Sarria

I

The Albergue Paloma y Lena (meaning Dove and Firewood) was everything I expected. The small private rooms with en suite were warm and quiet. Nine pilgrims sat down to dinner, including 4 of us from Perth, 2 Danish ladies, a German, an Austrian and an American. All had tales to tell of their Camino. Most were doing the whole thing in one go. One woman had walked from O'Cebreiro that day (ie 2 stages - about 40kms!)

The albergue is super well organised: purpose built 10 years ago and run by a family team of Mum (Paloma) and brother    and sister. There are 5 cats! Each one is a beautiful example of its breed. Some of them were growling and fighting in the night, but I didn't have a container to throw water on them!

In Sarria, it was a bit chilly for sightseeing. There was a group of Spanish schoolchildren looking for French pilgrims in order to practise their French. I must have been asked about 6 times, but couldn't oblige. I had an early lunch: the biggest ham and cheese sandwich in the world! Then I set off for Barbadelo, over the ancient "Rough Bridge".

Samos to San Mamede (Sarria)

After a quick breakfast, I set off from Samos at 9.00 am. There were very few pilgrims walking this route, only a few cyclists whizzing past. I soon left the road for muddy tracks and country lanes, uphill and down dale. With only about 10 kms to go, I could afford to take my time.

Lots of wild flowers, lots of cows, birds singing and a fast flowing stream beside the track all the way. There was nowhere to stop for a coffee till I joined the main Camino just before San Mamede. Here there were suddenly many pilgrims who had come on the direct route. I had to queue up for a beer and a tortilla. 

Just down the road I came to a little oasis on the Camino:  Albergue Paloma y Lena, a place highly recommend, where I had booked a private room for the night. It is a new place, very welcoming, with a vegetarian dinner tonight! I have just been chatting to a couple from Rockingham who have walked all the way from St Jean Pied de Port. They bought me a beer and we sat on the garden during a brief sunny spell.

They will not run out of firewood!

Samos Monastery

I checked in at Hotel A Veiga which had a highly recommended restaurant, so I decided to have lunch before doing anything else. From the set menu, full of choices, I had grilled mushrooms followed by "albondigas" - delicious meatballs, with several glasses of red wine. The large dining room, overlooking the river, was well patronised for a Tuesday lunchtime.

After a siesta, I walked back the one km to the monastery and just caught the 4.30 pm guided tour. Our guide was not a monk, but a young Spanish woman with a baby girl asleep in a sling. 

The Benedictine Monstery, though enormous in size, only has 10 monks now. It mostly dates from the Baroque era. There was a disastrous fire on 1951, when a huge explosion occurred in the distillery. It burnt down the library, among other things. There is a modern mural depicting the event, as well as others showing scenes from the life of St Benedict.

Triacastela to Samos

It was a very chilly morning as I left Casa David, well wrapped up in hat and gloves. It was only 5 degrees but FINE and SUNNY!  I only had 10 kms to walk to Samos, but it took longer than I thought. The path was up and down all the way, first following the road and then on a woodland track meandering beside the Rio Oribio.

There was absolutely nothing open for a coffee or a toilet stop. One little village, Lastire, had about 6 signs ordering "No camping, no littering and no going to the loo".  Why on earth don't they build a few public conveniences on the Camino???  As it was, I simply had to go inside a ruined shack!

As the track descended to Samos, I suddenly turned a corner and found myself looking down on the largest monastery in Spain. The church bells were just striking 12.00 o'clock.

O'Cebreiro to Triacastela

Today was the wettest day I've ever experienced on the Camino. It even penetrated the front pockets of my backpack, which is supposed to be waterproof! My leather gloves are soaked and will take a long time to dry out. Ditto my boots.

I left the Venta Celta hotel at 8.30 am. It was 7 degrees and foggy and drizzly. There was no view whatsoever, and on a clear day it would be spectacular. I soon reached the Alto San Roque, where there is statue of a medieval pilgrim leaning into the west wind. That is the only photo I took today, as I didn't want to get my phone wet.

I made 3 stops along the way to try and dry out a bit, but as soon as I stepped out again I was in the downpour. An American woman was trying to persuade people to share a taxi with her, but got no takers!

The track was very muddy with huge puddles. Lots of wild flowers but I couldn't stop to enjoy them. It is fine now that I've reached my destination of Casa David in Triacastela, and there is a rumour that it may also be fine tomorrow.

Ambasmestas to O'Cebreiro

The rain in Spain falls mainly... In Galicia, and I have just crossed over the border.

I set off in drizzle, which got quite heavy. Coffee at 10am in Las Herrerias. Fine for a bit, but rain still dropping off the trees. Cows grazing in lush meadows alongside the river, their cowbells jingling. Huge flyovers high above us, crisscrossing the valley. Fat black slugs on the path.  From here you can hire a horse to the top for €20.

