Month: August 2023

Walked today: 8.0 mi. Camino2023: 272 mi

In spite of the longer distance, today’s walk went well. The sun stayed tucked behind the clouds/fog most of the morning and when it didn’t, the trees provided plenty of shade. The temperature stayed in the high 60’s to low 70’s, helped by a nice, cool breeze.

90% of the walk was on pavement or a sidewalk like dirt or gravel path. We generally stayed on the pavement for more uniform footing and an occasional shortcut. ( a benefit of doing the Camino more than once).

We stopped for breakfast #1 at Casa Molar, an albergue/bar in the tiny hamlet of Ventas de Narón. We have stopped here each of our 5 Caminos, especially for the toast which Linda ranks among the best.

Ventas de Narón was the site of a major battle in 820 AD in which the Christian army of Asturian King Alfonso II (the chaste) sent the advancing Muslim army packing, beginning the the multi- hundred year process that eventually returned Christianity to northern Spain.

Toward the end of our walk we passed a couple who appeared to be struggling. They were from Leon, France and the lady was limping badly. She had apparently injured her ankle during the morning walk. Jim asked if they had any tape for the ankle and both replied no. Jim offered to give them some of our KT tape and explained how to use it to reduce the movement of the ankle and hopefully reduce the pain until they could have it properly treated.

The couple was very appreciative and we bid them good luck and buen Camino. About 15 minutes later, we were sitting at a bar, having OJ when the couple walked by. They both waved and gave a thumbs up. The lady and the man both had huge, smiles on their faces and she was walking without a limp. It certainly made our day, to be able to assist another pilgrim.

Our checkin was immediate when we arrived at Casa Rectoral de Lestedo. We got a light lunch, did our routine afternoon activities including naps and then had a nice dinner in the dining room, served by the relatively new owner who purchased the property in 2018. We stayed here in 2015.

Today was a relief after yesterday’s heat wave. The remaining days will be cooler with possible rain. 6 more days to Santiago!

Walked today: 4.8 mi. Camino2022: 264 mi

The taxi arrived promptly at 7:00 and took us to Portomarin where we stopped for breakfast, then began our walk for the day.

Surprisingly, the pilgrim traffic was not as overwhelming as expected.

For sure, there were a lot of pilgrims walking out of Portomarin, as usual, but after the huge numbers we observed yesterday going through Morgade, we figured a similar level of pilgrims would be seen today, especially the closer we got to Santiago. But based on prior Caminos, pilgrim traffic today was normal… busy for eateries and restrooms from 10 to 12:30-1:00, then almost nothing.

Walking into Gonzar we began chatting with Martha. She began by greeting us with “good morning” with only a hint of a Spanish accent. Jim asked where she was from and she said, “Spain”. She asked where we were from and we said United States, then South Carolina. Surprised and excited she said she lived in SC for a year. Jim asked where and she said Spartanburg! We said, well hello neighbor, we live in Greenville. And then she was really surprised, as were we.

It turns out, Martha, who currently lives in Madrid, did a one year study at Wofford, which led to further conversations about Meredith, Drew, future plans, etc. Before we knew it, we were at the door of our Hostal and so we said our goodbyes and continued with our respective Caminos.

It was 10:00, 72F and our room was not going to be ready until 1:30 so we found a nice shady spot on the outside terrace behind the restaurant, away from the pilgrim comings and goings, and had various drinks stretched out until lunch, then had lunch and eventually got into our room at 1:20.

We did chores and Jim took a dip in the pool to get relief from the rising temperature which is forecasted to get to 98F.

Update: the 98F forecast was way off. We’re in the restaurant where the AC is much cooler than our non-AC room. It’s 109F outside!!! A record for this area.

It’s 5:30 and a couple of pilgrims just checked in to the albergue section of the Hosteria having been walking in the inferno all afternoon. They seemed to be fine. The guy asked me if the wine was cold!

We had a light dinner seated at the coolest table available and by the end of the meal were glad to get back to a little warmth in our room. The outside temperature was down to 94F by 8:00 and should be down to the low 80’s by 9:00. (sunset at 9:20).

The forecast for tomorrow morning and the next few days shows a significant cooling trend, so weather should not be an issue for walking from here on to Santiago.

