It rained last night. It rained this morning when I started out 7:30. It rained during the entire walk. It is raining now.

I am not complaining because it is, what it is. Today was the first rain day of this Camino.

The rain creates its own lighting and mood. You can see the gray fog in the background of this Peregrinos statue at the edge of Triacastela. About 200 meters down the road, the T at the intersection forces one to choose left for the Samos flatter route (18 miles) or right for San Xil hill route (13 miles). Given the rain, I chose right. What I would have encountered on the Samos route will always be a mystery.

The Irish call this kind of day — a soft day. I saw no hard edges. The crowns of trees were light green as the leaves were starting to form. Clouds lingered in between the hills. The patter of the rain sounded in my ears.

I was told that the number of pilgrims would increase once I reached Sarria. But the numbers seemed to increase from O Cebreiro and even more from Triacastela. When I stopped for a cerveza in Pintin, pilgrims went by like runners at a marathon — in twos, singles, and sometimes three or more. I rarely had a moment when I could not see a pilgrim.

While making a brief stop at a funky walled in garden with a table of refreshments for pilgrims, Oscar Ramirez told me that his mother had passed on just a few hours before. Her demise was expected. His mother’s and Juan Pablo’s grandmother’s spirit lives on in them. Here they are at dinner two nights before. I captured them in the distance as they were walking the path. They are the figures in orange.

As I reached the outskirts of Sarria, I needed a refreshment break. It was a bit passed noon. This bar restaurant looked liked a good place for a short beer. However, when I saw the menu (a la carte, no pilgrim menu), I decided to have lunch. The clincher was the Chipirones which turned out to be one of the best renditions that I have had. Below is the grill master and my server. By the time I left at 1:45, the place was full of locals.

Sarria. The closest town on the Camino Frances to qualify for a Compestella. From my room, I have a panoramic view back to Triacastela and a limited one of the centro.

Our pack reunited for the first time since Day 6 when Andrew lost his pilgrim’s credential. In the doorway of Cinza e Lume restaurant, Keith, the senior member, handed Andrew, the junior member, the credential he started with in Burgos. Andrew’s daughter, AJ, witnessed the ceremony. She is joining her father on the final days to Santiago.

We asked Keith from Connecticut who planned to dine alone to join our table. I first saw Keith at my hotel in Rabanal the morning before our ascent and descent from the mountain with the Cruz Ferro. We all agreed that was the hardest day of our Caminos.

Dinner proceed with the chef coming to our table to explain the menu and take our order. That has happened once before in my dining career. I refrained from taking photos of all the dishes. I can do that on occasion.

I ordered the Huevos that were cooked sous vide at the bottom of the bowl. On top were sliced roasted potatoes, Iberico ham, a few slices of foie gras with black truffle dust. The chef mixed the ingredients. The result was an interesting combination of flavors.

My main course was monkfish on top of mashed potatoes. The fish was firm with a subtle seafood flavor. But I am not sure coating the fish with black coloring makes the dish attractive.

Keith from Connecticut prefers old world wines. He chose a Ribera del Duero, a deeply flavored long lasting Tempranillo with soft tannins. We pronounced it excellent.

We also tried two different Albarinos. The opaque bottle yield a flavor more akin to what I would call the usual Albarino flavor – very forward, citrusy, on the acidic side. The other was smoother but did not have the punch that is expected of this wine. No drops were left in either bottle.

It was near 11:30. Although tomorrow is Sunday, we pilgrims have another stage to walk. We ended our meal without dessert. We look forward to another get together along the route.

The sunrise was colored with sublime pastels. When walking alone, I have been listening to Anne Hillerman books about Navajo policemen. One character, Bernadette Manuelito runs daily before sunrise. She has said that she walks in beauty. I agree that the Camino is a walk in beauty.

I met Keith and John — late for them (8:30), just right for me. We literally blew out of town with wind gusts of 35 mph at our backs. Except for a few uphills, most of the walk was downhill — a respite from the steep climbs and declines of the past three days. We were leaving the Cantabrian Mountain.

A few miles down the road we made a brief detour to photograph the large pilgrim statue at Alto San Roque. It seems every pilgrim makes this stop.

