Triacastela

Another grace gift today...no rain until late afternoon, so we walked with grey skies and cloud cover, but dry and warm with jackets on.  The walk from O'Cebreiro to Triacastela was only 13.2 miles but took us a while longer than usual.  There was a lot of up and down through the hills, plus I had a pain on the top arch of my left foot (right where the shoe laces tie if you can picture that).It started at the end of yesterday's climb and I had hopped it would subside overnight.  Didn't happen.  I am thinking my trail shoes are starting to break down a bit and not provide the support I need, especially in the rocks with the steep ups and downs of the past few days.  But that is only a theory...  At any rate I had some pain, tho not sharp pain, with every step today.  Tomorrow's walk  to Sarria is only 11.6 miles and then we will have a rest day on Sunday, so I hope it can heal in that time.  There was only one church to see in Triacastela today...there is nothing left of the three castles that were in the surrounding hills at one time.  So I took a shower and have been relaxing and catching up on my blog with my foot up.  We did not have free WiFi up on the mountain yesterday, so there was a lot waiting.

We had breakfast a a nice cafe before leaving this morning...some time after 8:00.  The incredible views continued all day...that kept me going.  We passed through little towns and went up and over two Altos...high spots.  One had an imposing medieval pilgrim looking over the vast expanse of Galicia. There were long steep downhill sections the last 8 km.  Just before town there was a 2 km walk on a beautiful tree lined path.  The canopy made it cool and comfortable.  The wind blew at times all day, but overall the weather was overcast and cool.

We are seeing more cows and  chickens.  Twice farmers passed with their small herd of cows.  One farmer was pulling/holding the tail of a cow...almost looked like he was having the cow pull him up the hill.

We are staying in a small Albergue called Berce do Camino tonight.  There are just 5 of us in the room and we are hoping to sleep well tonight.  I think this last week we are going to try to get into
small places and not use the big ones where there are 30 to 90 people in one big room.

Just about time for supper.  God was faithful to get me through this day and I am grateful.  Pray for us as we have six walking days left to Santiago!

Not sure of this is firewood or if it has another purpose...sorry.  Sure is cute tho!

This was up on top of a very windy ridge, but the chickens didn't seem to mind.

LOTS of BIG dogs along the way...but the,seem non-plussed with the Pilgrims walking by...boring.w

Next we ran into a farmer and his herd...

Don't know if holding on helped him get up the hill or of the cow tended to wander...

Farmland and forest...both great for walking.

Much of the limestone used to creat the Santiago Cathedral came from this area.  

This town had a very long Main Street...the town was pretty much built around the one street.

We saw several sets of these happy old folks along the way...

We saw a few of these, too.  You can press a coin and create a souvenir.

Fairy Tale Hamlet - O'Cebreiro

This morning we left our Albergue in a light rain at 7:45.  Fortunately when we got to the end of the town, it stopped raining and didn't rain the rest of the time that we walked.  It was a sweet grace gift from God because it was a long steep climb today and would have been dangerous in the rain.  We had breakfast on the porch before leaving but then stopped in the very modern and upscale town of Vega de Valcarce about 1 1/2 miles later for coffee.  We were really impressed with the classy little place we found. Several very nice homes in town were built in such a way to allow for a neat cafe in the basement....complete with bathrooms, large ovens for baking bread and upscale gift shops.

We walked through several little picturesque little towns and villages.  In the last little hamlet before the steep hike (Herrerias) there was a farmer who offered horse rides up the mountain.  Sounded very cool but when we got there, the group for the morning had already left.  We could only enjoy the horse droppings along the path!  All along the way to Herrerias we were walking along the River Valcarce.

We saw lots of cows, horses, sheep, and chickens along the way.  There were patches of pumpkins, some quite large.

Beyond Herrerias we were in woods for quite a ways.  It was cool and very pretty, but the paths were full of rocks.  Again it took a lot of concentration to watch your step and climb the steep terrain at the same time.  In one town I saw a cool cafe that was named OMEGA.  It brought to mind a song from my childhood:

God can do anything, anything, anything...God can do anything but fail.

