Boog's Blog

2 November Overcast and a bit warmer, then clearing and sunny

QB walked and then limped into town after doing almost 15 miles. Soldiering on, in pain, but determined. This was not an easy walk. Water pouring down the sides of the path as well as hills and mud and more mud.

The cycling book said that this stage, today and tomorrow, were to be the hardest of the entire pilgrimage. Suspect he was tired when he wrote that section but it was not an easy day. Right out of Sarria is a 200 meter climb followed by rolling somewhat steep hills. Eventually a very steep long descent, not my favorite as regular readers will properly surmise. For the day about 1.1 ESB We are out of the mountains but not out of the foothills.

Perfect day for riding and walking. Scenery, especially the fall colors and hills, as well as stone walls and interesting architecture (some pictured) made the ride a very good one. We believe that the pictured rectangular buildings are feed cribs.

QB walk full of barnyard animals. Turkeys, pig, horses, chickens, dogs.

Portomarin was moved. It is situated on a good sized river and in the 1960’s someone decided that they needed a reservoir. Dammed the river and flooded the valley after moving the town stone by stone to its current location. Especially the fortified Romanesque church. Later on they decided that they did not need the flooded valley and got rid of the reservoir.

Nice hotel. Will find out about dinner later. Last evening’s dinner was excellent with sauteed white mushrooms and jambon, as well as monkfish properly prepared in oil and garlic. QB’s baby scallops in garlic were perfect.

Maybe a dove cote.

Now seeing markers on the Camino every half km. Road route is a bit longer, maybe 20%

A tired and sore QB before the ascent into Portomarin, yes on top of another steep hill.

1 November Intermittent rain, warming a bit

Rest day in Sarria. Semi-modern town on a river, nice river walk along the Camino.

Even though it is a Monday all shops and most restaurants, and Supermercados are closed. Spanish holiday All Saints Day.

Town looks a bit dreary due to the weather and few people outside. Different being in a town that is not a cathedral, or monument center; just a normal town on the Way.

Usual stuff of a rest day, laundry, walk about, napping, and reading a bit.

Found a friendly panadaria to have some coffee and cake, as well as a ham/cheese sandwich. Behind us was an older man speaking what we guess was Gallago. Could hear him quite distinctly as he was talking to another person about something. Neither of us could have guessed the language and neither of us could pick up even a word of Spanish. Suspect there were some in there but not discernible to our ears.

Dinner will be, again, at the restaurant in the hotel. It is a three fork place and was good last evening when we dined with five other americans on the trail. Three bikers using the same booking company and two walkers, pictured.

When the rains started these two woman gave their ponchos to others in need and then found that they were soaking through. Their solution: converted plastic bags. Cute.

31 October rain, more rain, some wind, more rain, hail?? Dirty, wet socks. Happy Hallowe’en, Samhain, All-Hallows, etc.!

QB and KB shod in their most waterproof gear headed to Samos and then Sarria. Samos was a great surprise, beautiful city on a nice river (waterfall for the mill), with its large monastery. More on this below.

QB soldiering on with a hurt and painful knee; naturally determined to try and finish this walk, especially as we are so close to the end. Less than 150 km to go. Amazingly wet for the past two days, apparently typical of Galicia, which is very green and lush, even in autumn. Jeff saw two large white turkeys en route to Sarria. I missed them entirely and am severely disappointed.

Started this entry while still in Triacastela (the correct spelling ). There has been no net connection for a few days – not surprising as we have been on an isolated mountain with few people other than tourists. Have in staying in clean dumps with borderline hostile hosts. Last night’s joint had little heat and beds less comfy than a floor. The place in O’Cebreiro was a stone building. The bar was empty for the most part, except for the family. Their taciturnity (to put it mildly), heads of long-dead boars and deer, expired calendars with religious symbols and lack of heat on a cold rainy evening helped create a rather gothic atmosphere. Good for Hallowe’en.

In the 12th C it was traditional for pilgrims to carry some of the calcium rich stones to the ovens in Castañada where they were made into cement for the construction of Compostela Cathedral.

First, some language stuff about Gallego (have seen it spelled both with one and with two l’s).

This is the westernmost of the Romance languages having split off from Latin in the early Middle Ages. During the reconquesta the language moved South and today its Southernmost form is Portuguese.

