Boog's Blog

5 November warm and sunny

QB sleeping. Tired from today’s walk. Her view is that she is winding down from this adventure.

As the road was so boring yesterday and as this is the last day QB and KB will be alone took the Camino path. Some hard bits but overall worth it as it was scenic.

No camera pics today will be sent as for some reason my net connection is excellent from the Android and does not work acceptably from the iPad. No explanation.

Yesterday a Spanish woman spelled the smoke houses orreio, today found them pictured in a book and seller horreo.  Maybe galagos versus Spanish. Hard to know.

Bob arrives.  Bob bran bread arrived.  We prepared for the breads arrival by purchasing the local cheese.  According to the guide books this is the only item of note in the town. Did not fond even one church worth a photo. 

4 November sunny and warm with days getting even warmer

Shorter day today, and a good thing.

We are getting close to Santiago and the stages seem to have been set shorter, maybe due to accommodations or time to enjoy Galicia. The food is certainly better here and the walks have been a lot more scenic.

QB walked on drugs again. As the ride was shorter I went out to meet her on the trail. Got to see some more of the Camino and to stretch my legs. Very hilly section.

In some ways the ride today was less than ideal. No flat spots. Up a hill, then down a hill, then up a steeper hill and down a steeper one. Each downhill let my hip get cold so the uphill was quite painful until I climbed a bit and the hip warmed up or got inflamed again, hard to tell. Then downhill again.

One real advantage of the shorter day is that we have had time to prepare for Bob’s arrival tomorrow. Silver polished, shoes cleaned and buffed, new ascots, provisions laid in for feeding on the road.

Melide is a largish town with little to recommend it. A few more Romanesque churches ( but we have all seen many of them by now) and shops and bars. A largish town for people to live in. Highlight was the shoe store, artesian, that made nice saddle leather shoes and accessories. That and the supermercado where QB got some more of her favorite cookies. No gazpacho soup in the drinks section so less to recommend it for me.

And yet another church

3 November A very overcast start, low visibility while climbing, then bright and sunny

QB soldiered on with her injured knee. 15 miles. Last longish day as the next three segments are shorter and much easier. Today, as mentioned in yesterday’s post, was to have the hardest stage of the entire pilgrimage. Not really but not easy.

Day starts with a single ESB climb (350 meters), some of it at 7% but most at a bit easier grade. One then reaches the small, and I mean small, town of Ventas de Nar’on. Thirteen people live there. Two extended families. Each run an Auberge for pilgrims. Learn Gallegos in school, play outdoor games and is very family friendly according to the barkeeper at one of the two establishments. She taught Spanish in Granada but moved to Ventas to have her children out of the “big city”, to run a bar and take care of cows. Her English was excellent.

Discussed the small rectangular buildings seen pictured (the wood version which lead off the post) yesterday. Always raised and made of either stone, or brick or wood.

Called “orrio”. Used, in the past as drying houses for meat. Maybe smoking of meat as well.

Then on a very lovely country road, undulating with some very steep bits up and down, but spectacular in the bright sun. Many small villages. Seems as if the road has been fully repaired as the guide book said that this road had sufficient pot holes and damage to bend rims or split tires. Found none of that, just a very nice road to either walk or ride.

Day ended up with 1.5 ESB of climbing.

QB during a feeding break saw sheep run amok. They were outside the restaurant in the middle of the street looking confused and guilty. A hearty farm woman shouted them back to a corral.
QB continued through the mud and rocks and running water that is the Camino in this area.

Staying in a nice on the outside place, ok inside, complex of buildings. Of especial note is that they have coin operated laundry on the premises. QB asked me to drape myself over the machines to protect them while she is walking.

Shout out to Bob M. Frequent contributor to this conversation he is aware of the distress
QB is in. So, he has been in training to strengthen his back and arms. Now in shape he will join us on the Camino and carry, yes carry, the QB the final 30+ kms to Santiago. Expecting to see a very buff Bob on the 5th.

Threat down, thanks to Stephen Colbert and friends: Mountains; there are too many of them and they obscure the view.

The mentioned sheep.

Some views, first in the morning from

As the fog lifted at the top of the first pass

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.