He can save, He can keep, Satisfy with joy complete.

God can do anything but fail.

He's the Alpha and Omega,  the Beginning and the End

He's the fairest of ten thousand to my soul.

God can do anything, anything, anything....God can do anything but fail.

I sang it, hummed it, and thought it all day...and He proved himself faithful.

He could keep the rain from falling all day while we walked even when the skies were black with clouds.

He could give us the strength we needed and provide safely as we walked.

He could create the most beautiful views - mountains, valleys, sunshine throughout the rain in the distance, a rainbow...it was endless and stunning.  I think I fell behind Andy walking because I had to stop and enjoy the beauty every little bit...and take pictures, too.  

Often I really wanted to break out signing "The hills are alive with the sound of music."

The steep incline (one of the steepest of the whole pilgrimage) went on for 5 to 6 km.  We were rewarded with the 360 degree views of the Valcarce Valley.  Then at the very top to top off the day was the little fairy tale town of O'Cebreiro.  It was just amazing...little cottages with thatched roofs, old stone buildings all in the same stone and style, and a wonderful church which is one of the earliest surviving buildings of the Camino.  I cannot say enough about how cool it was.  All the streets were cobblestone.  Just the neatest little town so far on the Camino.  It looked like it could have been built as a movie set!  I am told the stone buildings were originally part of the monastic settlement dating back to the 11th century.

The church is also the resting place of Don Elias Valina Sampedro, the parish priest (lived 1929 to 1989) who did so much to restore and preserve the integrity of the Camino route.  It was his idea to mark the route with yellow arrows to guide the Pilgrims.  Now the stone buildings are gift shops, restaurants, a grocery store, and hotels.

We stayed in a Muni Albergue named Xunta.  Late in the afternoon high winds whipped across the mountaintop and rain fell for quite a while.  Fog set in....was kind of eerie.  We have been told that weather will be unpredictable from now on...unexpected storms and westerly winds from the Atlantic Ocean, along with the mountain fog are common.  Soups for warmth are common in this region of Galicia where we are now walking.

After dinner in a quaint restaurant we went to the Pilgrim's service and blessing at the church.  Here it is so very old and authentic and it has a large wide screen Tv monitor with song words in English!  That's a first for us along the Camino.  It was a fitting way to end a good day on the Camino!

Entering Galicia - the last region on our journey.

Enchanting!

I am told this shaggy dog has walked the whole Camino this far with his/her master!

A Nice Day to Walk

We slept well on our little chalet.  People got up early to start their walk but we lingered and left about 7:30.  Walked 2 km up the hill to a very nice little cafe.  The gal running the place was very friendly and enjoyed her job!  The big bonus was, we got fried eggs, bacon, and toast.  I don't even usually eat fried eggs, but a warm breakfast was such a great change of pace, I enjoyed every bite!  She had candles and matches on the mantel, so we put some on our table and even had some ambiance in the morning light.  Really nice.  

We had a choice of walks today...one was up and down some pretty steep hills and one was in the valley through the mountains...we chose the low road today, anticipating the big uphill hike tomorrow.  It was overcast and cool all morning, but it never rained.  We went through Villafranca del Biezo, a wonderful old town with a huge castle, majestic churches, and pretty plazas.  It had a very medieval look to it.  I found out Biezo means sunken plain within mountain range.  It is what creates the moderate temperatures in the area.  It did get cooler as we made our way up the mountains a ways.  On the way out of town there was one majestic view back towards the city.  The castle was positioned in just the right place to see the entire castle.  It was an amazing view.

We followed a stream/river most of the rest of the way.  At some point it was a little trickle and then some places it was cascading over rocks creating white water.  It seems to be fertile land  with lots of fruits and vegetables.  The people were warm and friendly.  One little old lady standing up on her balcony made a gesture indicating we must be cold.  She wished us a sweet Buen Camino.  A car drove by us and tooted his horn, waving as he flew by.  