We walked the last steep uphill hill into Alto do Polo — clearly the high point of this stage. As the photo below shows, the fans were unimpressed.

The remaining half of the walk was significantly downhill. As I have said before, every mile of the Camino is different. I have never shared the road with cows and a bull.

After descending for another hour, all signs indicated that I was in Triacastela.

I found my hotel which has private rooms as well as rooms set up as an albergue. Here is another chance for you to see the difference between a private room and the dorm like albergue. The bunk beds in this albergue were wood veneer. The example from Day 5 when John TOFTT was metal frames. Regardless, you “sleep” with groups of people with their sounds and quirks. What’s your choice?

I am into the last four days of this Camino. The remaining stages look to be less arduous and shorter than the previous ones. Nevertheless, they will be filled with new experiences as I walk in beauty.

This walk was almost as difficult as the one two days ago. Have you seen a mountain stage of the Tour de France? For most of the stage, the course is somewhat flat with some hills thrown in here and there. And then dramatically, the mountains appear. The riders had sped easily on the flats though they used a lot of energy. When they went up the mountain, they summoned the last ounces of their strength to get to the top.

Our walk followed a similar pattern. Flat for about 13 miles that quickly changed to a 2000 feet elevation gain in the last 6 miles. Certainly a significant challenge. However, I would take the long uphill rather than the long downhill of the other day. Thank you Delia for our hill training and the power walks on the Trexler Outer Loop.

I started off at 8:15 after taking a photo of Oscar Ramirez and his 15 year old Juan Pablo. They are from Guadalajara. Oscar is an attorney and is growing a wine importing business. In addition to walking the Camino, he will meet his wife and his three other children AND meet with selected wine growers. Sweet on all levels.

The flat part of this stage followed one of the rivers that flowed through Villafranca. We walked in a valley flanked by tall mountains. Although warm, we walked mostly in shade — the perfect condition for long distance walking.

I need to digress a moment. In one of the villages, a white cat approached and threw herself on ground. She invited petting and I gladly complied. I received my first dose of kitty love in 16 days. I miss my Rooster.

After easily walking on pavement and level ground, we began our climb to the village of La Fada. A pilgrim sculpture marked the beginning of the long uphill.

I met up with Keith and John just before La Faba about a third of the way up the mountain. We all needed to fortify ourselves before the final climb to O Cebreiro. Keith and John had cerveza while I opted for two cans of Coca Cola. My friend, Eddie Rodriguez, a devotee of long distance cycling told me that my body will call out for Coke at some point during these long distance walks. I needed two cans to replenish the energy I used up to this point and to stock up on carbs for the uphill still remaining.

Near the end, I entered Galicia. Every time I looked back, I was moved by the beauty of the Spanish countryside. I reached O Cebreiro at 5:00 including three breaks. Pacing was important today.

O Cebreiro is a quaint village whose buildings are made of stone with thatched or wooden roofs. They are renovated structures or constructed to recreate an architectural style of earlier times. They do give a particular atmosphere to the village.

Dinner was my usual mixed salad, Galician soup with leafy vegetables, and white cheese covered with honey. The highlight though was the sunset that colored the sky from reds to blues. You can also see the rain falling. I loved seeing the people exclaiming oohs and aahs as the sun dropped in the sky.

No rain fell during our two days in the mountains. How fortunate we were.

Ponferrada is known for its association with the Knights Templar. One of their castles built in the 13th Century sits in the middle of the city. My hotel was 250 meters from it and on the Camino path. Too bad that it opened at 10:00. I also visited the church near the castle — note the Templar cross on the wall. The Templars also have a namesake bar. I am sure a revenue generator.

Several different Camino signs were displayed in the Ponferrada area. Here are some examples and one that was explicit — “This way Pilgrims.” It was time to say goodbye to Ponferrada.

The terrain changed quickly. We were in the heart of the Bierzo wine zone, a wine unknown to me until now. The rolling hills offered a wonderful perspective by which to view the vineyards. Old and new vines. Later in evening, I tasted a Bierzo wine but now the prime objective was to enjoy the beauty of the countryside.

While on the trail, I caught up with Hoo, one of the Malaysian contingent whom our pack had met 10 days ago. He told me that he had walked with Andrew and his friend, Brian, two days ago at Foncebadon. He and his merry group seem to be everywhere on the Camino. An interesting fact, he is 60 and has completed 32 triathlons. Mountains? No problem.

