Stage 32 - Palas de Rei to Ribadiso da Baixo

Where We Are Tonight:   Ribadiso da Baixo           Miles Hiked Today: 16.2 (26.0 km)

Miles Hiked Overall:  458.1 (737.2 km)                  Miles to Santiago: 26.2 (41.8 km)

Steps Taken Today:  47,898        

Blister Count:  K's are mostly healed...can't say the same for P.

Spanish Word of the Day:  vaca (cow)

What We Learned Today:  Be careful when you party with Irish people...you just might be at it all night.

We are getting close to the end!!  Today we saw the first road sign pointing to Santiago!  It can't be far now. 

The wildflowers continue to be abundant.  Some are new to us and others are just new to our Camino.   We continue to love to stop and photograph and smell them all.

Another sign that were getting closer to Santiago is that there are more depictions and statues of St. James all over.   Here he is on the altar of a small church. 

Today we saw our first burro carrying equipment for a peregrino.  I guess that's done occasionally but I think it would be difficult.   Especially since everyone had to stop and pet him!  Besides the obvious waking and biking, the only other possible way you can do the Camino officially is on horseback.   Although we've seen plenty of evidence of horses, we've only seen them carry peregrinos once; to the top of O Ceberio, a steep mountain.  (By the way, we wanted to do this but all of the horses were rented out the day we got there.  Pam was really bummed.)

We are now walking through beautiful forests of Eucalyptus trees.  It smells so wonderful!

Along the path today, we came upon this man cooking octopus.   It is still eaten everywhere around here.

We had the best night chatting away with fellow pilgrims and new friends.  We came from all parts of the world and spoken different languages at times but we had the best evening together.  There was storytelling,  singing, eating ad such wonderful camaraderie.   And then the local cows came through the festivities on their way to get milked .  Just another typical Camino evening.

2 more days to go!!

"The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page." 

―St Augustine

Stage 31 - Portomarin to Palas de Rei

Where We Are Tonight:  Palas de Rei                Miles Hiked Today: 15.2 (24.5 km)

Miles Hiked Overall: 441.9 (711.2 km)               Miles to Santiago:  43.1 (69.3 km)

Steps Taken Today:  45,264                              Blister Count: lots of bandages used...

Spanish Word of the Day: nubes (clouds)

What We Learned Today:  The closer we get to Santiago,  the more things cost. 

Today was another long day but we were very thankful for some clouds and a nice cool breeze that at times came to us and helped us get up the steep parts.  

The photo doesn't really show it well but there are so many people on the Camino now!  It's especially busy in the morning when everyone is heading out at the same time.   It's not necessarily bad, it's just a different experience to have so many bodies around and making noise.   Today we walked with a group of kids from Barcelona on a school trip and at least 2 bus loads of other groups.  The photo of me in the beautiful forest all by myself was taken much later in the day when we either outpaced or outlasted the newbies!

Because of all the peregrinos now on the Camino, there is tourist stuff all over, frequent bars/restaurants, and higher prices for everything.   We found a place for a snack this afternoon that was perhaps the most idyllic spot - shaded deck, comfy chairs, cold drinks and nobody else!  It was wonderful!

3 more days to go!!

"Somewhere between the start of the trail and the end is the mystery of why we walk."

―Anonymous

Stage 30 - Pintin to Portomarin

Where We Are Tonight:  Portomarin                Miles Hiked Today: 18.1 (29.1 km)

Miles Hiked Overall: 426.7 (686.7 km)            Miles to Santiago:  58.3 (93.8 km)

Steps Taken Today:  56,874        

Blister Count: Our feet just want this to be over

Spanish Word of the Day:  salida del sol (sunrise)

What We Learned Today:  Sometimes the longest route is the easiest route.

We hiked an additional 7.5k m from Pintin to Sarria at the start of the day

The day started off bright and early because we had a long day.  We even saw the sunrise!   It was a long, tough day...over 7 hours of actual walking today.

We walked through Sarrria this morning and we could see the new masses of people.   This is the village where you need to start if you're doing the last 100K...so we see many groups of people, many buses and lots of new faces.   People have joined the Camino at every location along the way but this is by far the biggest influx of people.

The walk today took us through beautiful fields (the old rock walls are amazing!), through some forested areas, and also some open paved areas.   When we got to Portomarin at the end of the day we actually had to climb nearly 80 steps up to the town!

  

We have walked by multiple cemeteries on the Camino.   They are always surrounded by a tall fence and usually gated shut so we've only been able to go into one. Most of them are filled with these small "houses," one per family.  I need to learn more about this to know what's exactly inside.   Sometimes it also looks like maybe there are different layers of graves, kinda like a mausoleum. 

The next photo is of grain keepers in fields.  It is elevated off the ground so no pesky animals can get in.  They are an interesting shape; tall, long and thin.  They all look alike in size and shape but some have decorations of the two ends.

We are officially in count down mode - 4 days to go!

"The use of traveling is to regulate imagination by reality, and instead of thinking how things maybe, to see them as they are." 

―Samuel Johnson. 

Stage 29 - Fonfria to Pintin

Where We Are Tonight:  Pintin                        Miles Hiked Today: 13.2 (21.2 km)

Miles Hiked Overall:  408.6 (657.6 km)            Miles to Santiago: 75.4  (121.4 km)

Steps Taken Today: 41,214                             Blister Count: see one of the photos from

Spanish Word of the Day: agua (water)

What We Learned Today: Always top off your water bottle because you cannot trust the guide book.

Here is a picture of Pam's feet.  She definitely wins the prize for Feet With the Most Issues!

 Today's walk was mostly pretty high in elevation and with beautiful views of the valley below.  Lots of sunscreen was used for the many open areas!