We walked with Dave, Barb, and Birgitta today.  Lots of lively conversation and sharing about family, the Camino, and life in Canada, Germany, and the States.  The time and the miles passed quickly.  We stopped in a very sleepy little town called Pereje for a mid morning snack and were completely surprised by how nice the cafe was inside...probably the nicest building in town.  At one point a little dog got away from his master...an older woman who was rather overweight.  She started calling for him, shrieking as she called.  I thought she was really mad at someone, but it was just the dog.  Evidently she expected him to obey her call the first time.

We went uphill some, but mainly we were in the valley of the hills.  It was not what I expected, however.  I was thinking a broad lush valley...it was actually a narrow passage through the hills.  The hills were so steep I would never consider hiking up them....double black diamond!  Eventually it opened up a tiny bit and we were in the little town of La Portela de Valcarce.  The Valcarce is for the river that flows through it.  The town is only about 2 blocks long and one street wide.  There is one small stone church that was open when I walked by.  Very pretty and prayerful inside...I stayed for a while.  Lots of the homes had huge gardens with chickens and one had cows out back.  It didn't take long to walk around, so it was a peaceful, relaxing afternoon.  

We are in the El Peregrino Albergue.  It is fairly new and very clean.  Rooms have 1 to 4 bunk beds in them and each room has private bathroom and shower.  Loving that!  The restaurant in the Albergue is the only one in town so we will be eating here in just a few minutes...looks like a good pilgrim plate!

Dinner was great...hot and seasoned well.  Loved the ice cream.  Feel like I can eat anything and still work it off no problem!  Mostly Camino conversation over dinner with a German gal, a French gal, and a Canadian mother and son.  

A friend asked some questions so I will try and answer...it is only 9:00 so I have a few minutes.

Andy and I are feeling well and have no specific physical ailments.  Andy's feet ache each day but I don't really know what we can do about that....he is taking some Aleve and ibprofin some days.  My shins no longer hurt at all. My feet do not hurt but they look terrible.  I will be soaking them and cutting away dead skin when we get home!   Andy usually lays down for a while once we have settled in at our place for the night, just to get his feet up. During the walk we try and take a couple of nice breaks to rest our bodies and feet, too.  Sometimes it just doesn't work...no town in sight,  it usually we can find at least a park bench or a bench in front of someone's home.  Usually when we arrive I take a shower and work on the computer for a while and then I feel like going out and exploring the town where we are staying.  Most are small and it doesn't take long...just fun to see how the locals live and maybe spend some time in a church that is open.  

We are not tired of the adventure or wishing it were over.   We are in a new area now and the scenery is changing as well as the food...that and the interesting people keep it fresh each day.  I continue to be very aware of God's presence and His care and keeping, His protection and provision each and every day.  The Spanish locals have continued to be kind, generous, helpful amd encouraging along the way.

It will be very exciting to arrive in Santiago.  They say your first view of it in the distance is a special moment....then the anticipation as you walk towards your goal.  We understand there is a festival in Santiago the weekend we will be there.  Don't really know how that will affect the experience.  

We will need to check in and get our completion certificate...and then attend the ceremony at the Cathedral at noon.  

We have thought and prayed about what comes next but I can't say that I have heard anything specific about what to do.  It's more things like:  slow down and enjoy the moment, simplify your life, take things as they come, be flexible, and trust God in every way every day.  We have seen Him at work every day in big and small ways.  It has been a continual God Hunt made easy because He has taken care of us so well.

Better go up to the room and get organized for tomorrow.  Thanks for checking in on us.  

The cool outdoor cooking center at the cafe where we ate breakfast...

The Castillo Palacio de Los Marqueses in the neat old town of Villafranca del Bierzo.

Neat old cemetery...

This is more typical of grocery stores in little towns in Spain.  You can't believe all they can fit into these little spaces.

I never did find out much about these trees.  Let me know if you can fill me in!

Another neat memorial to Pilgrims...right on the main highway where my underware was drying on that rack earlier in the day!

