Vega de Valcarce to Triacastela... A day to rival the first one

This was a glorious day that started out with a misty morn, we climbed in the mountains with not a cloud in the sky all day! Unfortunately the pictures don't really capture the grandeur.

Misty morn leaving Vega.

The highway system around here is something else, a lot of EU money.

Sun coming up over the mountains out of Vega.

Don't think you can see the farmer in his tractor spreading manure on the mountainside!

Climbing up the mountain paths on old Roman roads.

As we were leaving Vega, the castle on the hill was pointed out to us. It was a Muslim stronghold for many years. During the early days of the Camino, the knights Templar would guide the pilgrims through the pass and keep them safe. We are now in Galicia and the Galicians speak their own brand of Spanish, from what we understand it is a cross between Portiguese and Castilian.

Galicia's major income comes from farming from what we understand and if today was any indication it is true. Most towns smelled like the area around Abbotsford!

Cattle drive on the Camino!

10 minute stop for the cattle to pass.

Not to sweet smelling town.

We also encountered our first Galician sign post,

Galician signpost notice the Templar cross.

now the markers are spaced every 500 meters, Triacastela is at the 130 km marker, meaning we only have 130 km to go!

.5 km outside of Triacastela.

 

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Camponaraya to Vega de Valcarce Monday Sept. 29

Last night was an interesting night after the long day through the bike race etc we picked the first alburgue that had available beds, nice, but got a six bed room, 5 men and Sharon. Turned out not to be too bad, none of them snorers. Denis from Ottawa, one guy from Friday Harbor Wa., one from California, Friday Harbors, brother-in-law, and one police officer from Holland, all nice considerate people. Alarm went at 6 and we were off, had fresh tortilla downstairs, cafe con leche (espresso with milk) and fresh squeezed orange juice, gotta love it.

Not all picture postcards, leaving Camponaraya.

Back in wine country, watching the harvest, smaller operations pick by hand still.

Grapes for as far as you can see.

Ended up a long day on asphalt ( our new enemy), some real busy roads (but actual Camino not alternative routes).

Like being on the highway in BC, notice mesh over rocks and the yellow paint on our trail. A bit like being on the yellow brick road!

Fairy tale like except for the crane over the church, a common site so far.

The Coquihalla over our heads.

View to our left most of the day.

After 2 days in alburgues, the night before last, a bad one for Sharon, a guy from Donegal who had shared our room had measured the decibels of a man snoring in our room. He clocked him at 78 decibels, now people are watching his progress to make sure they don't end up in a room with him!!

Sharon on our balcony in Vega de Vallcarce after a 30 km day.

We opted for a Casa Rural tonight, the Rio Valcarce flows below our room and one can put their feet and legs in to relieve the strain of the day so we did.

MUY FRIO!

 

Good once you get used to it.

View from where Sharon was sitting, we could live here :)

 

From the other side we hear "muy frio" and there is this old man with a pail picking up something of the ground in his beautiful yard. We agree that it is very cold, as it is a mountain stream. Blair asks him what he is picking and he says for Blair to come across and see for himself. Blair says "muy frio" and after much cajoling he starts throwing these things across. Turns out they are walnuts and hazelnuts which Blair cracks and gratefully eats.

Nice old guy picking nuts.

We have had some of our best experiences with old Spanish men.

 

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El Acebo to Camponaraya Sunday Sept 28

We finally have an internet that will post our pictures, yay! So posted the missing days a short time ago.

Leaving El Acebo.

Spectacular scenery going down the mountain.

 

Ruins all along the way.

Today started out beautifully, in the mountains with a bit of threat of rain. We could see Pontferrada in the distance and saw the helicopters circling. We have finally figured out the bike races we have been seeing and they are part of Pontferrada 2014, the Cycling World Championships. Began Feb 20 ended today.

Never been so close to a helicopter taking off.

A beautiful walk into Pontferrada with one stop to wait for a helicopter to take off from a soccer pitch. Once into town it was an obstacle course to get through town. The nice thing is that pilgrims are afforded so much respect that they had special signs to get us through the city. By the time we had crossed the course 3 times we had seen about 5 laps of 18. There were Canadians in it but they flash by so fast and we had no idea what the jerseys looked like.

Ponteferrada in the distance light rain off and on all day.

Peloton after the 4 leaders.

Race in front of the Castillo Templarios, lots of Templars walking around. Blair looking very cool considering the crowds of people.

Spectators using the castle lawns to get a better view. Doesn't show but sidewalks were near impassable.

We have come to dislike entering an leaving cities and pavement. But we are down to less than 200 km and no big cities until Santiago :)

Leaving Pontferrada, had to use the middle of the road as the race spectators parked on the Camino.

 

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Now caught up the 2 missing days

Day 2 Leon Sept 25

After 40 km the day before it was a sleep in morning. The cathedral did not open until 9:30 so we had breakfast first, then the cathedral, quite spectacular, Blair liked it better than Burgos because it had better light more stained glass, whereas, Sharon liked Burgos better as it was larger and more grand feeling.

After the cathedral did some housekeeping errands and headed out of Leon.

Farmacia in Leon, no picking any thing for yourself but very helpful and patient!

No sunrise photo today.