Some spelling changes:

el and la have become o and a respectively

n has become ñ as in camiño

some sharp vowels have become diphthongs. -ero —> -eiro

final vowels tend to be pronounced u

Gallego was considered a court language in Leo’n as late as the 13th century.

Above excerpted from “The Pilgrimage Road to Santiago”

The road from Triacastela to Sarria passes through Samos which has a monastery founded in the 6th C. Over time it became rich, was favored by Monarchs and later controlled 200 towns, 105 churches, and some 300 monasteries. It is certainly good to be favored. Benedictine and part of the Cluny network. At some point in its later history, part of the monastery needed some rebuilding due to an alcohol fueled explosion.

The monastery in Samos is reputedly the largest in Western Europe and in almost continuous use since the Benedictine’s arrival. Being a Sunday no tours until after mass. Timing and rain did not permit hanging around for a few hours.

The food has continued to improve a bit as we move further into Gallacia. The standard soup (a type of minestra of green leaves, beans and potatoes) has gotten richer. Usually called “Caldo xxxx” where xxxx is the region. Pulpo quite common. Excellent beer and the ubiquitous too-sweet red wine, served cold. It seems like it is served even colder here, hard to tell. From memory it seems the cold red started in Navarra, probably in Rioja.

Some pictures have been posted on the usual flickr site, today’s date.

1-3: O Cebreiro palazzos

4: inside a Romanesque church, much restored, there

5-7: inside shots of a pallozo

8: outside shot of same one

9-12: Outside of Monastery at Samos

Monastery at Samos

Some practice Spanish

KB at the top of a pass

30 October.  Rain and heavy rain. Wind and big winds

No net connection again, probably tomorrow. A number of good photos to upload from the camera. Descriptions will have to suffice for today.

Tricastella is now a nothing town. Used to have three castles – supposedly good ones – but Normans destroyed them during a failed invasion.

We have dropped 700meters today, most at a seven percent grade. Noticeably warmer here. Hills are visible and completely green. Animal husbandry abounds.

Romanesque church with good bell tower, no stork nests, have not seen stork nests since we crossed the mountain. Maybe they only like the other exposure.

The church retains its shape but has been restored more than once.

Flies. There are a lot of them in restaurants.  Many more of them in Spain than in France. We have very few of them in US establishments.  More chemicals in our restaurants?   Tougher sanitary laws? Less tolerance for the little beasties?  

Pictured is a crop which is planted heavily here. 2 points for getting it or its usage. Five points for both.

Pallozas.  Left an incomplete picture of these.  In this area they have no central chimney for the smoke to escape. Yes pointed thatched roofs.

The roof apparently lets the smoke out but keeps the rain and snow and cold out. Meats are hung indoors, above the animals, so as to smoke and cure them.

More pimentos del padron for lunch. Still no hot ones. Maybe no hot ones in the North.

29 October.  Rain. Rain. Wind more wind. All as predicted

Made a good choice by having the transport take the bike today. Nasty day for a ride with the strong headwind.   A steep but doable walk with great views if the rain and clouds did not fully obscure.

We had hoped for a clear night to see the milky way.  No lights here at 1300+ meters.  Just a few houses and some remaining pallozas, more on these later.

Supposedly pilgrams used the milky way to navigate. Would have been clear here on an appropriate night.

Pallozas are of Celtic origin. Round stone houses, thatched, with a central area for animals, central chimney,  and side areas for sleeping and a sitting room. Apparently a few are still occupied as residences.  

One acts as a small museum example. A number of good pictures are on the camera. No net connection to send them.

This very small village reminds us of Great Tew in the Costswalds. More stone houses and slate flagstone passages between houses and a Romanesque era church. A town much like a preserved village

We crossed into Galacia about 6 km ago. Province seems to be Lugo.

Saw a very soggy group consisting of four blind people, four sighted, and one guide dog. The bar folks were very helpful as they tried to warm at fire.

In the bar at our hostel the family running it were speaking Gallegos. Did not understand their word for night, similar to noches, but not the same.

Many tourists by car as well as the large assortment of pilgrims chilled and soggy.

28 October a day of perfect weather

A rest day with chores and some disappointment.

