Caminar ala medieval

and bloody true! that last kms were the worst, most painful 5kms of my entire route! I thought I would just fell apart, my joints were in such pain. but I did not give in and walked all the way and reached Santiago and the sun came up and I was so happy I can't even tell you! :-)

Villafranca del Bierzo - Pradela - Fonfria

yp, I shouldn't have walked all the way to Villafranca that previous day. tendenitis hit in again. so, since I thought that 12kms of no villages and water and services were a little too much risk for such a condition, and I didn't really want to walk 20kms on tarmac (I remember too well that that kms were the reason for my tendenitis four years ago), I took the bus to Pradela to avoid as mush of that tarmac as possible. I was still left with a good bit of it, but managed.

the climb to O Cebreiro was again very beautiful, with sweeping views back to the valley we came. I poked around the village a little, to take a better look at palozas, a man repairing a tached roof, and a man doing something with onions, but it felt too touristy to stay. so I tackled on and made it as far as Fonfria, to the albergue I already knew. with no kitchen, I took dinner, and we had very good pilgrim minestra (with meat which I avoided) and tarta de santiago.

Fonfria - Samos

the start of Galicia proved nice and the infamous weather hold. the descend was as beautiful as the climb. I saw three castles on Triacastela's church, the only evidence left of their existance. but otherwise the small town is very small and without pilgrims seemed quite empty. this time I wanted to do the alternative route to the Samos monastery. the first part through the gorge was along the road, but after the first village we were on beautiful rural lanes flanked with old chestnut and oak trees on one side and mossy stone walls on the other. I took a little detour to see a 14C fortified mansion, now in restauration progress, but once it is done, it will look amazing. I peeked inside as mush as I could, and saw bunk beds in one of the rooms - maybe there will also be an albergue?

the route brough us above the monastery and we had a fine view over the huge complex with two arcaded courtyards and a church on the first floor. there is also a painting of a nun with the face of Sofia Loren and a keystone with the inscription ¿que miras, bobo?' (what are you looking at, fool?). the albergue is actually inside the monastery itself, the beds are in one huge dormitory, but separated with panels so each pilgrim has its one little private compartment. the bathrooms are a bit austere, though, and the water only on the first floor.

Samos - Barbadelo

we had to leave by 7.30 and it was good that the first few kms of the route were along the road because it was still night (and I have no torch). then there was again a beautiful part through forests, past a farm where they still drive the hay in old wooden kind-a-wagons, and past tiny villages with tiniest churches. then we were on the road again. a nice German bicyclist walked me through the territory of some huge barking dogs (they didn't seem to be too vicious, though) and although the countryside was tranquil and green, the road was hard on the feet. I learned later that there is also a path to Hospital but I didn't see any turn-offs.

it was sunday and Sarria was surprisingly quiet (and all shops closed, of course). I continued to Barbadelo where I stayed in my first Xunta albergue. it is in a former school but quite comfy. the kitchen, though, is empty, no pots, no plates, no cutlery. with Unni (from Norway) and Gite (from Denmark) I visited finely decorated local church, once part of a monastery.

Barbadelo - Gonzar

this was Galicia, up and down and up and down over myriad of little stream valleys and bigger hills, in different shades of green, but luckily still with no rain. noone could tell me the way to the Valle del Poio (a detour I wished to make) so I continued on from Portomarin and ended in Gonzar. I treated myself a little and stayed in the more expensive private albergue where the bunk beds were huge and high, and there were thick warm blankets. I sleept very well. there was also free laundry service which I took advantage of, and my clothes did dry up during the night.

Gonzar - Pontecampaña

I tried the bar-pension (now also albergue) in Portos, to see if they have become friendlier (four years ago you couldn'y go to the toilet unless you slept there), and asked if I can go to the toilet. no, unless I buy something. so I said 'no, thanks' and watered some grass.

