2-27-17 We are staying in a pension right next to the Grand Cathedral. The weather is cool and rainy and we are seeing a few other pilgrims wandering around. We met a German man who’d done 6,000 kilometers walking back and forth from home to here. Carnaval is happening and people are dressing up and there are parades. We’re kind of on the edges of things but fun to see. …
Ponte de Ulla, Pico Sacro, Santiago – 17 miles, 2-26-17 Today we followed the Camino shells to the destination of Santiago de Compostela. Alfred walked ahead at a brisk pace and I strolled along until I got to a sign for the “Pico Sacro” or Sacred Peak. It was rainy and foggy; perfect weather for a holy place. I followed the sign then lost my way. I saw a couple…
A Laxe to Ponte Ulla – 19.5 miles, 2-25-17 Down more winding idyllic country roads past newborn lambs and grazing cows in brilliant green fields. Much of the day was on the ancient Camino Real paved with polished stone and edged by gnarled oaks. The air smelled of cut hay, cows and blooming fruit trees and sounds of birds, calling lambs and herding bells were all around.
Oseira to A Laxe – 19.5 miles, 2-24-17 I left the monastery early climbing up into the dawn. The road of weathered stone was worn deep into the side of the mountain and I could imagine people following this path to the monastery during its flowering. The path wound through hamlets, along streams filled with watercress and past herds of meat and dairy cows. We stayed the night in a…
Ourense to Oseira – 20 miles, 2-23-17 We walked from Cordoba to Granada then on to Almeria, following the Route of the Caliphate and the Camino Mozarabe but had not made it to the end point of all the Caminos, Santiago de Compostela. We are going to start studying Spanish in Salamanca March 1st so decided to walk the last four days of the Via Plata into Santiago for Carnaval.…
2-19-17 So many reasons to visit Ronda: my dear friend’s name, an enticing post from another friend with impeccable taste, Alfred’s parents loved it and it was on the way to our next destination of Sevilla. We hopped a bus drove up the Costa del Sol and pulled in just as night was falling. The next day was rainy which made for dramatic skies and glowing saturated colors.
Santa Fe to Almeria – 15 miles, 2-15-17 We made it to Almeria last Friday. Most of the last day was on small roads and river bed walking. We walked past a man harvesting oranges and he smiled and gave us two of the best tasting ones we have ever eaten. Have I mentioned how incredibly nice the people are?
Albolodoy to Santa Fe – 11 miles, 2/14/17 Leaving the modular Casa Rural it was more river bed walking past the village of Santa Cruz. The crops, architecture and landscape are changing and becoming more desert like with irrigated green zones. As introduced by the Moors, river water is diverted into channels and fields with raised edges. These depressions are flooded according to a schedule. Some farmers are using drip…
