This second map shows the whole route from Alméria, on the south coast, to Santiago and Finisterre (Fisterra in Galego) on the northwestern edge of Spain.
After a freezing night in the albergue, I waited until 7.00am to begin so that I could call into Rosa Maria’s bar for breakfast. Alas, Rosa Maria must have slept in because her bar was not open as advertised. Ah well, what’s another fifteen kilometres before breakfast, may as well keep going.
For the most of the stage, the breeze was gentle. Not so good for power production, but a welcome relief for pilgrims after days of being blown about.
This kind of surface looks nice but is quiet tough to walk on. It’s hard to get any rhythm on those larger stones and hard on blisters. Having said that, I’m glad to report that my blister is healing well. A small piece of tape is all it needs now. Hopefully, in a day or so, it’ll be as good as new.
Progress!!??
Disintegration (the old castle, I’m referring to, not me. Though I see, I’m looking a bit weather beaten!!).
It was a delight to be able to share in the Benedictus service by Zoom as I walked today - celebrating the feast of the Ascension.
This surface is easier to walk on.
The albergue in Granja, with my laundry hanging unobtrusively in the front window.
The cross roads. Camino Sanabrés - left to Ourense.
I just shared lunch with a guy from Portugal, Fernando, who walked in from the north and is also taking the Sanabrés. He speaks good English and I imagine we might connect a bit over the coming days.
As you can see, the landscape today shared many of the characteristics of the past four or five days - broad, sweeping, and relatively featureless. Tomorrow, things start to change. I’m looking forward to that.
Buen Camino
Neil 💚👣
PS. Special thanks to KAS for her wonderful haiku in the comments last night. The muse hasn’t struck me for haikus these past weeks but I’d love to read any that come to you, dear reader. Just as I appreciate your more prosaic reflections. 🙏
Neil, Chekhov laid it down as a principle of dramatic plot that if there is a rifle over the mantelpiece in act one it must go off in act three. If you tell us there was no breakfast in act one - we need to know how this is resolved! The food and blister situation is of intense interest to those of us focussed on the fundamentals - as you are - I forgot to mention, sleep as another fundamental we anxiously seek news about. Charles.
ReplyDeletePS I think if Marcus Aurelius had blogged from his campaigns on the frontiers of Rome, he would have sounded as Stoic as you do.
ReplyDeleteLooks like you’re on the final stage to Santiago! Well done! Yes, you will have more landscape relief on your horizon as your legs will have a last test of a bit of up and down. Most of it isn’t too difficult, just a nice change for body and mind. Ciao from Italy mate where the sun might just shine here and forecasted to be present more in the coming days. Geoff
ReplyDeleteHi Neil, It was so good to see your walk on Benedictus last night! And I'm so excited about you walking the Sanabres! I started in Puebla de Sanabria, an odd town that trails up a mountain that pops out of nowhere and is topped by a castle/fort. The Spanish pilgrims I walked with recommended Cea's bread as the best in Spain, and it was! If you stay in the monastery at Oseiro, rug up! It's the coldest place I've ever spent a night in. The monks sing a beautiful evensong of Gregorian chant though, which makes it worth it.
ReplyDeleteGood to hear that your blister is healing. That will make walking easier for you. Pleased, too, that you will have Fernando's company over coming days. Love and prayers, Elizabeth R.
ReplyDeleteGood that the blister situation is resolving--but the lack of bars is a serious problem! The Frances is apparently oversubscribed this year; wouldn't it be great if a few more pilgrims tried other routes, to support the infrastructure in towns and villages elsewhere? Ken
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