Four Weeks and a Day on the Way - Portomarin

The walk today was wet and cold. There was plenty of wind and rain. However, a good portion of the Way was lined with trees that gave partial shelter from the elements.

I passed the 100 kilometers marker today. This puts me within the "tourist" zone of Santiago. (You walk a minimum of the last 100 kilometers to earn a Compostela certificate for completing a pilgrimage.) The numbers of walkers visibly increased. There were also groups of school children and high-end tourists who walk a few kilometers and then get wisked up by minibus.

It was nice to arrive in Portomarin. The town is a rebuilt one. The original town sits at the bottom of a lake due to a dam built in the 1960s. Some monuments were moved. These include a Romanesque church and a staircase and arch from a Roman bridge.

Sarria

Sarria is the starting point for pilgrims who plan to earn their Compostela certificate by walking the minimum required distance of 100 kilometers. I have read that it can be crowded from here to Santiago in peak months such as May and June. However, I haven't yet really noticed a great change in numbers.

I enjoyed the early part of the walk today. The weather was clear and cool. This gave good views along the ridge I followed for about one third of my walking day.

Triacastela

Triacastela is the city of three castles where none of the castles exist today. Getting here was my coldest day on the Way.

I stayed in O'Cebreiro last night. It continued to snow during the night and there was snow and ice to walk along for two-thirds of the walk after I started in the morning. The wind was blowing and it was clouded in and foggy for a long way. It was bitter cold but very striking with snow crusted trees and fields dusted white.

Historically, Triacastela held an interesting place in the Camino lore. As medieval pilgrims passed through they picked up limestone from quarries nearby. The limestone was carried and then dropped off by them at kilns in Castenada about 100 kilometers away. The lime produced was used for the construction and maintenance of the Santiago Cathedral.

Pictures of the day are attached.

O'Cebreiro

Today was uphill all the Way. And then there was the snow...

The weather took an unusual change and became colder. That meant rain and snow at the higher altitudes that I passed through on my way to O'Cebreiro. This is the first stop in Galicia and I celebrated with a warm bowl of the regional soup "Caldo Galicia" after I arrived.

The town I am in has some interesting structures with Celtic origins. They are round stone buildings with thatch roofs. This town also has a memorial to the priest who promoted the preservation of the Camino de Santiago and came up with the idea for using the yellow arrows to show the direction of the path.

Regardless of the snow, it is spring and the fruit trees are flowering. Tomorrow I will lose all the altitude I gained today. The walk down may also be in snow and rain. After that, it will be only six more days to Santiago de Compostela!

La Portela de Valcarce

The departure from Villafranca del Bierzo was across a stone bridge. A number of Camino routes merge here so a sign indicated the Way for all different directions as the same one.

Most of the walk was along paved roads. In this area they have created a safe area to walk along the edge of the road with concrete barriers. I have not seen this before and included a picture.

I also liked the small towns I passed through and noticed one house with the day's bread hanging on the door. What a great way to get fresh bread in the morning!

Villafranca del Bierzo

It was a relatively flat day of walking out of Ponferrada and into wine country. Unfortunately, I missed my chance again at wine tasting for pilgrims as the vineyard along the Way here that offered tasting and tapas wasn't open.

As I get a closer to Santiago there are more and more pilgrims along the Way. There are some people I recognize by sight as we pass by each other during the day and in many cases have spent a night or two in the same Albergue.

I walked for a while today with a French man who was patient with my French. He and his friends have been coming here for the past six years doing a different segment of the Camino each year. They will finish the Way this year.

The day before yesterday I walked part of the day with a retired Spanish man from Madrid who has walked the Camino each year for the last eleven years. He was also patient with my Spanish!

There are many more people like this I have met. English is also a great language to know as most people speak it. This allows us to share stories with each other about the path and why we are here. Often this is over a meal or a drink. Sometimes we even swap suggestions about what to do about blisters. (Most people have their own methods and share them but mostly stick to their personal remedies no matter what!)

Ponferrada

Today was a great day for pictures. The Way crossed over the highest point on the walk. I passed by the cross where people drop stones and other items that have special meaning. I dropped off a piece of coral as a way to help remind me of the wonder the world holds when you see it in new ways.

I had good views and crossed a nice bridge over a river into the town of Molinaseca. From there it was on to Ponferrada which has the best preserved Templar Castle in the region.

Foncebadon

It was a nice walk today. I have gained elevation and tomorrow will cross the highest point along the Way. There is an iron cross here where people drop stones and other items. I will say more about this tomorrow.

Astorga

Today was a long walking day. The Way included passing over a bridge with a story. Located in Hospital de Orbitz, and built by the Romans, it became known as the "Paso Honoroso" in the 15th Century. A knight refused in marriage, decided to defend his honor when faced with this slight by defending it against any knight attempting to cross. After a month of success, he declared his honor restored.

I also like the Gaudi building here in Astorga. It was built as a residence for a bishop but never used. Astorga is also considered the official end of the meseta and I enter new terrain tomorrow.

Three Weeks on the Way - Villar de Mazarife

It was nice to leave the city and be on the Way again. The path followed streets and roads out of town before becoming a cross - country walk. The weather was cool and sunny.

The number of people walking seems to have increased. There are some people I met today who began their walk in Leon. It is their first day. I also met up with people I have seen before at different Albergues.

Leon City Highlights

Part of today was spent visiting the Cathedral de Santa Maria de Leon. The interior stained glass windows are colorful and I enjoyed looking at them in the morning sun. My focus was on the interior and to be honest is was difficult to take a picture that would do the exterior - or interior - justice.

I have included some interesting elements including a picture of a statue of a pregnant Virgin Mary and an up close one of a panel featuring the Golden Fleece legend. It turns out that the 13th Century builders included elements of Roman and Greek mythology in their decoration. The attitude to allow this changed. Some was later removed during renovations and little remains.

I also visited the Plaza San Marcos. The main building here houses an upscale hotel but it also has served as a pilgrim hostel and the headquarters of the Knights of the Order of Santiago who protected the pilgrims along the Way. The church at one end has many scallop shells that symbolize the pilgrimage as part of the decoration on the walls.