis and Loius already gone when I leave at 9.05am, those two are carrying really heavy packs weighing more than 20Kg, mine weighs about 9Kgs fully loaded with food and water. Lovely walk along the top of hills with views down into villages and lakes, went thru some really poor villages too, absolute hovels with cow, sheep and pig poo everywhere, however lots of sattelite dishes on roofs! Long 10kms descent at end of long day, J and JL already in Hostel which is really luxurious with huge living room and great dormitories, we all went down to a bar for dinner that night. Discovered huge blister under little toe, doesn´t hurt, just feels like I´m growing another toe! Another blister von ball of foot does hurt.
Day 11 29th Oct A Laza - Xunqueira de Ambia 33Kms Total so far: 351Kms
Away at 9.10am, took a while to get out of town as the arrows had gone missing again, 5kms along the flat then vicious climb over forested hill(reputed to be the worst on this Camino) up to a little village with a bar where the owner gives each pilgrim a shell to write their name and the date on, and he then hangs it from the wall or ceiling. There must have been hundreds hanging up there - including mine now! Gradual descent then thru villages, JL came from behind as he´d stopped at a bar, he stopped again for a rest later, that climb had really killed him, he´s been on the road for 40 days as he started in Valencia down on the south coast. Got to the hostel about 5.30pm, Louis already there and had bought beer for us, JL arrived 30 mins later and I shared my amazing dinner of cans of peas and meatballs with him! (Louis already his can of beans - this is how we eat!!) Annother really nice hostel with again just the 3 of us.
Day 12 30th Oct Xunqueira - Ourense 22Kms Total so far: 373Kms
Clocks back last night so lighter in mornings but still didn´t leave till 9.00am, L and JL already gone, wont see Louis again cos he´s going to stay in a private hostel in Ourense for a couple of days so he´ll be behind us now. Nice easy day, sunny, lots of villages and country roads then long haul thru industrial area then outer suburbs of Ourense to hostel. Met a New Zealand woman called Suzanne who had walked there from the Northernmost tip of Norway, she´d been walking for 15 months and worn out 3 pairs of boots, she was now catching a bus to Seville to go home and she sang us a blessing before she left!!! Think she´d walked a bit too far! Small skinny Argentine also in Albergue, looked like he was about to collapse under the weight of his own tattoos! Ourense very beautiful old city, had a walk around and watched the passing parade from a street cafe, went to a bar for dinner, JL was in hostel but didn´t see him the whole evening.
Day 13 31st Oct Ourense - Cea 25Kms Total so far: 398Kms
Away at 9.20-JL already gone(never saw him again!),bought food at shop then on the way at 10.05am, thru suburbs for about 5kms then another murderous hill on tar, rather dull walk thru several villages, stopped for a drink in a secluded bar and watched a cooking program on TV-they always seem to be on when I stop at a bar and the most unlikely-looking rough peasant-like old men watching. Pelted down for the last 2kms to albergue and arrived soaked, 4 Spanish walkers already there and in bed where they stayed until 7.30, 3 young ladies and a guy. Spanish cyclist arrived just after me. They all go out for dinner later while I stay in and eat bread and cheese (and a bottle of wine of course). Go out to bar later and watch the news on TV, seems like it´s flooded all over Spain!
Day 14 1st Nov Cea - Castro Dozon 16Kms Total so far: 414Kms
Last out of albergue at 9.15, look for internet access but no luck so start walking, pass the 4 Spaniards and have a chat, it´s only their 2nd day on the Camino as they started in Ourense, get to albergue at about 1pm. I´m only doing 16kms today because I want to arrive a little bit later in Santiago so that I dont spend so much money(it only costs €5 to stay in an albergue) Spaniards had said thay would stay here too, but they didn´t show up, so I was stuck there by myself for the whole afternoon and night. went down to the only bar in 1-horse town then bought another can of meatballs and a bottle of wine and sat in the albergue till bed time (9.30pm)
Day 15 2nd Nov Castro Dozon - Silleda 28Kms Total so far: 442Kms
Windy night, lots of bumps and creaks, a bit creepy in an albergue by yourself. Got away the moment it got light at 7.55 as rain was forecast, after 50 mins it arrived together with wind. Lots of forests and dead villages, walked 4 hours before arriving at town called A Laxe and found a bar with a roaring log fire and had Spanish tortilla, coffee and a fat brandy! Prised myself away after an hour and back into the rain, another 2 hours to Silleda to find the albergue was closed for the winter, found a room over a bar, they had a washing machine so I bunged all I could into it, I normally just chuck everything onto the floor of the shower and trample on it for a bit! went to buy food and bumped into the 4 Spaniard, they´d decided to walk on to A Laxe the previous day and had ended up doing 34Kms and were now so completely buggered that they had only walked 8Kms today. Ate food in room and watched TV, more storms and floods all over Spain.