I plodded on, the sun struggling to get out and at lunchtime finally succeeding. At a rest stop I paused for a photo opportunity. I had lunch at La Faba and sat outside even. Some volunteers from the Civil Protection came by, asking about a missing pilgrim. (A Chinese American missing for 20 days).

I finally made it to the top at around 3.30, claimed my room and sat down to eat a dish of octopus in front of the fire. My room suffers from the Quinns problem: my ceiling is someone else's floor. There are 2 Spanish ladies above who laugh all the time. I have been to buy earplugs, which I forgot to pack. In the small supermercado was a group of men drinking some herbal liqueur and trying to set it alight!

My room is small but has a fantastic view down the valley. And best of all a hot radiator.  This is a cold place! It is 11 degrees now and dropping. I have got out my hat and gloves.

Villafranca to Ambasmestas

I set off at 8.30 am. The Posada was situated right next to the bridge, in a good position to exit the town. Only 200 kms to Santiago!

It drizzled and rained all the way to Pereje, where I stopped for a coffee. Then the sun came out for a brief spell, very brief. The Camino followed the river valley up into the mountains, with the Autopista roaring by up to the left and overhead. I saw Alpine Strawberries in flower (no fruits yet) and a few bluebells. 

I am sitting in a bar in Trabadelo eating a ration of tortilla.  Spanish Masterchef is on TV,  big group of chefs in 2 competing  teams, catering for large numbers and then transporting the food at speed on motorbikes! Why? But their efforts look better than my tortilla.

Later....

I reached Ambasmestas by 1.30 pm, had  lunch and a very long siesta and it's still raining.

Ponferrada to Villafranca del Bierzo

After 17 kms in the rain, this was the most welcome sight today:

This is my room at the Posada Las Donas del Portazgo.  The view from the window could have been better:

After checking in to this welcoming boutique hotel, I went for lunch at the Spanish hour of 3.30 pm and dined on courgette and cheese soup, followed by grilled shark and as much house wine as I could drink.

Las Medulas trip

Jorge took me on a circular tour of the mountainous region south of Ponferrada. It was a memorable trip with amazing views once the fog had lifted to become a perfect spring day.

We went to the famous mozarabic church of Santiago de Penalba with its horseshoe arches and then through the Valley of Silence to end up at Las Medulas, which were Roman gold mines.

Dinner back at the Hacienda.

Ponferrada

The bus arrived in Ponferrada at midday, where I was met by Jorge from Hacienda El Val.  After doing some shopping and banking, we drove to his place a it 5 kms out of town. He stopped on the way to pick a big bunch of yellow iris growing by the roadside because tomorrow is his saints day!

The restoration of this old hacienda is very much a work in progress, as he puts in new guest rooms and numerous other projects. He cooked a late lunch of Caldo (soup), followed by trout stuffed with jamon.  It was now raining heavily and I was glad to be inside.

Later we went for a short drive to the village where he was born. We looked at some very interesting restorations of houses which had been done with no expense spared. Kevin M should come here with his film crew!

Oviedo Cathedral

After a good siesta, I was ready to tackle the cathedral San Salvador. There was recorded guided tour in English which would take 90 mins to do the lot. Highlights were beautiful cloisters and a museum upstairs which contained part of the shroud of Jesus when he came down from the cross, bloodstained!

There were few signs of the early building apart from a low crypt. The structure was very Gothic, with a really elaborate carved wooden altar screen from the Baroque era. In a sheltered area outside was a pilgrims' cemetery.

Pilgrims' cemetery just below the arches

Floor of cloister

Ancient olive tree near pilgrims' cemetery

Up bright and early this mornng to catch the 8.30 bus to Ponferrada via Leon. The first part pf the journey was spectacular, with the motorway streaking through the mountains, over viaducts and through tunnels, with frequent warnings about accident black spots. You need to have a clear head to drive at speed on these roads, with a steep drop on one side into the valley below. On our left was the sharp pointed peaks of the Picos de Europa NP.

The road from Leon was much more boring: much nicer on foot than on a bus. I could remember bits from last year, and we saw several pilgrims making their way along the Camino when it came close to the road. There was a thunderstorm as we approached Ponferrada. Hope this isn't the end of the good weather!

Oviedo continued...

Next, on to the second church on the hill, San Miguel de Lillo, also built in 848. No photos allowed inside.  The latice window on the southern wall was sculptured from one single piece of stone.

I walked back down the hill into town, about 3 kms, had a quick coffee at the station, and then decided to take a taxi to the 3rd important monument, San Julian de Los Prados. This is the largest remaining pre Romanesque church. A sign said it was closed except for Sundays, but some workers were inside repairing the floor. I really wanted to see the frescoes, but they wouldn't let me in. Finally they said I should go and ask the rector who lived next door. After some persuasion he let me have 5 minutes inside!

