What goes up, must come down.
Stage Thirty-two: O Cebreiro to Triacastela
Stage Thirty-one: Vega de Valcarce to O Cebreiro
The last big climb. Entering the final Spanish region on the Camino Frances.
O’Cebreiro (pronounced oh–thay–bray–air–oh) Marks a final major threshold over the Cantabrian mountains. 3rd highest peak on the Camino.
Galicia – The mountains of Galicia are the first object in 5,000 km that the westerly winds across the Atlantic hit so you can expect an immediate change in weather with frequent rain showers and thunderstorms. (Brierley)
Hi, All.
I walked up that mountain- very slowly. The views were breathtaking, the weather perfect.
Bread!
The bread truck rolls into the villages with its loud air horn blaring; the villagers pop out of their houses, bread bags in tow, and head to the truck. It’s surprising how fast some of the oldsters get up the hill to the truck!
The kindness of villagers
Vega del Valcarce
On October 08, 2019: I was very sick with a bronchial infection and stayed in this village for two days of rest. At a sidewalk table across from my lodging, I was having my morning cafe con leche and feeling extremely sorry for myself. Homesick. Sick. So far from home. All alone. Waaaaa.
Up walks this man who hands me a fig. I thank him, set it on the table. No! He says. And gestures vehemently that I am to eat it NOW! I did. And I snapped his photo. And his small act of kindness turned my day around. That was the end of my self pity. People are kind.
This year, I am staying an extra day here to find him (I’d learned his name is David -Da-veed). I brought a 5×7 copy of the photo from 2019. The pharmacist spoke English, so I showed her the photo and told her my story. She called Mrs. David, and I walked up the street to meet David and his wife. They gave me a tomato and a small jar of honey. David let me know he is 84.
Mrs David is now carrying the photo down the street and showing it to all her neighbors and business owners.
I am so happy this worked out. That I’m here precisely two years from the date of the fig gift is absolute serendipity.
Pilgrim Chris
Pilgrim Chris from the UK. I’ve enjoyed the company of this young man and his friends many times along my journey. He was also part of the group that gave me the impromptu birthday party in El Acebo. I learned yesterday that his day job is a circus performer. I invite you to watch this video all the way through- his performance gets increasingly difficult and impressive as time goes by in the video. What a graceful body and gracious spirit.
Stage Thirty: Villafranca del Bierzo to Vega de Valcarce
A narrow path along the road the entire day. It really wasn’t too bad because we walked along the Rio Valcarce or by woodlands and meadows. A few cows and sheep here and there.
Stage Twenty-nine: Ponferrada to Villafranca del Bierzo
Got some ups and downs today! Will be a long day for me – 14 miles. My max is probably 15 miles without getting too tired for the next day’s walk.
More road walking than I like today. There was an alternate route that would have been prettier, but it was longer, and with a 16 mile day, I was already pushing my daily limit (must remember I have another day to walk in the morning…and the next..and…)We walked through beautiful countryside this day.
Status Report
September 5: Started walking.
October 17: Will arrive in Santiago
October 18: A rest day.
October 19: A four-day walk to Finisterre (at the Atlantic Ocean).
October 26: Arrive home
Finisterre: “In Roman times it was believed to be an end of the known world. The name Finisterre, like that of Finistère in France, derives from the Latin finis terrae, meaning “end of the earth”. It is sometimes said to be the westernmost point of the Iberian Peninsula.”
October 4 &. 5: Paths and Places
We are walking along the mountains and through the woodlands again.
Photo of me on the ancient Roman bridge into Molinaseca & a photo of the Templar castle in Ponferrada. And of course, paths and mooing wildlife.
October 4 & 5: Stages Twenty-seven & Twenty-eight: Rabanal del Camino to Ponferrada
Going up the mountain on October 4 was a cold and rainy trek, but down below the next day was a perfect walking day. Temps were in the lower mid-50s, little wind, and no rain.
Cruz de Ferro – History – The highest altitude on the Camino (1,505 meters/4,938 feet). Stands on an ancient ritual site that dates back as far as 2,500 years. Considered the most ancient monument of the Camino. May have been a crossroads veneration site for Iron Age Celts and then the Romans, each leaving a rock on this high point for their own gods. Today, leaving a stone here is a significant rite of passage (Beebe)
