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I signed off quite quickly at the end of the last blog and I hadn´t quite finished what I was going to write. This was because I had had so much to catch up on that I forgot the time! Monica came to find me and told me that it was 10pm and long past our usual bed-time of 9pm! I´ll try to continue on from where I left the blog last time. Apologies for failing to upload the photos. We keep trying but with little success. We will try to get them all on eventually but it may have to be after we get home!!
O´Cebreiro (continued)
Pat and I wondered what had happened to our back packs as they didn´t seem to have arrived at the Albergue (Monica, sensibly, had carried her´s). We rang the previous hostel and found out that they were still there! I think that the hospitalera had forgotten all about them! They duly arrived at about 5pm so we were able at last to have a shower and sort out our things! You become very attached to your pack when you´re on the Camino!
Sat May 26th O´Cebreiro - Triacastela 23kms
Monica seemed quite alot better today and it was to be the first long day´s walk that she had done since being ill (and also for Pat since her bout of tendonitis). Set off in cloudy weather (more typical of Galicia). Had breakfast at Hospital de la Contesa and began the ascent to Alto de Poio (1335 metres). It began to rain so we were forced to don the waterproofs. Walked along the ridge for quite some time and the views in every direction were spectacular. The beautiful green valleys reminded me very much of the Langdale Pikes area of the Lake District.
We then began the very steep descent into Triacastela. I was very glad of the stick as my left hip began to really feel the strain. I walked for some of the way with a Scottish chap called Donald from Prestwick who was hoping to walk all the way to Finisterre after Santiago, before returning home to Scotland. Monica was (as usual) way ahead. She seems so much better today and was actually looking forward to eating something!
We reached Triacastela and booked in at a very ancient albergue (Altzenea), which is an od Galician stone house, but well appointed with the added attraction of a bath!! Needeless to say we añll took advantage of that facility!
Pat didn´t feel too good in the evening and thinks that it´s the effect of all the anti-inflammatories which she has been taking for the tendonitis. We slept OK for the first part of the night but were then awakened by the antics of a very loud German who proceeded to cough very loudly for the rest of the night! The joys of communal sleeping!!
Sun May 27th Triacastela - Sarria 22.6kms
Set off at 6.50am and walked for about 1.5 kms out of Triacastela until we realised that we were actually going to Samos (which is a far longer way to Sarria). So we had to retrace our steps! It was a very beautiful route but also very steep with a great deal of up and down. We eventually got to Furela after walking 12.5kms before breakfast!
As we began the descent to Sarria I began to feel really drained of energy. I think that a combination of all the emotional ups and downs of the last few days and worry about Monica had all come together, and I had certainly had enough by the time we reached Sarria. We actually ended up taking an apartment in Sarria because we were so desperate for a bath to soothe the aches and pains! I lost yet another toe nail!
We went to a local restaurant to eat that evening and Monica and I had a very nice Paella. Pat ordered a Galician stew which you would reasonably assume to be liquid based. Unfortunately, it turned out to be a mixture of pigs ears, pigs trotters tongue, stomach and knee with chick peas and cold potatoes plus a Galician sausage! It certainly wasn´t what she was expecting. In fact, it was the worst thing she could have imagined - particularly as her mother had always observed Jewish customs on food!!
Mon May 28th Sarria- Porto Marin 24kms
Soon out of Sarria and into beautiful countryside. Weather beautiful and getting hot, but luckily we were in shaded woodland. Stopped for breakfast in a little cafe which had Galician pipe music playing. We then climbed steadily to the high point Pena dos Corvos at 600 metres. (We´re much lower down now) and started the descent to Porto Marin. We met up with a young couple called Lee and Kate who we had been talking to yesterday and Monica suddenly realised that she knew Kate. She had been one of Jenny´s (her daughter) best friends at Primary school in Belfast!
It was extremely hot by now and we were all thanklful to book in at the Mirador Albergue which is in a beautiful position on the shores of the lake. We were very fortunate to be given a 3-bedded room which had its own bathroom! The Mirador had the added attraction of having an excellent restaurant attached to it and, of course, we took full advantage!
It was whilst we a were at this albergue tbnat I began writing the previous blog and forgot the time. So I´m now up to date on the previous blog!!
Tues May29th Porto-Marin - Portos 20kms
We seemed to climb and climb out of Porto-Marin. It was very misty for a good 2 hours. Walked 9kms before breakfast at Gonzar, which wasn´t very good! Continued on through lovely shaded pathways in green sylvan countryside (very like Derbyshire) and it was becoming very hot again.
I felt very tired whilst walking today and I suddenly realised that I hadn´t had a day off walking since Leon, which was half a camino ago!! We reached Portos and booked intio a very quaint little place with 3 beds in one room. Again, it was strategically placed next to a good restaurant!
Wed May 30th Portos - Melide 20 kms
Walked 4.5 kms to Palas de Rey and had breakfast. I bandaged my left foot as it was quite painful. I was still feeling sluggish when all of a sudden, I had a burst of energy, I don´t know where it came from but I was suddenly able to keep up with Monica and felt so much better. (Maybe it was Phil giving me the energy!!)
We eventually reached a very hot Melide at 12.30. Found an Albergue (The O Apalpador) in the old town. Our dormitory was quite noisy because we had 4 energetic Canadian ladies in it. We´ve seen them from time to time. We looked for a restaurant but couldn´t seem to find one serving food at that time. However, a very nice barman pointed us in the direction of an excellent restaurant and we duly wined and dined in very nice surroundings!
Thurs May 31st Melide - Arzua 14kms
Because we want to walk into Santiago with the dawn on Sunday, we´ve decided to divide up the last few days. Had a really pleasant walk today and it was so nice to get here to Arzua before the real heat of the day struck. Got here at adbout 11am and booked in. Showered and did washing, which dried in record time! Mon and Pat went shopping and we had avery pleasant lunch in the kitchen here.
I´m now typing the final entry before we reach Santiago. It still doesn´t seem real that we´re almost there!
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Sarah McLoughlin
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Nearly there!
I can't believe that you are nearly there! You're all doing brilliantly, especially battling through with all the illness and troubles along the way. I understand what you mean about becoming very attached to your rucksack, it's a very strange feeling when you haven't got it. It'll be amazing when you're home and don't have to carry around all your belongings on your back, and you'll never want to see a rucksack again! Hopefully you won't lose any more toenails before the end! Keep going, and enjoy all those wine stops! xxx