Leaving Leon at the crack of noon walking by the hotel where Martin Sheen stayed in the movie "The Way".

Seemed to take forever to get out of the city and finally realized we were in the next town at which time we came to a sign that gave us an alternate route through the farmland. We had had enough cars and highways so took it and later realized that it was the "real Camino Frances" or so the sign said. In any case, we are in changing landscape again, sunflowers and bean fields, more red clay. Within the next few days we will be entering Galicia, the last province of the Camino. Ended up in Villar de Mazarife, will try to make it to Astorga tomorrow.

Friday September 26 Villar de Mazarife to Astorga

Still having WiFi problems, if they are on 3G the connection is not constant and Blogsy will not publish, so hopefully we can publish before we head up the mountain tomorrow. Sometimes the most unlikely places have the best wifi, so maybe we will be lucky tonight.

Yesterday we left late so arrived late 4:45 to Villar de Mazarife, we took the first alburgue as we entered town, turned out there were at least 6 people staying that were from the lower mainland or Victoria, sometimes it's downright embarrassing how many people from BC are walking the Camino. They were staying in the dorm with 70 people, not fun, as far a we were concerned, so we opted for 3 € more and had a room with only 8 beds. Luckily there was only another Italian couple in there so was quite nice. The food reviews were not great for this place but turned out the food was very good, nice salad, gazpacho, veggie paella, and crepes for dessert. We also opted for the breakfast for 3€ and it was great, toast, churros (yum), granola, fresh fruit including figs, cheese, coffee, tea, hot chocolate, really good orange juice, nice way to start the morning.

Started off through farmers fields, nice.

Hospital de Orbigos bridge with its 19 arches and jousting field to the left.

As we headed towards Astorga, it took us near the highway, not nice.

Just a few km out of Astorga we found this vista looking down on the city and the surrounding towns, breathtaking. A very gregarious priest has taken on this site and is planting roses and trees it will be wonderful in a few years.

Vista of Astorga from picnic site

Picnic site in progress.

We were going to take a day to see some of the sights but since the chocolate museum is closed this week :( we will be able to see the Gaudi Palace and the Cathedral in one afternoon so tomorrow we will start up the mountain, with luck we will be leaving our stones at Cruz de Ferro on Sunday.

Gaudi Palace Astorga.

Astorga Cathedral

Altar Astorga Cathedral.

 

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El Burgo Ranero to Leon Sept 24 A Long Day

We left El Burgo Ranero Sept 24, before sunrise after a great breakfast at the restaurant next to our alburgue. The best tortilla, with fresh squeezed orange juice ( they have a machine at most cafés in Spain) and coffee. They opened at 5:30 (very enterprising) and of course it was packed when we got there at 6:30.

Before we go on with the day we have to tell you about our room mate. She was Italian, very apologetic that she didn't speak any English. She had very cool funky clothes and long braided grey hair with some kind of stick in it. We first saw her walking around town as we got in, by the time we got to our room she was in bed sleeping. We tiptoed around the room and she got up and said, between our broken Italian and Spanish, make as much noise as we want she would sleep through it. Sharon realized when she talked to her later that she was probably somewhere in her 70s. She only walks 10-15 km and she is quite sore, so she would sleeping, not to worry about noise when we left, so Sharon gets up at 5:50 being quiet not to wake her or Blair, well, she gets up and flicks on the light, poor Blair had a very rude awakening, while she rolled over and went back to sleep, all kinds are on the Camino!

We have tried to stay true to the original route (as there often more pleasant routes through farmers fields) of the Camino Frances unfortunately, today it took us mainly by roads, secondary and highway (yuck). The thing was you would be walking along on an old medieval cart path and all of a sudden you would hit old Roman road, you can tell by the sound your sticks make, very cool.

Oldest markers we've seen on the Roman road out of El Burgo Ranero.

Changing landscape as we head toward Leon and out of the Meseta, gone from wheat to cone and much more green!

Well we planned on stopping in a little town about 8 km before Leon as that would make it about a 30 km day. We arrived at the little town at about 1 pm, said that's too early and continued on little did we know that getting into a city like Leon would take some time plus we had to go through the industrial, then the suburbs until we got to the old town where all the accommodations are. We arrived at the old town around 4 and started winding our way to the centre. On the way we passed the castle that Gaudi designed which is now a bank and took pictures with him before looking for a room, tried a couple of hotels, both full, started to become concerned as had done 40km! We were both on last legs :)

Walking into Leon.

Old wall around old Leon.

Sharon with Gaudi.

Blair with Gaudi, there is actually supposed to be a lead pipe with the drawings for the castle in or under this sculpture.

Gaudi castle now a bank.

Found a great Hostal, Boccolini, in a beautiful square across from the Real Colegiata de San Isadoro, the former seat of the kings of Leon :), no pun intended. So we are resting before supper, I think a tour of the Cathedral will happen tomorrow morning on our way out of Leon. We have what we call the " Camino Rhythm" and it's hard to stop the daily routine.

Our Hostal in Leon.

View from our Hostal in Leon, the Real Collegiata San Isadoro.

Cathedral Leon on our way in.

Cathedral Leon coming out of the restaurant after supper!

 

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