Walked today: 8.2 mi. Camino2023: 260 mi

We walked by our favorite place to stay on the Camino. We found Casa Nova de Rente by accident in 2015 and stayed here every Camino thru 2019, when we stayed 3 consecutive days, using it as a base when rooms were scarce in this area. The 400 year old family home is a classic Galícian farmhouse. The family treated us like family, including inviting us to eat dinner with them in their spacious kitchen.

Our room and auxiliary areas is one of the best we have seen anywhere. It’s well thought out and effectively addresses all the needs of domestic and international pilgrims.

After being into our room nearly 2 hours prior to official checkin time, we got showers and did some hand washing of clothes and hung them out to dry just outside our door on provided drying racks.

We made good use of the early checkin but were also waiting for the crowds to dissipate, we hoped, before attempting to get lunch, etc.

When we had lunch at 2:45 in the albergue dining room, the pilgrim traffic was almost nil.

The rest of the afternoon was devoted to resting, napping and blogging.

At 7:00 p.m. we were not hungry, but were a bit antsy, so we walked another 1.5 miles to the 100km marker, took some photos to avoid the crowds tomorrow…

…and returned to our room and called it a day.

Walked today: 6.7 mi. Camino2023: 251 mi

The walk to Barbadelo is one you just need to do and move on.

We left Pintin at daybreak and after a short walk on a stone street, the dirt path became like a downward winding tunnel lighted solely by Jim’s headlamp. The dirt walls and overhanging trees keep the path dark until we exited onto a more open path that paralleled the secondary road into Sarria.

For about two miles the road rose and fell gradually, while the adjacent path rose more and fell more, suggesting someone had it in for we pilgrims.

Sarria at first glance is a large town with lots of activity, shops and oodles of pilgrim lodgings. It is the last major town on the Camino before reaching the 100 km milestone. (To receive a compostela for walking the Camino, you must complete at least the last 100 km.)

Most of the people who receive a compostela only walk the last 100 km. So they spend the first night in Sarria which is at the 112 km milestone.

The atmosphere of the Camino changes dramatically upon entering Sarria. The so-called pilgrims just beginning their Camino are not as immersed into the nature of the Camino, that can only be established with walking several hundred miles, experiencing the ups and downs of a pilgrimage with like minded pilgrims versus “tourists” seeking a shortcut to a Compostela.

We entered the forest, crossed a small wooden bridge over a stream and began walking up a very grueling incline for the next 0.3 mile. The elevation gain was 176 ft, giving an average slope of 11%.

When we finally reached the top, the path leveled out and we walked another half mile or so to the albergue in Barbadelo.

We ordered a drink while waiting for a taxi to return us to Casa Cines,

Our return trip was a bit bizarre. First, the taxi driver agreed to pick us up in 10 minutes. After 30 minutes, Jim asked the barkeeper who made the call to contact the driver to see when she would arrive. The response was 5 minutes or less. In less than 5 minutes the taxi arrived. Jim confirmed our destination, Pintin and Casa Cines by showing her the address on his phone and the driver said she knew where to take us. As we left Barbadelo we exited the hamlet on a different road than we remembered from the last Camino. Jim asked and the driver, who spoke zero English, gestured that she knew the way and was taking an alternate route.

We were patient for a few minutes until we recognized familiar roads that confirmed we were going away from our destination, not toward it. At this point Jim said stop! and pulled out his phone and a local map app to point out where we needed to go. The driver showed Jim her phone map and that she was going to Pinton. Jim pointed out that we were going to Pintin, not Pinton. The driver turned the car around and began to retrace our erroneous route and simultaneously got on the phone and began talking to an apparent colleague or dispatcher.

From the tone of the conversation and an occasional familiar Spanish word it seemed that the driver was being instructed to let Jim guide her to the correct location which he did. This included an occasional point or a confirming “bueno” or ultimately “aqui”. Along the way, the driver swerved several times out of her lane while checking her phone and almost collided with a inattentive truck while driving thru Sarria. And her engine stalked twice when waiting for a stop light. And she was driving a late model auto.

As we reached the first sign indicating Pintin, she drove on past it, so Jim got ready and when she approached the next opportunity to enter Pintin, Jim shouted “aqui” and then guided her through the several turns in the village to pull up to our hotel. We got out of the car and when Jim asked “cuanto” (how much) and was told 30€ not 50€, the original quote for the fare to Pinton! So the return to Casa Cines ended well, with only a few anxious moments along the way.

At lunch Jim requested some specialties of the house prepared by Núria’s mother and father during our visit in 2022.