Day 16 3rd Nov Silleda - Outeiro 25Kms Total so far: 467Kms
Away at 8.50am into the rain, stopped at a bar in Bandeira, no log fire here, but barmaid with very generous cleavage giving out a lot of heat! Out into rain again, it comes straight thru my poncho and into my boots as well, really getting me down now, this is supposed to be fun! Get to Ponte Ulla to find nice big supermarket and buy lots of goodies for the evening, then have to carry it all up a steep forest track for 4Kms in the rain. Albergue is in the middle of nowhere (that´s why I bought the stuff at the suoermarket), there was a middle-aged Italian couple in residence already looking very chic in their matching red raincoats, matching blue backpacks and even matching maroon and grey sleeping bags! A couple of English-speaking Spanish cyclists arrive and we pass some time showing each other bad card tricks. Shortly after 7pm, pitch dark and still pelting down, the 4 Spaniards shuffle in looking very bedraggled and tired, luckily their are lots of radiators here and they´re all covered with a variety of damp socks and underwear!
Day 17 4th Nov Outeiro - Santiago de Compostela 17Kms Total so far: 484Kms
Leave at 8.25, want to arrive in Santago for the pilgrim´s midday mass so need to step it out a bit, the 4 Spaniards (Doni, Elena, Jessica and Miriam I have discovered) are going to try to make it and we arrange to meet on the steps of the cathedral. No rain today, lots of big puddles to negociate though, The 2 Spanish card-trick cyclists whizz by shouting ¨´Buen Camino¨´, I arrive at cathedral at 11.45 and get collared by old woman who wants to show me a room she has for pilgrims to stay, it´s very close apparently but takes 15 mins to get there and I have to run back to the cathedral. Very touching mass with lots of pilgrims and backpacks lying around, and this time they actually swing the botafumeiro (a huge silver incense burner hoisted up into the air by about 6 guys, originally done to disguise the smell of the pilgrims!) The 4 Spanish pilgrims dont show up, later that night I go out for a drink and bump into the Spanish cyclists and we have a couple of glasses of wine together.
So, that´s it, 2 years to do the Via de la Plata, but am still going to walk on another 90 Kms to Fisterra, which was where they used to think the world ended. Hope I don´t drop off!
Beautiful day, Jean-Louis and Loius already gone when I leave at 9.05am, those two are carrying really heavy packs weighing more than 20Kg, mine weighs about 9Kgs fully loaded with food and water. Lovely walk along the top of hills with views down into villages and lakes, went thru some really poor villages too, absolute hovels with cow, sheep and pig poo everywhere, however lots of sattelite dishes on roofs! Long 10kms descent at end of long day, J and JL already in Hostel which is really luxurious with huge living room and great dormitories, we all went down to a bar for dinner that night. Discovered huge blister under little toe, doesn´t hurt, just feels like I´m growing another toe! Another blister von ball of foot does hurt.
Day 11 29th Oct A Laza - Xunqueira de Ambia 33Kms Total so far: 351Kms
Away at 9.10am, took a while to get out of town as the arrows had gone missing again, 5kms along the flat then vicious climb over forested hill(reputed to be the worst on this Camino) up to a little village with a bar where the owner gives each pilgrim a shell to write their name and the date on, and he then hangs it from the wall or ceiling. There must have been hundreds hanging up there - including mine now! Gradual descent then thru villages, JL came from behind as he´d stopped at a bar, he stopped again for a rest later, that climb had really killed him, he´s been on the road for 40 days as he started in Valencia down on the south coast. Got to the hostel about 5.30pm, Louis already there and had bought beer for us, JL arrived 30 mins later and I shared my amazing dinner of cans of peas and meatballs with him! (Louis already his can of beans - this is how we eat!!) Annother really nice hostel with again just the 3 of us.
Day 12 30th Oct Xunqueira - Ourense 22Kms Total so far: 373Kms
Clocks back last night so lighter in mornings but still didn´t leave till 9.00am, L and JL already gone, wont see Louis again cos he´s going to stay in a private hostel in Ourense for a couple of days so he´ll be behind us now. Nice easy day, sunny, lots of villages and country roads then long haul thru industrial area then outer suburbs of Ourense to hostel. Met a New Zealand woman called Suzanne who had walked there from the Northernmost tip of Norway, she´d been walking for 15 months and worn out 3 pairs of boots, she was now catching a bus to Seville to go home and she sang us a blessing before she left!!! Think she´d walked a bit too far! Small skinny Argentine also in Albergue, looked like he was about to collapse under the weight of his own tattoos! Ourense very beautiful old city, had a walk around and watched the passing parade from a street cafe, went to a bar for dinner, JL was in hostel but didn´t see him the whole evening.