Wandered the town and spent quality time together. In addition lightened our load a bit by mailing back our summer things.

We planned to do laundry today, apparently there is one of the rare autoservicios in this town. On our way there mentioned to the front desk we were out for a walk and chores. “Oh, I can do the laundry here for you”. How much I ask? Six Euros. I ask her to repeat it twice as QB keeps poking me to say yes and shut up. She can expect a good tip in the morning as it all came back clean and neatly folded.

Lunch included another round of “pimentos al la padron”. This is a dish we will try when we return. Small green peppers, marinated in oil and garlic, probably pan fried and then salted. A fine raciones.

The disappointment is the weather for tomorrow and its consequences. Have been sort of looking forward to the challenge of the 30km climb to the top of O Cebreiro – though not the harrowing descent the next day. The books say to check the weather with the locals; we did that and more.

Forecast, all day rain (ok, I can live with that), high ridge road (harder but doable with eyes closed) and 18-20 mph head winds (not with the other two conditions!). So, after much discussion we decided on the better part of sense and we will take a bus up part way and then walk together if conditions seem safe enough.

QB is hobbling and in much discomfort and pain. Ice, Ibuprofen, and limping, and maybe the new and high tech silicon ball of foot pads will all be tested. Her toes, her words not mine, are little zombie toes.

27 October another perfect day, two degrees warmer than yesterday

QB hobbled on. Hobbled being the key word for the last 8 kms or so. Got a text from her that she was lost and in pain. Lost on some ridge. Took a wrong turn somewhere, following someone else when she suspected it was wrong. Not like her as her navigation instincts are excellent.

After reaching Villafranca I went to the Farmacia to see if I could get some drugs. Succeeded in buying 40 tablets of 600mg ibuprofen. 1.98 euros please. Incredibly inexpensive here. The pharmacist, they are generally quite expert in France and Spain, suggested a foot gadget. Understood the medial tear and felt that this pair of silicon pads, when placed over the toes and on the ball of the foot will change the alignment with the body and pack and help the knee. She sees people all day with knee problems. No problem trying it out. Some doubt exists.

After QB put them on, too soon to know if they help as the combination of knee pain and tiredness after a 15 mile walk over hill and dale precluded snap medical improvement judgement. 24 euros please. Not all items are inexpensive.

KB took the Compostella route most of the way. Peaceful and scenic until a roman road of large rocks, had to walk a bit, got me back to the road.

The route out of Ponferrada was noted in our books as very confusing. Road names have changed and “even the locals get lost”. The bike book left time for getting lost so shortened the section. Nonsense. It was easy,even without using the GPS.

Many vineyards along the way, shining red and yellow in the sun. Large winepress not captured to pixels. More stork nests, have been seeing them for weeks, on or near bell towers.

The industrial revolution seems to have bypassed Villafranca. Still retains the old charm of an old village. Many of the streets, maybe most, are difficult cobbles. Not a biking town in the centro urbano.

According the the tourist office, not as yet confirmed, a miracle from St James: an automatic laundry (autoservico) – coin operated. Naturally at the top of a big hill. Some miracles are just not given away effortlessly.

Naturally another town contested for centuries, even was the capital of Bierzo, which became independent of Leon for two years. Gold and minerals in the hills. The Romans and later others wanted the stuff. After the French in the 19th century lost the city to the English the latter raided the town badly. The English general in charge, to stop the raiding, executed several of his men. Put a stop to the raiding.

We will stay here two days to explore and get ready for the climb over the mountain to the mountain top village O Cebrairo. Supposed to be a 30km climb. Again, much more worried about the descent. Will have to check with the locals about the road conditions and the weather before attempting the downhill.

Old tower when entering Villafranca. Abandoned tour as best as I could tell.

QB on route.

26 October another absolutely perfect day; cold morning and nice afternoon

Visited Disneyland today. Well, almost as it closed when we got there and we did not hang around for their two hour lunch. It certainly looked just like a piece at disneyland.

The Knights Templar castle is, or so they said, the most complete castle left in Spain. If you go to the flickr site you will see more pictures from the outside. Naturally need to look at flickr site of this date.

There are eight photos, one is a panorama which will not show on flickr.