La Portela de Valcarce is a tiny town but we had a great little spot to stay.  Most of the homes in town had great gardens...this one complete with chickens.

Beautiful, quiet little church and it was open!  So, I stayed a while...

This garden showed me how how those typical Pilgrim gourds grow!

Singing in the Rain...not

Just got into an unusual Albergue in Cacabelois, Spain.  It is on a church compound at the edge of town.  There is a huge semi circle of connected cabins around the church.  Each has two beds.  The bathrooms are in the middle of the semi circle, along with large stone picnic tables and a snack bar area.  We were offered free transport to a restaurant out in the country for a Pilgrim Meal at 6:00 so we decided to do that.  Interesting.

We had a good sleep last night...slept in until 7:00 and it felt good.  They had a very nice breakfast for us in the beautiful stone walled lobby on the first floor.  We were in the attic with a circular stairway to the top.  They had oj, coffee, tea, toast and jam, great fruit, and you could fry yourself a couple of eggs if you liked.  Very nice.

We left around 8:00 and before long it started raining...rained on and off the whole way...about 15 miles.  This area has unusual weather we are told.  There are mountains all around and there is a valley through the middle.  It stays warm and humid here much of the year,  so it was not and humid with our weather gear on.  We keptl stopping to take it off and then put it on again,

We walked from Molinaseca to Ponferrada on nice sidewalks along the main highway. There are some wonderful things to see on the way though town.  The most interesting and most dominate was a huge Castle of the Templar Knights dating to the 15th century. Just amazing.  Two pretty churches and a very impressive clock tower built into one of the gateways of the medieval wall were also on the way. Fortunately it was not raining when we were in town, so we could linger and look around.  

The town of Ponterrada and the surrounding areas seemed quite nice...wealthy to be sure.  Many very nice, large homes with fancy landscaping, some with pools. Was fun to see.  We noticed several school campuses and possibly a university as well as we walked through the town of about 55,000.

We have noticed in the last few days that the leaves are changing color and falling.  In the mountains yesterday most of the ferns had turned yellow/brown and were dried up.  Fall is coming.  Today we walked by many orchards and through many vineyards.  There are palm trees in the lawns and landscaping of the homes.

We took a break when we came to Camponaraya...needed to rest our feet for a few minutes.  So, we sat on a bench and ate a very good ice cream bar with almonds and chocolate coating.  It ended up being our lunch.  We got to our destination here in the old town of Cacabelos about 1:30.  We raced through town to get to the Albergue because it started raining pretty hard.  I am ready or go explore...it is a  very old and very pretty city, built up around one main road through town.  Naturally the rain stopped and it has dried up since we got here!

Can you believe, we have only NINE more walking days and one more day off before we reach Santiago!?!  My right shoe now officially has a hole in it.  We will need to patch it with the duct tape when it dries!  Hope it can make it!

Had a very good supper and an encouraging conversation over pizza tonight with a Canadian couple and a German woman.  Lots of laughter, some talk about feet problems, and great discussion about how the Camino is affecting our lives now and how it may affect them in the future.  We also talked about how people will react to our stories and our enthusiasm over the Camino...or how their reaction to our story will affect us.  I think we see the end coming up and are beginning to think about what it will be like to go home.   Hope that makes sense....better get to my little "chalet" as they call it here, and get to bed.  The same little group is going to breakfast together in the morning at a little place about 2 km up the road.  

Can you tell I like these old Roman bridges??

I couldn't get this guy to talk...

Need a good investment property?  This  place is for sale.

This is the church that hosts the Municiple Albergue. 

This is the entrance to the Albergue...you can faintly see the roof of the cabins down the outside to the right.

Checking out our options for the next day just outside Barb and Dave's room.  Like how we are all color coordinated?  

The following pictures should be first in this post...they are from first thing this morning in Ponferrada.

The Castillo de Los Templarios, a magnificent 12th Century Templar castle.  It was a hazy dark morning - in brighter light the castle would be quite stunning.