Days 31-32 Into Galicia
I´m on such a foul Internet connection, the last two days will be somewhat abridged.
Day 31
Cacabelos to Trabadelo--12.4 miles; 170 km. to go
Today´s walk is one of the loveliest ones of the Camino (the weather has cooled, which helps immensely). The trail winds through hills covered in grapevines and finally descends into the town of Villafranca del Bierzo. Mountains surround. The town is filled with old mansions and open plazas; a Romanesque church has a Puerta del Perdon. Crossing this door in the Middle Ages meant that a pilgrim too sick or injured to continue on could receive the same spiritual benefits as if he or she walked all the way to Santiago.
The trail continues up a narrow valley, sliced by the Valcarce River. Deep with chestnut trees, oaks, and ferns, all is green and lush.
Rural turismo is promoted int his valley,a nd people rent rooms out in their houses. I find one with a beautiful yard, a swimming pool, and surrounded by woods. Life is good.
Day 32
Trabadelo to Liñares--13.64 miles; 148 km. to go
More murder on the feet
But it's really a lovely walk
Up and up and up and up today. It´s cool and clear, and the scenery is gorgeous, so who cares. Actually, it looks like it´s going to be up and down all the way to Santiago, but today the biggest up part is done. The top of the mountain is known as O´Cebreiro. All the guidebooks warn that the weather can be vicious at any time of the year, even snowstorms in summer.
View from O Cebreiro
Back during the Napoleonic Wars, an English army mutinied after hundreds of them froze to death on this spot. They kind of deserved it though since the soldiers had gone on hooligan rampages in Ponferrada and Villafranca del Bierzo. Anyway, the weather couldn´t be better, so there are no pilgrim Donner party stories to liven up the blog.
I aclso cross from Castilla y Leon into the region of Galicia today, Celtic Spain with pagan overtones. There´s definitely a different vibe in the air. Plus the locals speak Gallega, a language that sounds somewhere in between Spanish and Portuguese. You think you can understand it but you don´t . Gallega music. Gallega TV.
Spanish TV tonight, prime time no less, is featuring the European sychronized swimming championship live from Budapest--pairs, groups. The competition is fierce. Not even ESPN2 at 3am would have coverage like this.
Day 31
Cacabelos to Trabadelo--12.4 miles; 170 km. to go
Today´s walk is one of the loveliest ones of the Camino (the weather has cooled, which helps immensely). The trail winds through hills covered in grapevines and finally descends into the town of Villafranca del Bierzo. Mountains surround. The town is filled with old mansions and open plazas; a Romanesque church has a Puerta del Perdon. Crossing this door in the Middle Ages meant that a pilgrim too sick or injured to continue on could receive the same spiritual benefits as if he or she walked all the way to Santiago.
The trail continues up a narrow valley, sliced by the Valcarce River. Deep with chestnut trees, oaks, and ferns, all is green and lush.
Rural turismo is promoted int his valley,a nd people rent rooms out in their houses. I find one with a beautiful yard, a swimming pool, and surrounded by woods. Life is good.
Day 32
Trabadelo to Liñares--13.64 miles; 148 km. to go
More murder on the feet
But it's really a lovely walk
Up and up and up and up today. It´s cool and clear, and the scenery is gorgeous, so who cares. Actually, it looks like it´s going to be up and down all the way to Santiago, but today the biggest up part is done. The top of the mountain is known as O´Cebreiro. All the guidebooks warn that the weather can be vicious at any time of the year, even snowstorms in summer.
View from O Cebreiro
Back during the Napoleonic Wars, an English army mutinied after hundreds of them froze to death on this spot. They kind of deserved it though since the soldiers had gone on hooligan rampages in Ponferrada and Villafranca del Bierzo. Anyway, the weather couldn´t be better, so there are no pilgrim Donner party stories to liven up the blog.
I aclso cross from Castilla y Leon into the region of Galicia today, Celtic Spain with pagan overtones. There´s definitely a different vibe in the air. Plus the locals speak Gallega, a language that sounds somewhere in between Spanish and Portuguese. You think you can understand it but you don´t . Gallega music. Gallega TV.
Spanish TV tonight, prime time no less, is featuring the European sychronized swimming championship live from Budapest--pairs, groups. The competition is fierce. Not even ESPN2 at 3am would have coverage like this.
posted by Pam on the road at 10:16 AM
1 Comments:
mis ojos,
Lovely descriptions again and also some history. I'm impressed that you can identify the flora (such as chestnut trees)---did you pack a plant book, too? xxx tu amiga querida
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