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Published: October 28th 2015
Some of the large group of pilgrims crossing the Rough Bridge
Crossing the stone bridge over Rio Celeiros over Ponte Aspera bridge.7 October 2015, Wednesday. Stage 32 Sarria to Portomarin. 8 October is a rest day in Portomarin.
GPS: a day with errors but 16 miles, 6 hours moving. Left at 0830 and arrive at 1730.
Fitbit: 15.68 miles, steps 35,894, stairs 158.
As we are checking out of the Hotel Alfonso IX, we are joined by Thor and Vinca from Norway. This is their first day on the Camino and they have booked through a travel service to Santiago. They have a home in the South of Spain and so took the bus, 9 hours, from their home to Sarria. Sarria is at kilometer 110 from Santiago so it qualifies for a Credentia at the Church in Santiago provided you get at least 2 stamps per day. It is not hard as every cafe and souvenir shop has a stamp as well as a few open churches. As we climb up the streets to leave Sarria, it is apparent that Thor and Vinca travel at a different speed and are soon well ahead. The weather forecast promised a day of cloud cover but no rain - welcome after three straight days of rain and lots of driving wind.
12th Century Igrexia Santiago
Karen admiring the unusual work on the door. It is still not light as we climb the top of the hill by the church and cemetery with some funky art objects across the street. Spelling is now in Galician language so lots of x's where other letters should be makes some confusion in reading signs. We have a view looking back over the city from here to the lightening eastern skies.
We now descend to cross a little stream with a rio (river) name across an old stone bridge then up the hill again. At the small village on top of the hill is a small twelth century romanesque church, Igrexia de Santiago, that is open and a gentleman is inside. It is humbly decorated but gives one a feeling of reverence. We have been told or read that churches need to have a person inside as the theft from churches in Spain (richly ornate art work in gold and silver leaf) is so extensive that a separate division of the police just handles these crimes. We continue our walk along tree lined paths by lush green pastures with lots of cows and the smell of manure. We try to get a photo feeding a beautiful black
horse with a white forehead but our timing is always off. The horse loves the chestnuts and acorns and shows his pleasure by biting the iron pipe gate railing. A classic round well with stone walls and shake shingles catches our attention in a nearby pasture.
We are moving more slowly today. So, we stop for a coffee and orange juice and a pastry at a cafe near the crossing of the road. Energized we now move more quickly, but still much slower than we have walked on prior days. I think the toll of over 440 miles is beginning to show itself.
A characteristic of several countries in Europe is the elevated corn crib. They are erected to keep the vermin out of them in the winter. We see several before passing one with a detailed explanation about them. Our pastorial scenery continues as we have more of a climb to our high point of the day. As I had feared milepost 100 kilometers to Santiago is badly obliterated by vandals. So I have taken photos of 101 and 99 kilometer markers to have them on file. Because of the wet climate the path has large stones
View of the church and altar
To the left is a statue of St. James as a pilgrim. laid above the usual water level to help the walking in rainy weather - where were these the last three days in the rain! I next spy the most beautiful fairly tale mushrooms growing in the pasture above the path. Then a mama goat with two kids staked in a grassy pasture.
We have more paths lined with trees and the rocky side walls; some of natural stone and others of man-made dry stone walls. We stop for lunch just after cresting the hill with a view supposedly of the reservoir and Portomarin - we never saw any reservoir. It is sunny so we sit outside. By the time our salad came it had gotten overcast and cold. So we move inside. They forget to bring our second course so we have to ask. We have totally confused them by our move plus they are having a 15 minute discussion about the bill with three Korean ladies - both sides trying to explain their position in English but not being understood. We have our first taste of Galician meat pie, which is lots of bread baked around tuna fish. It will probably also be our last. Upon leaving the
This horse liked chestnuts and acorns
Tried to get photo of him eating them out of our hand but did not succeed. restaurant we go down the pavement and come to a cross and fence post displaying rocks and crosses and other items. We have not seen anything like this before. Next a souvenir shop with brightly painted scallop shells for sale attracts Karen's attention for several minutes trying to see if they have just the one she wants. They do not and we go on. We pass an interesting group of hens behind a chain link fence. Earlier near the goats we had seen a mother duck with four little ones way down in a field with the little ones barely visible in the tall grass. Now we drop sharply through a couple of villages and we can see Portomarin but NO water. At the Pousada, I learn that they let all the water out in August, September and October for the hydro-electric turbines and the reservoir is dry. We can see the old stone walls of the buildings of the old Portomarin which had to be moved up on the hill when the dam went in, in 1962, and flooded the town. The new high bridge over the Rio Mino with the old low bridge now exposed by the flowing
Oak tree lined lane
We passed through this type of natural path for much of the day. river is a bit eerie to cross.
We enter Portomarin and up the many steps into the town. Our guide book map shows the Pousada de Portomarin, at the end of town. We had tried several months ago (April) to get a room here but they were booked. I had asked then to send me an email if they had a cancellation. They did and about two weeks ago we got our booking. We have a lovely suite and will enjoy our rest day in these environs. But Inigo had made a reservation at another albergue which we had failed to cancel so they call. Inigo is able to take care of it for us.
8 October 2015, Thursday. We have a slow, relaxing day visiting the main square in town and the cathedral also moved stone by stone from the valley below before the dam flooded it. Our suite at the Pousada is so nice we do not care to venture out and spend the day catching up on some of the blog entries. This lodging is upscale for us--a treat. When we arrived we really looked the worose for wear. However, the young girl at the
Traditional round structure with slate roof
Not sure of function but looks to be where a well is located. desk was most gracious and treated us as if had just arrived in our own personal helicopter.
Next up is a soak in that long bathtub--oh my, the water is only tepid! After I have donned my only skirt and somewhat more formal top we go down to report the water temperature problem. The manager says because of the hour it might be difficult to get a plumber but he will get right on it. The situation is resolved positively by the time we return from dinner. Next I really want to clean my boots. The manager says to clean them in our bathroom and they will put them in their drying room overnight.
And then there is dinner! It is a lovely Pilgrim's menu but I am wishing for a slice of Santiago cake. The server believes a switch can be made--and it is. It is a fairly capacious dining room and only two servers are at work. There are several large groups that they also serve in fine fashion. By the way, the two servers are a middle aged woman and a young man, perhaps in his early twentys. What a difference from our Alfonso IX
Karen and the cows
Like the many black and white Holstein cows in the pastures. experience. Several parties have been following the blog, and interested in where we have stayed, as they are thinking of doing the Camino or repeating the journey. Well, thumbs down for Alfonso and two thumbs up for the Pousada in Portomarin!!!
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