Day 22 in the jungle - La Faba to Aguiada

Yesterday I had a shortish but very strenuous day heading upwards towards O'Cebreiro. I had 5 kms at the start of today to get to the top; it was tough! Normally I have a problem with my legs for the first couple of hours each day, the steep climb just made it worse. I did not read my guide thoroughly and assumed it would all downhill after O'Cebreiro. I was wrong. Every time I turned a corner it went down a bit then up again for another hour. After Alto de Poio it was definitely down and I started pumping the miles out. I can go in a straight line or downhill all day at 4 mph now (or 6 kms/ hour)
Beautiful weather for walking today; cooler and a nice breeze. I took some photos from the top looking down over Galicia (pronounced Galithia in Thpanish) and we were above the cloud line, very unusual as the hills appear as islands.
As one enters Galicia there is a countdown marker to Santiago every kilometre; starting at 155 kms. It gives a real feeling that I am getting closer as they tick away. The latest one I saw today was K117 (117 kms is 73 miles)
Before I knew it (actually it was about 11:30) I was in Triacastella. Which is Spanish for three pints of Stella. Or three castles as they say over here. Guess how many castles there are in Triacastella now?
3? 2? 1?    None actually. They have all gone! No, I don't know why. Google it if you need to know.
The limestone quarries nearby are where the limestone came from to build the huge cathedral in Santiago.

So, as it was still very early then onwards I go with about 25 kms under my belt. Three pints of Stella was my target for the day and the end of the next stage is Sarria, this is where all the Spanish start who want to do the bare minimum to qualify for the compostela (certificate).
Around 28% of all people start from Sarria and only have to walk 100 kms and not the 800 odd that us real pilgrims do!
Not that we are bitter or treat them differently, as they walk really short days of about 15 kms and get in the queues early and take our beds! And most of them get their backpacks (or suitcases!) carried for them by taxi!
No we are not bitter!
Anyway, I made a note in my guidebook to stop at a smashing little albergue called Paloma and Leña in San Mamed del Camino (about 3.5 kms before Sarria) So I can put off until tomorrow for the onslaught of the hordes.
A lovely place tonight; they welcome you with a tea or coffee of your choice and insist you have a relaxing shower before you check in. (probably wise when you have just walked 45 kms!)
Everything here is clean, relaxing and tasteful - even the other pilgrims! I don't know how they do that?
Also they have chickens roaming free.

I forgot to mention that I had to go to Hospital again today - don't panic - it was the name of a village where there used to be a pilgrim hospital.
Photos below.

Some photos....
Buenas nochas amigos.

Day 21 - Villafranca to La Faba

I slept well last night and my leg (and the rest of me) feels fine today.
Lydia, the woman who runs the albergue, told me this morning that this last week has been the hottest so far this year for the region. Early morning was a bit overcast but still very warm and humid. It looked like it might rain but there were just a few spots.
The first 10 kms was walking along side the old main road (NV-1) but this was very quiet as there is a new autopista with tunnels through the mountains which takes all the busy traffic. By mid-morning I started climbing upwards; winding through lovely pueblos with very lush vegetation. You can hear water running almost all of the time here. It is either in the rivers or just running off the mountains. There is constant bird song and the low donging from the bells of invisible cows (as they are invisible they could be sheep or goats) Donging is the correct word as dinging, ringing or clanging is not the right noise - trust me, I am an expert!
I promised myself (and my wife) that I would take it easy today - and I have. I think this is the first day that I did not complete a full stage from the guide book. I have stopped about 5 kms before the top of O'Cebreiro (pronounced oh-thay-bray-air-oh) which is the last of the high mountains (1,310 metres)
I have 99 miles (159 kms) left to walk to get to Santiago. This means I have walked 400 miles in three weeks!

I am staying in a very small place called La Faba, right next to the tiny Iglesia San André (Saint Andrews church) There are only 34 beds here and the doors do not open until 14:00. I arrived about 12:45 and was about the 10th to get here. This is unusual for me as I usually walk further and the albergues are already open on my arrival.  It soon got very busy and when the hospitalero arrived to unlock the doors there was a mad rush to get to the front of the queue. It is funny that the people who arrived last were young and fit, had walked the least or were German or American and were at the front of the queue! I have nothing against any of these people but you have to do an "inward smile" or you will go mad.
The hospitalero seemed to instinctively know what had happened and allocated the worst beds first. The rest of us got a wink as we were registered and shown to our nice bunks - Pilgrim Justice.

Today the prominent tree is the Spanish Chestnut, like our Sweet Chestnut but larger. The wood from these trees is obviously important here as there are cut planks of it stacked everywhere and many carpenter workshops. You can see the golden wood in the buildings, doors and furniture. The doors of the church and albergue where I am staying are both chestnut, the albergue door also has a beautiful knocker (see below) and I should now as I have seen some amazing knockers lately.

Some other random photos below.
I have no wee-fee today so will post this as soon as I find some.

Evening update- I have just shared a table for our evening meal with an elderly Japanese gentleman. He is 75 years old and lost his wife in the recent tsunami. Although he is a Buddhist and not catholic he says this is his way of finding peace with himself. He is a very quiet man and speaks little English and as my Japanese is not that hot it was sometimes difficult to converse. We drew pictures on a serviette to help with translation. However there was no rush and we took the time to share a meal and a bottle of wine; something else that I would not have done on a "normal" day.
As I type this I am sitting on the wall swinging my legs in the evening sunshine outside the church, as one of the pilgrims who is also a priest gives a pilgrim service to those that wish to attend. I hear their repeated murmurings in one ear and the distant donging of an invisible beast in the other.

Perfect.


Some photos of

Spanish chestnut wood.

A partial view of a sign that describes the weather.

The lovely scenery.

One of many lovely knockers.