I also made the acquaintance with Amelia from Toronto. What happened to other Canadian friend, Rachel, from Day 3? We had a moment of patriot fervor singing the Canadian national anthem. I once attended McGill University’s French School in 1968. Remember a fellow named Pierre Trudeau? I was in Toronto on 25 June when his party won the Canadian general election. People were wild on Yonge Street in Toronto. Trudeaumania made an impression on this then 20 year old.

After 7 hours on the road, I reached Villafraca del Bierzo which is the gateway to another serious mountain climb before entering Galacia, the province where Santiago is located. The town is very hilly with two rivers running through it. The first photo of the church was taken from the east. I was starting a steep descent into the town. After walking one of its main streets, the Camino path took me across the river to my hotel. Another pilgrim statue was located at one end of the bridge.

My hotel was located on right bank of the river as you look at the above photo. Here is the scene from the hotel’s restaurant.

I commented earlier about what I thought was possible inflation creep in the daily menu prices. I don’t think the memo was received in Ponferrada (see yesterday’s dinner) or Villafranca. Both were 16€ or $17.32 for their three course meals including wine and bottled water. Tonight, I had another fresh salad, two lightly fried trout, and flan. Thank you chefs. They allowed me to take their photo afterwards.

I tried to write this blog before going to bed. I could not after the hand holding the iPhone repeatedly dropped to my bed covers. I opened the window and fell asleep to sounds of the river flowing by.

I awoke at 4:00 after a good sleep to write this draft. Before shutting my eyes again, here is what I saw out of my window.

Today’s hike started at 8:00 and ended almost 12 hours later. My fellow pilgrims and I were looking forward to the final climb to the Cruz Ferro and reaching the highest point on the Camino. Those who did not have Ponferrada as a final destination seemed to sense how hard the descent would be. Andrew had forewarned the rocky road ahead. They were right. This stage was one of the toughest I have ever experienced in all of my previous journeys.

The day began with a beautiful sunrise in Rabanal. I met a Berliner who was soaking in the beauty of landscape before her. She had met a Mexican woman the day before and was waiting for her so that they could walk to the Cruz Ferro together. The photo did not catch her at her best. She was animated when she talked about this moment; she was living in the present.

The first challenge of the day was making the final climb to the Cruz Ferro. If one is in shape and is carrying a light load, this part of the stage is easy. I reached Foncebadon in just over an hour. The Monte Irago albergue was hosting several pilgrims. This albergue is featured in my guidebook. Everyone gave the albergue thumbs up for its food choices. Delicious, they said, and the prices were reasonable. I sipped my cafe con leche. Did you notice the angle of the hill?

While finishing my cafe, Maria and Elise arrived. I had met them back on Day 3 in Frómista. I described them as two Spanish women who had to walk to the next town at the end of the day to find a room. Turns out that Maria is Spanish from Madrid and Elise is Basque from France. They became friends after meeting on a previous Camino and now walk segments during their vacations.

But the real story goes back to Day 5 when Andrew lost his pilgrim’s credential. We searched for it and John had delayed his departure from Calzadilla de La Cueza (after his night in the albergue) to ask the proprietor of the cafe about the credential. No such luck. We concluded that it was lost.

On Day 11 when Keith, John, and I were having dinner in Astorga, Maria and Elise walked by our table and recognized us as Andrew’s friends. They told us that they had Andrew’s credential. It was pinned to the cafe’s bulletin board. They gave it to Keith and we will return it to Andrew in Sarria. The invisible hand of the Camino works in mysterious ways.

Before reaching the Cruz Ferro (about 1.5 miles up from Foncabadon), I looked back on the Meseta with the reflections of Foncebadon’s roofs on the left of the photo. We had come a long distance.

At the Cruz Ferro, many pilgrims leave a stone as a symbolic thanks for their lives, as a remembrance of a person in their lives, or as a wish for the future. I was surprised to see Keith and John sitting on a bench near the cross. They said that they had been there for an hour immersed in their thoughts.