Information from the internet about this church:

San Julián de los Prados is also known as Santullano, and was the largest Christian construction in Spain up until the 11th century.

The church of San Julián de los Prados, or Santullano, is among the monuments in Oviedo and Asturias designated a World Heritage site by the UNESCO. It is located in Pumarín, a suburb of Oviedo located to the right of the A-6 motorway. The church is in pre-Romanesque style and was built between 812 and 842, in honour of the martyrs Julián and Basilisa, a married couple who retired into monastic life. The roof of the building is made of wood, apart from the three apses at the head which are crowned with barrel vaults. It has a basilical floor plan with three naves, a transept and three doorways, two of which are lateral. The naves are separated by pillars and semi-circular arches. The mural paintings at Santullano are worthy of special mention. They are packed with geometrical symbols and figures in a wide variety of colours

The wooden roof is visible through the arch

I had lunch at the Spanish time of 2.00 pm at a Sidreria near my hotel. Asturias is  famous for cider and cheese.

Lunch Menu in Oviedo:

Sidra 6.5%

Scrambled egg w mushrooms and prawns

Pimientos de Padron

Cider v refreshing, not sweet at all, but quite alcoholic!  Waiters like to pour it into the glass from a great height.

Total: €21.80

Free taste of local Asturian cheese on way out!

Oviedo monuments

The sun rises at 7.30 in this part of Spain. Today the town was covered in a blanket of fog early on, but by 10.00 am it had lifted to become a lovely sunny day.  I took the bus up to Monte Naranco from outside the station.

Santa Maria del Naranco was built in 848 as a palace for Ramiro I of Asturias, and later converted into a church. Now it is a world heritage site. It is one of the prime examples of Pre Romanesque architecture.

I had to take a tour in Spanish to see inside, but fortunately I had extensive notes from Wikipedia with me. It is an early example of a building which had a vaulted stone roof and not a wooden one. The view from the upper floor down into Oviedo was stunning.

Oviedo

My plane from Dubai left half an hour late, so it was touch and go whether I would catch my connection in Madrid for Oviedo.  I had to race through the airport like a mad thing!  I caught it by the skin of my teeth.

I watched Mr Turner en route.  It was full of atmosphere but hard to follow the plot because the sound through headphones was so poor. Must watch it again properly. 

The route into Asturias Airport went along the coast near Gijon, before turning inland again. On arrival at Oviedo I found that the next bus into town was at 6 pm in 45 minutes time. But the trip was worth the wait - a real scenic drive through mountainous country. I was torn between looking out the window or playing with the free wi fi, which is a feature of all ALSA buses in Spain. 

In Oviedo, I had to find my way to Hotel Vetusta, where I was booked for two nights. I was pretty tired by this time, but after a bowl of soup and a red wine, I just had to make a quick walk as far as the cathedral and was rewarded by seeing the west facade bathed in the light of the setting sun.

Hotel Vetusta

I'm off then!

This is a famous phrase in Camino circles. I'm currently sitting in Dubai Airport waiting for my flight to Madrid. Not much sleep was had last night. The Emirates flight was packed as usual, so no chance to stretch out.

Hope we get away on time as I have a very tight connection in Madrid to catch the Oviedo plane.

Planning for 2015

Accommodation list 2015


Depart Perth on Sunday, 19 April.  Arrive Madrid and fly Iberia to Oviedo on the afternoon of Monday 20 April.

M 20. Oviedo Vetusta bkd

T 21. Oviedo. Vetusta bkd  (visiting Naranco churches)

By bus to Leon and Ponferrada

W 22. Hacienda El Val, near Ponferrada

Th 23. Hacienda El Val, near Ponferrada (visiting Las Medulas)

F 24. Villafranca Las Donas del Portazgo bkd

S 25 Ruitelan (21k)

S 26. O'Cebreiro (9k) Venta Celta bkd

M 27. Triacastela (21.3k)

T 28. Samos (10k) Hotel A Veiga bkd

W 29. San Mamede (13k) Paloma y Lena bkd by email (Confirm the day before).

Th 30 Barbadelo (10.7) Casa Barbadelo bkd

F 1 Portomarin (18k) Portomino bkd

S 2. Lestedo (20k) Rectoral de Lestedo bkd

S 3. Melide (20.4) Hotel Carlos bkd

M.4 Ribadiso (12.7) Los Caminantes bkd

T. 5 Salceda (14.2) Albergue Turistico bkd

W 6 Villamaior (19k) Casa de Amancio bkd

Th 7. Santiago (9k) Hotel Virxe da Cerca bkd

F 8. Santiago Hotel Virxe da Cerca bkd


ALSA bus to Oporto dep at 12.00 and arrives Oporto at 15.15 (4 hrs 15 mins with time change).


S 9. Porto Lounge Hostel and Guesthouse bkd

S 10 Porto Lounge Hostel and Guesthouse bkd

Walking on Camino Portuguese