I made an off route trip to Vilar de Doñas, a chapel that was once part of a nun's monastery (doñas), which has beautifully preserved 15C frescoes. but not of these doñas, as many guides will tell you, they are Juan II and Isabel de Aragon, and principe Enrique. it is true that they all look a bit feminine, but that is supposed to be the fashion in painting at the time. the chaple also belonged to the templars, and later became the possesion of the order of santiago. as the templats here didn't completely dissapeared - they somehow merged in with the order of santiago and were allowed to exist in a way - you can see a mixed cross on one of the pillars. curiously, there are also a few celtic symbols, an eternity symbol on the doorway, a tree of life on the base on one of the apse pilars, and some other unidentified ones.

in Pontecampaña I stayed in another private albergue which was once a farm. the dinner was extremely good, with a vegetable and lentil soup, mixed vegetables and a vegetable omlettes for vegis, two kinds of meats for omnivores, salade, and desserts. and the hospitalero treated us with a queimada, a kind of an alcocholic brew made with a fire, which he stirred with the lights turned off so that the flames could be seen, chanting something in Gallego, I think. there was also a ram skull.

Pontecampaña - Ribadiso de Baixo

hospitalera explained me how to het to Pazo de Ulloa and Castillo Pambre, another two sites off route. there weren't difficult to find but both are in a sorry state of deterioration. the Pazo still retained a bit of the air of grandour it must have once had, and Castillo looked amazing with its five quadrangular towers, now overgrown with grasses and flowers. it is still lived in, I saw an old lit lamplight in one of the windows.

that day was, like previous one, a bit showery at times, but there was still enough sun to dry us up in between. I got a bigger shower in Melide so I did no visiting, and happened upon another unfriendly bar in Boente, where I couldn't go to the toilet unelss I bought something. I had in mind to go as far as Arzua but when I reached the restaured 15C pilgrim's hospital in Ribadiso it looked so peaceful in the afternoon sun that I decided to stay. incredibly, there were still some beds left and I slept in the most beautiful part - in my opinion - up in the attic, which has exposed stone walls and was the warmest during the night. the toilets are outside and the night was cold.

Ribadiso do Baixo - Arca

the weather still hold in the morning but began to rain properly later on and washed us all the way to the end. my dress was wet up to the waist (despite my pelerine) and barely dried up till morning. and went to Xunta albergue which was so-so, the floors weren't very clean, the showers with no doors whatsoever, and the air not too good. but the kitchen had quite a number of pots, two forks, and even two plates and bowls. so I made dinner. I met Monika (from Austria) and Ingrid (from Germany) I met a few days back, and we agreed to go together tommorrow, to try our luck with an old lady in Santiago and get a bed in the centre.

the night, however, was awful. not only the Spanish celebrated their near arrival in Santiago, and the ligth were on half the night, the air kept getting fouler because it was cold outside and the windows were closed, and maybe I ate something that was out of date. my stomach was getting increasingly sick during the night, up until the time that I went to the toilet. but I have difficulty with vomiting. so I brought myself a chair, opened a window (oh, the fresh air!) and sat there so long that I threw up my dinner. I felt a little better instantly and went to bed again. I couldn't fall into sleep untill I opened one of the windows and let in some air.

Arca - Sanitago

even so I felt sick by morning. but I didn't want to stay here, it was very unappealing. I wanted to go to Santiago that day, and was determined to reach it. Monika and Ingrid said they will stay with me and watch over me. Monika lent me her two sticks so I walked on all four. at least it wasn't raining. I don't remember much of the first part through the eucalyptus woods, except that the smell which was so wonderful the last days seemed very unappealing today. in San Paio we stopped and they said that it might be better if I stay in Lavacolla in a pension, Ingrid was even prepared to pay it for me! I said that don't want to, I want to go to Santiago! apparently the threat helped because I felt better afterwards and till Monte Gozo walked quite well. the sun came up when I was resting there. I said that they should go on to find that old lady as there were only 5kms left. but what 5kms! the descend was ok, but when I hit the paved and tarmac roads of Santiago, the pain hit in. every step, every move hurt. I thought I the route will never end. to me it seemed I was walking slower and slower. I am sure I must have made some pretty strange gimaces. I never felt so bad in all three months and 10 days I was on the road. when I finally reached Praza de Obradoiro, the tears just streamed down my face, I was so happy I made it!

Santiago

Monika and Ingrid did find an old lady and even got a single room for me. I slept all previous afternoon and all night and felt much better in the morning. I think that what I had yesterday must have been the beginning of a sickness, it usually feels that way. I decided to stay two days in Santiago. and then continue if the weather prognosis is good. today is raining. heavily. tommorrow, they say, will be no different. ugh! I really don't want to walk in the rain, all wet, not being able to see the country around me, or take pictures. so, I hope.

take care!