A nice short summary of the history of the Knights, originally commissioned to protect pilgrims on route to Jerusalem, can be found at

http://www.knight-templars-in-spain.com/history.htm

Ponferrada was advertised as a boring mining and industrial city; we found it a nice small city with an old quarter fun to explore. See the pic below for some of the “sights”.

Lunch was a very uninspiring collection of Empanadas. Dinner will be an excellent collection of ham, cheese, sardines, bread, fruit and Gazpacho soup from a container. Picnic in the room as we are in a good hotel. Mini-bar is free. Just help yourself. Have not seen this since Vienna. Wi-Fi in the room is 12 euro; here in the lobby free.

The other bottom picture is an early morning shot of Molinaseca. We waited until the sun came up before setting forth. As it was a short distance KB and QB kept together for a change.

Entry to Ponferrada

Molinaseca early morning

25 October Beautiful day, perfect in all respects. Shimmering light in the mountains.

Clean socks!

Taxi today for both Boogs and bike. QBoog knee especially painful and reasonably swollen in places; definitely not up to climbing up and down anything. The dangerous descent especially not recommended for cyclists or for anyone with acrophobia (even a little) or common sense. Great for adrenaline junkies, maybe. Books we have speak of cyclists getting killed on this road and after the taxi ride it is easy to see why. Do not have the bike for this type of road or the Camino.

Almost 1000 meter descent on a narrow windy road with no shoulder and little to separate the rider or walker from the precipice. In places the Camino goes off road and looks safer but only in places and not on a surface suitable for my bike.

Arrived in the lovely Molinaseca, about 1000 meters down from the top of the pass; Mont Leon. Drove through stone villages, some with still cobbled streets. Molinaseca is another of the towns that prospered as a control point from the gold road. It is located in a valley between a bunch of mountains and presumably has its own microclimate as we saw palm and olive trees growing. Also has a quite acceptable Roman pont. Jeff attempted to visit the church (closed). The river is dammed in the summer to create a swimming pool. Had tapas/pinchos/pinxos/raciones for lunch (or whichever meal it is here): pimientos, calamari, ewe’s cheese. Doing laundry (manually, of course); heaters are on, so can roast wet sock and undies after washing. Resting knee in pretty good Posada.

Belated notes from sacking team on foot. Was too late to see a pile of sheep driven down a street in some small town on the Camino. Managed to see sheep butts, sheep dog and shepherd. Sheeps were not even out of sight before two women were out in front of their homes sweeping the street.

Above is QB in front of nice wall in restaurant in Rabanal. Fine Gazpacho soup here.

Below is a street in Molniaseca and the old bridge

and the bridge

24 October.  Nice departure but increasing chilly climbing.

Imagine the Meseta if you can. Then, tip it upwards. Flattish becomes a 300 meter climb. Wind and chill factor makes it a bit harder.

QB again walked the walk.  Road quality generally good for walkers and bikers and generally parallel. 

We are now in the Maragatos, a collection of 44 villages on the sides of this mountain.  Picture is of a cobbled entre to one of them. QB will have pictures of some villages. Cobbles are not my idea of biking. 

The Maragatos used to be muleteers and have their own customs and lifestyle that apparently set them appart from the Spaniards.  They consider themselves a separate race descended from Berbers or Phoenicians. 

The Confraternity runs a pilgramage here. Only one in Spain run directly by the English. Met the couple running it for a fortnight, they waited a year to be able to volunteer to run it. Nice couple from English northcountry. Thirty four beds and a separate area for those with bedbugs. Only place that will do a hot wash of all cloths and then a shower and full spraying of possessions before putting you in a separate building.  They provide manditory disposible sheets for all pilgrams.

The walls and streets of these Maragatos area are lined with stone walls of high quality and durability. Many without motor. Similar to those in France.

This village has a winter population of 30 and swells to 300 ( some people from Madrid have summer houses here at almost 1200 meters) .  The 30 are feuding. The small monastery took or move paintings or relics from the church, or the other way around. Demonstrations in the street occurred.  Priest was reassigned. All very hush hush in the telling by the confraternity innkeepers. 

Romanesque church of great simplicity and charm is pictured.  No net connection here but wonderful old stone building at top of village.