Day 13 31st Oct Ourense - Cea 25Kms Total so far: 398Kms
Away at 9.20-JL already gone(never saw him again!),bought food at shop then on the way at 10.05am, thru suburbs for about 5kms then another murderous hill on tar, rather dull walk thru several villages, stopped for a drink in a secluded bar and watched a cooking program on TV-they always seem to be on when I stop at a bar and the most unlikely-looking rough peasant-like old men watching. Pelted down for the last 2kms to albergue and arrived soaked, 4 Spanish walkers already there and in bed where they stayed until 7.30, 3 young ladies and a guy. Spanish cyclist arrived just after me. They all go out for dinner later while I stay in and eat bread and cheese (and a bottle of wine of course). Go out to bar later and watch the news on TV, seems like it´s flooded all over Spain!
Day 14 1st Nov Cea - Castro Dozon 16Kms Total so far: 414Kms
Last out of albergue at 9.15, look for internet access but no luck so start walking, pass the 4 Spaniards and have a chat, it´s only their 2nd day on the Camino as they started in Ourense, get to albergue at about 1pm. I´m only doing 16kms today because I want to arrive a little bit later in Santiago so that I dont spend so much money(it only costs €5 to stay in an albergue) Spaniards had said thay would stay here too, but they didn´t show up, so I was stuck there by myself for the whole afternoon and night. went down to the only bar in 1-horse town then bought another can of meatballs and a bottle of wine and sat in the albergue till bed time (9.30pm)
Day 15 2nd Nov Castro Dozon - Silleda 28Kms Total so far: 442Kms
Windy night, lots of bumps and creaks, a bit creepy in an albergue by yourself. Got away the moment it got light at 7.55 as rain was forecast, after 50 mins it arrived together with wind. Lots of forests and dead villages, walked 4 hours before arriving at town called A Laxe and found a bar with a roaring log fire and had Spanish tortilla, coffee and a fat brandy! Prised myself away after an hour and back into the rain, another 2 hours to Silleda to find the albergue was closed for the winter, found a room over a bar, they had a washing machine so I bunged all I could into it, I normally just chuck everything onto the floor of the shower and trample on it for a bit! went to buy food and bumped into the 4 Spaniard, they´d decided to walk on to A Laxe the previous day and had ended up doing 34Kms and were now so completely buggered that they had only walked 8Kms today. Ate food in room and watched TV, more storms and floods all over Spain.
Day 16 3rd Nov Silleda - Outeiro 25Kms Total so far: 467Kms
Away at 8.50am into the rain, stopped at a bar in Bandeira, no log fire here, but barmaid with very generous cleavage giving out a lot of heat! Out into rain again, it comes straight thru my poncho and into my boots as well, really getting me down now, this is supposed to be fun! Get to Ponte Ulla to find nice big supermarket and buy lots of goodies for the evening, then have to carry it all up a steep forest track for 4Kms in the rain. Albergue is in the middle of nowhere (that´s why I bought the stuff at the suoermarket), there was a middle-aged Italian couple in residence already looking very chic in their matching red raincoats, matching blue backpacks and even matching maroon and grey sleeping bags! A couple of English-speaking Spanish cyclists arrive and we pass some time showing each other bad card tricks. Shortly after 7pm, pitch dark and still pelting down, the 4 Spaniards shuffle in looking very bedraggled and tired, luckily their are lots of radiators here and they´re all covered with a variety of damp socks and underwear!
Day 17 4th Nov Outeiro - Santiago de Compostela 17Kms Total so far: 484Kms
Leave at 8.25, want to arrive in Santago for the pilgrim´s midday mass so need to step it out a bit, the 4 Spaniards (Doni, Elena, Jessica and Miriam I have discovered) are going to try to make it and we arrange to meet on the steps of the cathedral. No rain today, lots of big puddles to negociate though, The 2 Spanish card-trick cyclists whizz by shouting ¨´Buen Camino¨´, I arrive at cathedral at 11.45 and get collared by old woman who wants to show me a room she has for pilgrims to stay, it´s very close apparently but takes 15 mins to get there and I have to run back to the cathedral. Very touching mass with lots of pilgrims and backpacks lying around, and this time they actually swing the botafumeiro (a huge silver incense burner hoisted up into the air by about 6 guys, originally done to disguise the smell of the pilgrims!) The 4 Spanish pilgrims dont show up, later that night I go out for a drink and bump into the Spanish cyclists and we have a couple of glasses of wine together.