You might think reaching the Cruz Ferro is the climax of the day. But it’s only 10:00 in the morning. The real adventure was only starting with the treacherous and torturous trek down the mountain at least in my opinion. If one were 20 years or more younger, the downhill probably was much easier. Perhaps this memorial presaged what was ahead.

The downhill path was strewn with rocks that required zigzagging, and twisting that resulted in endless uneven footfalls. The section from the Pena de La Escurpia (the high point) to El Acebo — about 2.5 miles— was particularly steep. Along the way, a band of us formed to keep our spirits up. When we sited El Acebo from above, we all said in unison — we can smell the beer. Here we are in El Acebo with five beers and one wine.

From left to right: John and Simone from Australia, John, Jessica from Belgium, Keith, and Ron.

Alas, the rocks continued for almost another 9 miles to the outskirts of Ponferrada. My knees were fine but my right hip was very sore requiring my first pain pills of the trip. I also needed water and some Coca Cola to boost my energy. Thank goodness for the kindly bodega owner in Molinaseca. Shopkeepers and bar owners must do brisk business during the summer season. Even today, I started with my puffy down coat and ended with just a short sleeved t- shirt. It’s only early April.

I reached my hotel as the sun was setting. After collecting my wits and what energy remained in my body, I was rewarded with a most tasty meal. The salad was as fresh as can be. The pollo asado (grilled chicken) was moist with my favorite crispy skin. Add in a small dish of chocolate mousse and a half carafe of local red wine, the day ended with a sore body but with a happy spirit.

The day started somewhat cold and sunny. As Astorga was waking up, I passed some workers draping a stole across the cross that stands in the middle of the plaza mayor. Santa Semana (Holy Week) will be upon us in six days.

Every mile has a touch of uniqueness as I have said before. Here is the frame of a motorcycle that I assume was placed in someone’s memory. “Live a Great Story,” the label says. I hope that person had one and we have too.

Off and on, I have presented interesting signs along the Camino. Two of the four below are what one would expect whereas I don’t get the man pushing up one side of the archway or the die at the beginning of path into Santa Catalina de Somoza. Perhaps they are objects d’art.

We have left farmland behind in favor of pastures and cows. What I did not expect were the teepees behind the cows near the village of El Ganso. There were no signs advertising why they were there. No one was around to ask. Imagine how I would ask a Spaniard if there were — a sure skit for Saturday Night Live.

Throughout the day, I saw only 30 or so pilgrims including a priest from the Ukraine. He was as charitable as one could be about ….. We kept that part of the conversation short. It seems that early Spring is a good time to walk the Camino at least so far along this route. I’ll report numbers if they change dramatically as I am expecting starting in Sarria.

I reached Rabanal del Camino, my destination by 2:15. RDC is a quaint village with many small albergue, hostels, and hotels. I made a visit to the church that was on the main road.

I was fortunate to have another nice room at La Posada de Gaspar that included a large balcony with a clothes drying stand. I took advantage of the stand and the warm sun to do serious laundry. I enjoyed some liquid bread and potato chips while my clothes were drying.

Dinner was simple but very good. In my book, any meal with beans gets bonus points. I had beans (alubia) in a bacalao based soup, red peppers stuffed with bacalao puree, and cheese cake.The beans made the meal.

I was satisfied but tired. Because RDC is small, I had seen the highlights on my walk through the village so I went back to my room. Time for an early bedtime. Twenty miles tomorrow to Ponferrada. We will pass the Cruz Ferro, the main cross on the Camino which is near the highest elevation point of the Camino (1532 meters, 5026 feet), higher than cresting the Napoleon route over the Pyrenees (1429 meters, 4688 feet).

Time to sleep as the sun set at 8:45.

I had a restful night because of the wine by the fireplace and the peacefulness of the B&B. Dawn broke and after breakfast, I said good bye to my hosts Maximo and Mercedes. MG rates a 10.

Once I left MG, I was on the Camino trail, the same road that I was walking the evening before except in the opposite direction. That explains the Camino route through Villavante because the train tracks bisects the straight path below the village. I went up the rail bed to take a photo of the rails. The path on the left side of the photo is what I saw last evening. MG is behind the row of trees by the road. I decided to take a small rock from the bed as my souvenir rock of this Camino.

