Honest to goodness I’m not entirely sure how I’m going to reintegrate into real life after this. It’s just been so amazing to have life completely simplified into walking, eating, resting, walking, eating, showering sleeping. And the amazing group of people I’ve gotten to spend time with has just been spectacular! Admittedly the core of the group all speak English, but everyday there’s others coming and going from all over the world and all different languages.
So, after the tough climbs and descents, the day before yesterday was relatively flat. I walked by a castle that had housed Templar knights back in the day. It was pretty cool.
One of the drawbacks to doing the Camino is that you’re not often able to ‘see the sights’ if you will. You arrive in town around siesta time, then when things reopen in the evening you’re usually just wanting dinner and bed. So, there’s been a ton of things to see but not always with the time you’d want to spent at them.
The rest of the walk out of Ponferrada was really nice as well with some cool things to see.
And then, another afternoon spent by a beautiful bridge and river. The cold water was amazing on the sore feet, and since this was the destination town, didn’t require more walking. The Italian crew was there playing music, the locals were out in force, it was really great.
2 beers and a Fanta for 6 euros and the Fanta was the most expensive drink…
Stayed in a former monastery that was beautiful. Got lucky that it wasn’t overly crowded and had single beds rather than bunks, which is always a winner.
That’s the light through the stain glass windows shining on the wall.
The town had a really nice garden in the central area.
Yesterday was a long day with a hard climb the last 10 kilometers or so and I decided to ship my pack ahead to make the walk more enjoyable. Best 6 euros I ever spent as I could just relax and enjoy the walk without lugging around the beast. The climb was tough but there was a lovely breeze and the scenery was spectacular. It was a 2 Fanta day. I really like the Fanta here, they taste like orange the fruit, whereas Fanta in the US taste like orange the color.
We were in O Cebreiro, a lovely Galician town at the crest of the hill. Cool breeze, amazing views, a delightful change from the heat of the last couple of weeks. The hostel we stayed in put us olds into rooms with single beds and the youngs in bunk beds downstairs. It was kind of funny.
And finally today. Probably the most gorgeous morning I’ve seen in my life. Got a very early start for a long day. Was walking above the clouds, the valley below completely filled in, it looked almost like a body of water lapping against the mountains. And a sunrise to die for. Really special way to start the day.
The longest day so far, 20 miles. Started the day with the pack and did a bit of climbing, including one vicious little hill that was 200 meters of up. But, right at the top was a place serving very generous portions of Spanish tortilla (basically a crust less quiche with potatoes and cheese, so good) and cafe con leche. The hill was so steep that watching people arrive at the top was like watching people come off an escalator, only most were breathing much harder. After that, one of our little group decided she was taking a taxi to the town we’re staying in tonight, so Mike from Leeds and I sent our packs with her. Made the rest of the long walk way nicer.
And now, an excellent dinner with friends, a single room (a whopping 25 euros) and a short day tomorrow. We arrive in Sarria tomorrow which is the town closest to Santiago where you can walk the required 100 kilometers to qualify for the certificate. It’s hard to believe I’m so close after the struggles, of the first few days up north. I’m excited to get to Santiago, but like I said, I don’t know how I’m going to go back to a normal life, this has been so relaxing and simple an existence, it’s hard to imagine going back to normal. I’m really trying to think about what habits and practices I can take from this to make normal life more like this. It won’t involve walking 15 miles a day, but there will be changes. Anyway, here’s more pics.
the monastery is Samos, the town we’re in tonight.
A church, surprise!
