1 October 2016, day 2, Negreira to Olveiroa on way to Cape Finisterre

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1 October 2016, Saturday, day 2 from Santiago de Compostela to Cape Finisterre, Negreira to Olveiroa. 22.7 miles.

It was a foggy morning as Jo and I set out for this very long day of walking.

Leaving Negreira, we passed a statue of a woman and oxen in the center of town and followed the main road to the walls and city gate, then over a stone bridge. Another statue near the city wall had interesting figures on two sides of a wall. I would like to know the artist's message of the man with hobo bag on stick walking away with a blanket at his feet and a young boy tugging at his pant leg through the window in the wall. The other side of the wall shows the back of the boy and a woman with a baby.

Jo and I walk on a earth path with a few fallen leaves through woods. It is foggy but we can still see other pilgrims ahead and behind. The blades of the wind turbines, on a hillside beyond a corn field, can be seen through the fog in the sunlight. The morning air has a spiritual, mystic atmosphere.

As the fog lifts, sunlight brightens the plants along the path as we pass a mile marker with 62 kilometers to go. We have come one third of the way. As we continue in this bright uplifting walk we come to a cross with stones and portraits. This memorial is to fallen pilgrims, we think. We walked a distance with each of the two Linda's we had met on the way from Porto to Santiago. One is from Christmas Island and the other from Melbourne area. The later got so excited listening to the Australian football super bowl, which her team won, that she missed the turn and her companion had to go back and find her.

Fields, forests, flowers and fellow pilgrims pass the time as we walk. At a small hamlet a herd of milk cows come walking towards us down a street. We see special bred of duck sitting in the grass near the road. A Large, dry stone walled horreo that is supported on stone pillars with mushroom like round stones on top of the pillars is along side of the road.

As we enter Olveiroa there are some murals that seem to have human like legs supporting them upright. We find our lovely Guest House Pension A Pias at the far, west side of town. Karen, who rode today with the bags, is in the room at the hotel when we arrive. Simon and Rachael are in a nearby albergue and join us for dinner.

Karen's notes---I have decided I do not want a 35 km stroll today. The 'baggage man,' will transport me for 5 Euros. It is a morning in which I see how luggage transfer companies operate. Señor Loncho sub-contracts for his route. Jocotran is the umbrella company. They have an excellent reputation and we used them in Spain last year. At our first stop to pick up luggage there is a lengthy conversation between the proprietor of the beautiful old stone home and the transport driver. The luggage is not ready! So, off we go, back through town, pick up a bag on the other side of the village and return. Now we have a journey through the beautiful countryside, picking up and depositing, picking up and depositing. At times the small truck is completely full with an assortment of backpacks, duffel and suitcases. The company had made three round-trip between Finisterre and Santiago the day before 90 kilometers one way. It is non-stop activity during the peak pilgrim season. Then, the family owned business, Casa Loncho, will go into hibernation for several months in the winter. But, the Camino has exploded in this area and the company keeps adding rooms and expanding the restaurant. It is a family operation. There is a son, that I am told by his father, could be a little more aggressive. A daughter that has gone on to college and is now in the family business is obviously her dad's successor. We pull up to the Horreo Restaurant and two young guys are on the porch. One languidly unwinds himself and walks over to the car. His father quickly starts telling him, in terse Galician, what to do next. Well, a different culture and a different language but this generational gap is universal 😊 I later have a light meal in the Loncho restaurant and a young lady is bustling around, checking on meals and answering the phone. She is easily identified as the daughter.

The little village of Olveiroa is charming and noted for its beautiful horreos. It is a lovely day and I wander the little meandering roads. A little chapel is open and I enter to find a lovely scene--all is prepared for a wedding.

Our room is ready and I close the heavy shutters and rest. There are four rooms that open onto a sunny sitting area with sofas and books on shelves. On the floor below is the bar and restaurant.

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Photos

Woman with oxen statue in Negreira
A back view

Woman with oxen statue in Negreira
Front view in fog

One side of this most unusual statue
See other side.

The other side of statue
I want to know the story behind the artist who made this statue

Wind turbine blades on hill in sun
Corn field in light fog with light on leaves on stalk

One of the numerous dry wall stone horreos
This area is known for large concentration of horreos.