Day 23 ending in Sarria

Another lovely day in Spain. The path today was sorely bereft of cafes, but I bravely soldiered on.

Sarria is unlovely. It’s a main starting point by circumstance alone.

Anyhoo, tomorrow is another shorter day. I’ll stop and smell the flowers a lot.

This neat old building, an ironworks and forge, in Triacastela has been serving pilgrims on foot and on horseback for centuries. It’s now a public space and an interpretative center

I visited an art gallery at 8 am. This old English dude fell in love with the village and stayed

Strangely enough, we talked about country music. We both love Kris Kristofferson.

This muddy path was unbearably charming for some reason

An old fountain. No I didn’t drink from it.

The only bit left of the castle in Sarria.

Miles 12

Day 22 ending in Triacastela

Super easy and enjoyable day today. We climbed the last little bit up the mountain, had a nice second breakfast, and started downhill. The promised rain never showed up, and we arrived at our night’s lodgings by 1.

Tomorrow is the last full day before arriving in Sarria. That’s when things typically get a little nuts. Sarria is where LOTS of people start if they only have a few days off work or whatever. I plan to enjoy the last bit of peace on the way.

Lots of the chapels here have this style of front

Getting close to civilization. I spy a bus stop

This dog approved of my decision to have a second cup of coffee

Suuuupppperrrrr old chestnut tree, in Ramil

This waymarker is unusual in that it has an image on the back

Miles 12

Day 21 ending in Linares

It was fine. I think the apps overestimate the difficulty so that people aren’t underprepared.

The day was beautiful.

I saw a lot that pleased me. Especially this: a fancy car screeched to the side of the road and a cool young dude jumps out. I’m thinking: wow, what’s happening? What’s happening was….he brought fresh loaves of bread to feed his cows in the field. He hand fed his cows really nice-looking homemade bread.

Any church that I find open, I go and light a candle for mom

The cake was good. Kinda tasted like banana bread but not so sweet and it had walnuts. Mom would have liked it

Here you can see the roadway we walk on, and the brand new highway up in the sky in the distance

Today’s mountain path, it got a lot steeper and muddier

I choose to believe that the donkey and the cow are best friends

I was resting and this lizard sat and listened to me sing.

I have walked clear across Castile y Leon

The racket was delightful

Miles 20

Day 20 ending in Villafranca del Bierzo

Delightful walk today. We’re smack in the middle of a pretty famous wine growing region. The Romans brought their grapes and their expertise, and the locals took over. The region was devastated when the phylloxera epidemic came, but the locals are back with pretty good red wines and great white wines. Mining is a big industry here. There’s lots of magnesium in the soil. Apparently that makes for unusual tasting wine.

The hostel tonight is in the town, which is the historic capital of the region. Cute little place. Lots of public art for some reason.

I seem to have planned a back-breakingly difficult day for myself tomorrow. Hmmmmm well, I can get a taxi if necessary. I have to check in to the albergue by 6. Luckily, I have cash and a cell phone.

This wisteria will take over the earth if not constantly supervised

Miles 14