Short walk... Oh Boy

Yes...it was a very short walk...didn't even raise sweat even though there were some steep ascents and descents.  The hardest part of the day was carrying our packs and climbing up 4 flights of stairs.  That got our heart rates up.  Then we went down 4 flights to lunch and for errands and up 4 flights.  Then, after showers, laundry ( and using the blow dryer to help dry our clothes), a short nap, catching up on my blog and my journal, it's down 4 flights of stairs again for dinner ( Galician Soup and vino).  We definitely got our exercise.

I saw a car wash.. Spain version....the car sat still and the washing mechanisms moved back and forth over the car.  Very cool!

I hear quite a few complaints about the food along the Camino.  It isn't gourmet, that's for sure.  It's plain food that the people of rural Spain eat.  When on Camino, a pilgrim passes through tiny villages, towns and hamlets where simple people of Spain live and work.  In the larger, more sophisticated cities like Burgos, Leon, Barcelona and Madrid,  you'll find more sophisticated food.

But, is that the reason for being on Camino?  I love the Spain I walk through on Camino.

Ponte Compana

We met up with our friend Carla from South Africa in Palas  de Rea.
  We hadn't seen Carla since Santa Domingo on May 28th.  We heard through the Camino grapevine that she was behind us and we knew it was just a matter of time before we connected again..actually we had seen her briefly in Leon, also.

Anyway, turns out Carla is staying at Casa Domingo in the tiny hamlet of Ponte Company the same as Sharon & I. Our room is in a very old flour mill and it is beautiful.  The old mill sits on a creek and part of it is diverted to run under the building.  As soon as I am settled, I go exploring.  The place is fascinating.  On the ground floor, there are still the working parts of the old mill.  Sorry, I don't know the technical terms for the machinery.  In one section, the floor has been but away and a piece of plexiglas has been put down so you can see the water running under the stone building.  I bet the building is  300 to 400 years old.  I love it. From our room we could hear the creek flowing.  Lulled us to sleep.

We went over to the Alberque for dinner.  There were just 6 of us... Sharon & I and Shane(Colorado), Molly (Ohio), Carla (South Africa) and Jesus (Madrid).  The dinner was delicious and included what I took to be chicken.  Carla said no it's rabbit and Sharon refused it.  I said it tastes like chicken.  When we thanked the hospiteleras and Carla commented on how good the rabbit was, the host said "that was chicken".  Cracked me up!

I also had a great time talking with Jesus who speaks very little bit English and I speak very little Spanish.  We had a great time talking about walking the Camino using hand gestures and what little we knew of each others language.

Carla walked on ahead of us today, but we will meet up again in Santiago in a couple days.  Yes...we are close!

Joining the Parade June25

Yesterday was quite nice!  The hordes had disappeared and we walked from Morgade to Portomarin in relative solitude and quiet with other long distance pilgrims.  You know who we are by the looks of our shoes.  What do you think of mine...think they'll make it? 

Our room for the night was in a Hostal.  The room was basic with two beds and a bathroom....nothing special and certainly not homey or inviting.  Just a place to sleep.  One more thing it wasn't was quiet!  OMG!  the other rooms in our hallway were full of young guys and I swear...they all talked at once and at the top of their voices.  I don't think any of them knew how to just close a door.  Slamming it is so much better.  Well, they all went out about 9:00 and oh , how quiet it became again...until midnight when they all came back...loudly talking, laughing and slamming doors.  Wonder of wonders... Within 20 minutes, all was quiet again.  Until the dogs started barking.....pass me the earplugs again, please!

The walk today to Lingonde was once again crowded, but still a good one.  There are a lot of young people walking from Sarria to Santiago.  I met several couples who are finishing their Camino's.  They live in Europe and have come back every year for 4-5 years and have walked for a week until they finish.  Good way to do it, but for those who live in the US  or Australia or South Africa, for example, it would be pretty costly.  Hopefully, tomorrow, the Camino will once again be uncrowded & quiet.

I walked by an old, tiny chapel and decided to go in for a sellos (stamp for my credencial).  I was greeted by an older gentleman who, I quickly realized, was blind.  I stamped my credencial, dropped a euro into the donativo basket.  He held out his hand, I took it, thinking he wanted to shake my hand.  He instead, kissed it.  He was very gallant and I Don't think I've ever had my hand kissed before.

Life is good on the Camino!
Good night, sweet dreams of a Buen Camino.

Where Are We!

Okay, so awhile back I made reservations for us at a place called Casa Grande in Lingonde...double room...two beds.  I have had it with overcrowded, noisey, stuffy, smelley albergues.  For the rest of this journey, We are staying in hostals, and in private rooms!  It's only for four nights.

Anyway, back to Casa Grande.  We walk into Lingonde after a really good 11 mile trek from Portomarin and are told the hostal is 500 Meyers down the road.  Off we go...only to find out it isn't our Hostal.  We keep on walking and looking until we come to Airexe (don't ask me how to pronounce it).  It's not there either.  I called...the host says he's 11k further down the road.  Well crap,  that's all the way to Palas de Rae.  Since we have to walk all of the last 100k, we set off to walk an additional 6.5 miles. 

We get about a half mile down the road when this car pulls up long side of us.  The woman driving indicates she is from Casa Grande and we should get in the CSR and she will take us there.  Well, we're tired, grumpy, dirty and hungry, so we get in and off we go.  Turns out this place is no where near the Camino, but in a small community called Sestelo (I think).

After about 7 miles down  country roads no where near the Camino, we pull up to Casa Grande.  To say we are skeptical and more than a little nervous is an understatement.  What have we gotten ourselves into!

Well, the place is beautiful!  We don't have a room, we have a suite with a huge bathroom (a real luxury for a pilgrim).  Our hostess invites us to sit in the dining room and she proceeds to serve us a delicious lunch.  By now it's close to 3:00 so that's our big meal for the day. 

The rest of the afternoon is spent exploring this beautiful place, taking a short nap, showering in the huge bathroom and not worrying bout getting our clothes wet.  Now we are in the courtyard sitting in the warm sun.

Tomorrow morning, she will fix us breakfast and drive us back to Airexe so we can continue our walk and we will start before where she picked us up so we will still walk the entire way.

Sheesh! What a day!