So the sun was shining fiercely in the sky all day...and that's when my guidebook decided to leave out a few important details.  We thought there were a few villages along the way (like it shows in the book) that would be able to give us water. ..but instead we had to go maybe 13K without any water!   We were a little worried because it is soooo hot and humid.  We finally reached our albergue and we drank many glasses of water before finding our bed.

We are so close to Santiago...only 5 days to go!!   Here was a sign during the day showing that we only had 136 km to go (85 miles).

“Nothing builds self-esteem and self-confidence like accomplishment.”

―Thomas Carlyle

Stage 28 - Vega de Valcarce to Fonfria

Where We Are Tonight:  Fonfria                      Miles Hiked Today:  14.4 (23.2 km)

Miles Hiked Overall:  395.4 (636.4 km)            Miles to Santiago:  89.5 (144.1 km)

Steps Taken Today: 45,517                             Blister Count:  hmmmmm....

Spanish Word of the Day:  queso  (cheese)

What We Learned Today:  Eat all the queso con miel  (cheese with honey) that you can...it's FABULOUS! 

As we came through a small village today,  this was the traffic jam we saw.

We are back into mountains big time now. This is the view from atop one ridge.  It is so beautiful!   It feels like you can see forever. 

The climb up to the famed O'Cebreiro town was tough!   It was very steep and rocky and unrelenting.   And it was very hot and humid...in fact, I was quite wet when I got to the top.  There we came across this sign saying we are finally in Galacia,  our last province we will go through on the Camino.   That is quite an.accomplishment!   Everyone was shouting in joy that we made it this far!

Once in the town, we had a celebratory lunch to commemorate the fact that we had made it to the "top."  (We thought that this town was the top of the mountain and all the books also state this,  but they lied.  We still had a LOT more uphill to climb but we didn't know it at the time.)  We celebrated with a huge lunch of home-made chorizo (sausage), empanadas (pastry with a meat and vegetable concoction), vino tinto (red wine) from the region,  pan (bread), and the best queso con miel....which is now my very favorite food ever!  

Queso con miel is so good that we had it for dinner, too, when we got to Fonfria.   We saw the cows that made the cheese walk back to the barn from the fields as we were eating!   Their barn is directly across the street from our albergue.   Many people around here sell fresh honey..so that was local and fresh as well.

“Nothing is impossible, the word itself says, "I'M POSSIBLE".”

―Audrey Hepburn

Stage 27 - Cacabelos to Vega de Valcarce

Where We Are Tonight: Vega de Valcarce                Miles Hiked Today: 16.3 (26.3 km)

Miles Hiked Overall: 381.0 (613.2 km)                     Miles to Santiago:  104.0 (167.3 km)

Steps Taken Today:  44,688        

Blister Count: The growth under my blisters on my right foot continues to grow and hurt and Pam has new ones every day!

Spanish Word of the Day: cerezas (cherries)

What We Learned Today:  If you can take a break while looking at a very old castle, take it!  (See photo below.)

As I reflect on today, all I remember is that we walked on a lot of pavement today, just beside the road.  Luckily,  a few years ago they built a huge new highway bypassing the villages in this area.  That's great for us because now the road where the peregrinos walk only has to deal with local traffic but of course these small villages are dying due to the lack of business.  The Camino is the main source of income for many of these villages.

We are back in grape country!  The wine here is fabulous.   It is also cherry season and people are selling them on the side of the road.  Among all of the beautiful flowers we constantly see,  all of a sudden people have roses in their yards, of every size, style and color imaginable.   We are thinking of all you people back in Portland celebrating the Rose Festival!

We went through the cute city of Villafranca.  There we decided to take a break.  We picked, like we did the day before, a place where we could look at a castle while we rested.  How cool is that?   These towns and villages are so old, it's hard for us to fathom how long they've been around.   While in town, we watched a triathlon.   The hills they had to bike over were so difficult and then they had to run on old cobblestone!  (We didn't see them swimming.)  Wow...my triathlons kinda pale in comparison. 

Speaking of snacks,  we found Bugles here!   Anyone remember them?  Oh, so good!   So here is a picture of my snack break...which includes, of course, reading my Camino book!

“No one knows to what heights you can soar. Even you will not know until you spread your wings.”

―Anonymous

Stage 26 - Molinaseca to Cacabelos

Where We Are Tonight:  Cacabelos                Miles Hiked Today:  14.6 (23.5 km)

Miles Hiked Overall: 364.7 (586.9 km)            Miles to Santiago:  120.3 (167.3 km)

Steps Taken Today:  40,124                           Blister Count: I don't know...

Spanish Word of the Day: pulpo (octopus)

What We Learned Today: If it's an herb, it grows wild here.  So far we've found oregano, thyme, rosemary, lavender, fennel, and lemon balm.

Today we walked through the cool town of Ponferrada.  There we saw an awesome Knights Templar castle from the 12th century.

Walking today was very humid and hot and buggy.   We all looked like Pig Pen from Charlie Brown with all of the dust and bugs flying around us!

Coming in to a small village, we heard the bells of the church ringing.  We didn't think too much of it until it went in for quite a few minutes.   We finally walked by the church and got to see three grown men at the top of the bell tower, outside,  physically making the bells swing around and around to get them to ring.  After watching that for awhile, we continued down the street and saw for the second time a parade for a saint.

Cacabelos and all of this area is well-known for its specialty: octopus.   I'm not quite sure why this is their specialty since they are no where near the coast.  But, oh well, when in Rome....So, we tried some.  The meat inside is actually quite good, kinda like scallops.   We are not too keen on the outside skin.

My book of the Camino has 4 pages of maps and we are now on page 4!!

“If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion and avoid the people, you might better stay at home.” 

―James Michener.