Within a few miles, I crossed the bridge at Hospital de Obrigo and shortly thereafter made a right turn to follow the Camino into the rolling hills north of the path. I encountered about 30 pilgrims on this segment. Here are three hiking up one of the hills.

My guidebook noted a snack stand at about the 25 km mark. Voila, there it was. I enjoyed a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice and a hard boiled egg. No prices for items; just a donation was requested. Even Bart Simpson is a fan.

The hills ended in a few miles where a large cross overlooked Astorga, a Roman outpost at the crossroads of a river and a major road. I wondered if lots of warehouses were located here back in those times. If you look at the horizon, a section of the Cantabrian mountains can be seen. Our journey tomorrow begins our crossing of those mountains.

Astorga was founded during the reign of Octavius Augustus. He gets some good press as one enters Astorga.

After climbing the hill into Old Town, my hotel was at that end of town. My room was the most spacious and upscale of the trip if you like a modern style. The room was cozy and pretty sound proof. I have been fortunate to have had excellent places to stay over the past three days in Leon, Villavante, and now Astorga.

Time for some city touring. The two main attractions is the Astorga Cathedral (Gothic with strong Renaissance influence) and a Gaudi designed home for a bishop. It now houses a museum of Camino artifacts.

The cathedral displays an extensive collection of ecclesiastical items ranging from reliquaries to vestments. In one chapel between the museum and cloisters, 3-D headsets are offered that present a tour of the exterior and interior of the cathedral — awesome. Finally, the cathedral is breathtaking with its high ceilings and Renaissance decorated alters. Well worth a journey to see.

I exhaled an exclamation when I left the church. Not as big as Burgos or Leon but it certainly has gravitas.

Immediately next door is Gaudi’s bishop’s home. Like the Casa Botine in Leon, it does not present the classic exterior designs of his Barcelona structures. Nevertheless, it certainly attract attention.

By this time, I had met up with Keith and John after a two day hiatus. We shared a repast. I had the chef’s take on a Russian salad — tuna, peas, carrots, olives, and potatoes with minimal mayonnaise, followed by pork cheeks with potatoes, and finally a flan with a spongy texture. The meal was ok. As we get close to the Asturian border, I am hoping that fabada and cachopo will appear.

Tomorrow the mountains. Adios to the Meseta — the plain in Spain.

According to my schedule, I was to have an easy day of 12 miles (20 km). No big deal. I enjoyed breakfast at 8:00. Toured the Leon Cathedral at 9:30 and the Real Colegiata de San Isidoro at 10:30. I had planned to be at my B&B by 4:00 at the latest. Alas, I had to push hard to make it by 7:00 because of a big surprise. One of my cardinal rules is to never walk in darkness. Where I am now is really dark.

Though not as large as the Burgos Cathedral, Leon is still a magnificent Gothic church. Stained glass rose windows are at the top of the nave and each transept plus rows upon rows of rising windows that cast a lovely patina onto the walls. The doorway on the side next to its cloister is still intact with some original colors. The frontal view of the cathedral shows the flying buttresses that support the high walls of the nave.

A few blocks away was San Isidoro, a fine example of a Romanesque church.

Time to get moving — 11:00. I walked by the Parador Hotel on Plaza San Marcos that was filmed in the Way. What an impressive facade that features the shells that symbolize the Camino. It was right next to the building that housed Concinandos, our one star Michelin restaurant from last night.

Across the bridge, the long walk for the next eight miles began on a main street and highway of bars, stores, and apartment buildings. There was one welcome sight during this stretch. Imagine seeing such a building with its sign in the US. The bathroom was clean and a place for a moment of relief.

A mile past the oasis, I came to a fork in the road. The guidebook opined — go to the right, more of the same. Go to the left, a walk in the countryside. Hard to say if the left fork is less traveled by at high season. During my time on it, I encountered one pair of German women. Here are highlights from this stretch.

Continue reading “Day 10 (5 April) — A Surprisingly Long Day — 20 Miles” →

The day started before sunrise at Alonso’s Cafe-Bar for breakfast. When we entered, a fellow was sitting at the counter with Alonso serving up coffee. With the lighting just so, Keith and I thought that we were seeing Edward Hopper’s Nighthawks a la España. A really universal theme of lingering in a diner.