So, that´s it, 2 years to do the Via de la Plata, but am still going to walk on another 90 Kms to Fisterra, which was where they used to think the world ended. Hope I don´t drop off!
Day 18 5th Nov Santiago - Negreira
22Kms
Total so far: 506Kms
On the road by 9.15am, showers on and off during day, pass 3 old German
women then catch up to a young South Korean girl called 'So' singing
very happily to herself , had a chat with her, she tries to say Rick but it
always comes out 'Lek'. Go on ahead and pass a few more people, getting quite
busy now cos we're getting people feeding in off the other Caminos, in fact
albergue fills up that evening and some people sleep on mattresses on the
floor. Walk into town and buy food in shop and eat in albergue, meet Swiss
girl-Rumy- who's walked all the way from Geneva! Feel humble again. So doesn't
show up but the 3 German ladies arrive about 3 hours later!
Day 19 6th Nov Negreira - Olveiroa 33Kms
Total so far: 539Kms
Out by 8.20 into fog and climbed slowly upwards into the sunlight above,
walk thru forests and villages and pass a few walkers, lots of cow poo around!
Stop in a bar for a brandy and watch a bit of football on the TV, arrive at
albergue at 3pm, it's right next to a barn full of mooing calves and another of
foul-smelling pigs. It has a nice eating area with a huge fireplace, so we
plunder some firewood from around the streets and get a roaring fire going,
washed socks and hung them too close to fire and burnt holes in them - well
you're supposed to burn your boots at the end of the camino so I guess that was
destined to happen! So appears and then Rumy and we all eat around the fire
trying to ignore the smell of my socks. Go out for a drink later and meet 2
Canadians and 2 Danes who'd also been in Negreira.
Day 20 7th Nov Olveiroa - Muxia 33Kms
Total so far:
572Kms
Out at 8.45am, lovely day and beautiful hills and valleys, still walking
over a carpet of hazel nuts and chestnuts - nice villages and lots of dogs,
had to show them the stick again, they don't like it. See the sea at last and
walk down into the cute little town of Muxia, find huge and very concrete
albergue and ablute! Only a few people here as most of them will have walked
from Olveiroa to Fisterra, get chatting to Patrick, a Frenchman I had seen at
Olveiroa, we go out to look for a restaurant but everything is closed cos it's
Monday so we buy stuff at the supermarket and eat at the albergue.
Day 21 8th Nov Muxia - Fisterra 31Kms
Total so
far: 603Kms
Leave at 8.35 into heavy cold headwind and do stiff climb up out of
Muxia, very pretty beaches for first 3kms then up into the hills, catch up to
Patrick at about 11.00pm and we walk together into Lires and get coffee in a
bar. Starts to rain just as we leave and we start to meet people coming the
other way from Fisterra, first we see So and take photos of each other in our
rain gear, then I meet a Spanish cyclist who I'd last seen 8 days ago in Cea.
Eventually catch glimpses of sea and are blown and rained into Fisterra at
3.30pm, follow signs for albergue for another half hour but can't find it,
eventually get there to find that it's only info for pilgrims but has no
accommodation. They give us a map of city and we set off to find private
albergue but are suddenly headed off by 2 middle-aged women in a car who
force-march us to their house where they have rooms. Patrick and I agree to
share a room for €10 each, there is already a Dutchman and a Belgian who had
walked from Belgium with his dog - smells like it too! We went out later for a
Pizza then sat in a bar watching the locals play Bingo
Day 22 9th Nov Fisterra - Lighthouse - Fisterra 7Kms
Total so far: 610Kms
Thought we'd finished the Camino but apparently you have to walk to the
lighthouse, peer over the edge of the world and think solemn thoughts (and burn
your boots, but of course elf and safety have banned that nowadays, but I'd
already done my socks!) so off we go up the hill, take photos of ourselves in
front of the signpost saying '0 Kms', I tossed my trusty anti-dog stick
symbolically over the cliff, then we gazed poignantly out to see to meditate on
all that had gone before, but I got bored of that after 10 seconds so we
buggered off!
Patrick saw me off on the bus back to Santiago at 11.45, he was carrying
on to walk down to Lisbon, this after starting 1700Kms away in Le Puy, France.
Humbled again......in UK now for R & R and to inspect the damage, both
little toes have lost their nails and a strange-looking abcess on the shin,
still alive though, time to head back to my dear, much-missed lady wife who is
due to give birth to our first child on 2nd Dec.....but that's another Camino!
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