We spent the rest of the day resting and trying to get relief from the near 100F heat. After a light supper we settled our two day bill and said our goodbyes to this nice family and their wonderful kindness and hospitality.

Walked today: 2.1 mi. Camino2023: 245 mi

After Fillobal, there were two hamlets, that contained a microcosm of contrasting structures of different time periods separated by several hundred years.

We stopped just outside of Triacastela for breakfast. We then called a taxi to take us to Pintin.

Jim briefly chatted with two gentlemen, Jose and Francisco, from Brazil who had started their Caminos from Leon. It was the second Camino for Jose and the first for Francisco. When they asked Jim’s name he told them it was Diego (James) but not Santiago. They then reintroduced themselves as Jose, not San Jose and Francisco, not San Francisco. We all, then, laughing, wished each other a buen Camino.

Linda has been struggling the last several days with what she thinks is a UTI. So we decided to cut today’s walk down from nearly 9 miles to a little over two in order to get her to the medical clinic in Sarria… just a few miles from Pintin.

Once we arrived in Pintin, we checked in, got some lunch then took a taxi into Sarria and after a short hour wait got Linda tested, confirmed her diagnosis, got a Rx, stopped at a pharmacy to fill the prescription and headed back to our hotel, all in a 2.5 hour time-span.

We were able to do this so efficiently due to the help of Núria, the daughter and member of the family that owns and manages Casa Cines.

On a Sunday afternoon, Núria arranged to get a taxi in less than 15 minutes, who spoke some English, to take us to the clinic, wait for us, then take us to the only open pharmacy in Sarria and wait for us to fill the prescription, then bring us back to Casa Cines.

The Casa Cines family have welcomed us into their home for each of our 5 Casinos. And last year we stayed here 3 consecutive days to provide a base for our taxi/walking hopscotching, when other places to stay were not to be found. We are staying here 2 nights this time for the same reason.

Linda is feeling much better already after getting some antibiotics into her system.

We had dinner in the Casa Cines dining room and retired early to get going early tomorrow morning so we stay ahead of the forecasted 91F high.

Walked today: 3.4 mi Camino2023: 243 mi

The Rubia Gallega committee was waiting to wish us farewell and “buen Camino” as we walked out the door of Casa Lucas.

We made a rest stop and hot chocolate break in the village of Biduedo (pop. 31) to give the clouds a chance to clear out of the valley below.

The walk along the edge of the mountain and the initial descent offered some extraordinarily views as the clouds lifted and the sun began to highlight the fields and and pastures below. Eventually, the constantly changing weather brought in more clouds that rolled down the mountainsides and worked their way into the valley, forming darker storm makers that began with drizzles and eventually rained more heavily on us.

But the timing was just right, because we had seen and photographed all the good “stuff” and were focused on the descent when the crisp, colorful views disappeared.

Aira do Camiño is one of the best eateries on the Camino. We’ve stopped here on every Camino on our way into Triacastela. Rosa, the owner/manager of the restaurant is very efficient and customer oriented and serves delicious Galícian foods of the region. She also has excellent sweets like homemade cheesecake plus vegan and vegetarian options.

We also have been impressed by the cleanliness of the restaurant, restrooms and outside lounging/eating areas. Thinking that Rosa also managed the albergue, was a reason we chose to stay here for Camino2023.

However, today we learned that the albergue next door is under different ownership/management. And our initial impressions of the owner’s response to our simple request about the possibility for an earlier checkin, have created some doubts. We’ll see when we finally get to check in at 1:30!

The albergue was ok, similar to other albergues but relatively expensive at 43€ for a double room with shared bathroom. The climate control was marginal in keeping the dampness under control in the rooms. The beds and mattresses were soft and not as comfortable as many we have encountered on this and previous Caminos.

So in summary, its a typical albergue, nothing special and not a value. If the restaurant next door were not here, the viability of the albergue would diminish significantly.

We had dinner tonight in the restaurant to sample several of Rosa’s offerings and reaffirmed our earlier assessment of the food quality and variety.

We complimented Rosa on all she has accomplished and thanked her for her splendid hospitality and service. We chatted briefly about the excellent reputation she has cultivated among pilgrims, since starting this impressive small business in 2010 and showed her some reviews from pilgrim apps about her great restaurant.

Thanks, Rosa, for a wonderfully positive experience at Aira do camiño, in Fillobal, Spain.