Keith and John went on from the cafe while I returned to our pension to make final preparations for the day. It rained during the night so more gear had to be worn. Turned out it didn’t rain at all this morning; the sun parted the clouds.

The landscape was pretty much what we experienced during the past two days, Kansas in Spain. However, the scenery changed quickly as I approached Leon. First, the auto mile. Then, a Home Depot knock off. After walking through a traffic circle, León appeared in the distance.

After another two miles of walking on city blocks, I reached my hotel named Silken, Luis de Leon which is located a few blocks south of the historic zone. A modern hotel – an upscale change from what I had experienced so far. I also added an image of the view from my room on the 6th floor.

After munching on my dried soybeans and raisins, I headed out for Casa Botine, a rare Gaudi structure outside of Barcelona. The building housed the HQ of the textile firm that funded the building, a bank, and twelve luxury apartments. Designing the building was a challenge for Gaudi because the weather is much colder and wetter than what Gaudi was accustomed to in Barcelona. Different materials had to be used. The style had to fit local sensibilities. Did you know that seven Gaudi buildings are designated World Heritage sites?

One can tour three of the six floors — on the third floor, Spanish art from the late 19th century to the present were displayed. I took photos of Salvatore Dali’s depiction of the Inferno from Dante’s Divine Comedy and Baltasar Lobos’s Chest Toward The Sun.

Visiting Gaudi buildings is like hunting for and viewing Frank Lloyd Wright’s structures.

Time to chill out for the rest of the afternoon. More to come when Keith, Andrew and lifelong friend, Brian, and I dine at Concinandos, a one- star Mchelin restaurant.

About 30 minutes before our reservation time, Keith decided to bow out of dinner. So, three of us went ahead for a splendid repast of nine courses and five wines and one local beer – the Menu Leon. Here’s Brian with other tables in the background. We shared the restaurant with only eight other diners. I could hear our conversation.

I will present a few of the courses and wines that we were thought were distinctive.

The first starter — a delicate skewer of bacalao accompanied by a Spanish sparking wine.

Three other dishes caught our attention — peas topped with a crispy crust, leeks, and the monkfish. Note the beer served with the leeks and the stylized fish knife with the monkfish.

Of course, three types of desserts were served. The denouement was a tawny port with added brandy and fruit essence. A port sangria. We asked and received a second glass. We left very satisfied despite facing the walks back to our respective hotels in the rain.

What this area is lacking in scenery is certainly filled by friendly people. Maria, the owner of La Costa del Adobe in El Burgo Ranero, gave all of us big hugs when we left her hostel after breakfast. Do they give such hugs in Kansas, Toto?

Off we went along a straight road until it took a right hand turn after seven miles. Yes, it is flat. Yes, the road is like those straightaways in the Midwest. But the landscape is beguiling in its own way. The road is deserted and the fields often are bathed in a multitude of colors. I kept thinking — Toto eventually found his way home.

We eventually reached Reliegos, a bit more than halfway to our destination. Time for a beer. While enjoying our beers, Andreas and Duna appeared. Since we welcomed them to our pack, they have been faithful members. This was our fourth meeting on the road.

As we left Reliegos, we were lead by the ubiquitous yellow arrows and a clearly laid brick line that was capped with the Camino scallop shell. People on the Camino route take pride in their association with the Camino.

We made our final push for Mansilla de las Mulas. We have observed a strong regional pride on the directional signs on the Camino. We are in Leon. The Camino sign below showed that Castilla was crossed and whited out. In Castilla, Leon was erased, After centuries, deep regional pride still reigns even after the provinces were combined in 1983. Old identities die slowly, if ever.

After settling into our hotel, we all did our laundry before searching for a bar. We found one in the middle of town. Besides beer, I tried their Albariño — 2.40 Euro for a good pour. By 6:00, the place was filled with locals. Keith and John blended in by playing cribbage and gin. I did too by typing away on my iPhone.

The menu of the day at the Albergueria del Camino was satisfying. I had asparagus wrapped in Serrano ham, a broiled sea bream, and Greek yogurt with local honey and walnuts. A good ending for the day. We weren’t in Kansas after all. Tomorrow, Leon.