Santiago - day 2

Today was a rest day. I wandered through a park and the market, did a little shopping, and briefly visited the museum of the pilgrim. Otherwise, I mostly rested in my room (in the dark to say cool on a 92° day) and called my parents and my sister. 

Santiago de Compostela

I arrived at the Cathedral de Santiago de Compostela this morning, guided by my traveling companions, Heather and Chris. We arrived early, with plenty of time to walk around the cathedral and attend the midday pilgrims' mass. Then food, rest, and an evening contemplating the journey to this point and the millions of pilgrims that have traveled to this place over the last thousand years.

Lavacolla

I made it to the outskirts of Santiago today! Still 10 km to the Cathedral. The plan is to arrive there tomorrow in time for the pilgrim's mass at noon.

I will then spend three nights in the city center before continuing on for five more days of walking (91 km) to the ocean at Finisterre (finis - terre: the end of the world). I'll spend a couple days there, then walk to Lires for a night, then to Muxia for two nights before traveling back to Madrid.

Next stop: Hostal As Margaritas in Santiago de Compostela. 

A Calle de Ferreiros

There was a remarkable lack of highlights along today's walk. It was still a beautiful walk through more rolling hills, enveloping forests, and pastoral vistas. Just nothing of particular note otherwise.

I met a couple of very interesting and deep thinking people at the alburgue last night, and caught up with them (Chris and Heather) at the first coffee stop this morning. We walked together the rest of the day.

Then this evening, I sat with a Spanish/Australian man (Joe) who has walked 22 variations of the Camino in the last 10 years. (I was waiting for him to start singing a Spanish version of Jonny Cash's "I've Been Everywhere" as he was telling me about all the routes he's taken and places he's been through!)

So, today's highlights were in the people on the Camino, not the places along the Camino. 

Tomorrow night I will catch back jp with Heather and Chris at Alburgue A Fabrica in Lavacolla.

Boente

Churches and bridges today! 

(No details on the bridge above except that it is medieval.)

Iglasia de Santa María in Leboreiro - 18th century rebuild of 13th century Romanesque church. Has a legend about a statue of Mary that kept finding its way outside. Interestingly, the legend is originally about a pagan goddess of the earth. Regardless, they stopped the statue from moving by adding a sculpture of Mary over the exterior of the church entrance. (Story is that she just wanted to be outside!)

Puente de San Xoán, across the Río Furelos. Another medieval bridge. My understanding is that many of these bridges, like many of the small medieval churches, were built along the pilgrimage route - not the other way around. (I.e. the Camino came first, and the bridges, churches, and villages were built to serve and support the pilgrims.)

Iglesia de San Xoán, 13th-century, Furelos. Remarkable for the unique crucifix, with an a reaching down. It's a powerful variation on the common image.

Iglesia de Santa María de Melide, 11th-century, Melide. Another well preserved Romanesque church, adorned with 12th- and 15th-century frescos (with hidden Templar references), a Visigothic alter from the 8th century, and a collection of other medieval pieces.

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What struck me today was the millions upon millions of stones that have been gathered, transported, cut, placed, and maintained by the hands of 40+ generations of artisans and workers to create and maintain the roads, bridges, churches, lodgings, fences, and other structures along the 500 miles of the Camino Frances. One idea. Hundreds of organizations and tens (hundreds?) of thousands of individuals, over many generations, to make it what it is today.

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Tomorrow: Staying at Mirador de Rouris in Ferreiros A Calle.

Pulpo for Breakfast

When you get to "the place" for pulpo at 9:30 am... you have pulpo! (And sangria!)

What's pulpo?

Boiled to perfection, sliced, and served with a healthy coating of olive oil, paprika, and salt. Surprisingly good! The texture was firm, dense, and not at all rubbery, and the flavor was mild.

O Coto

I went on a little adventure today to visit this church - La Iglasia de El Salvador at Vilar de Donas. The village is a couple kilometers off the primary Camino route, but on a parallel path that only adds about 3 km in total. As can be seen by the entrance shown above, the church is another excellent example of Romanesque architecture and stone work.

Unfortunately, I saw only the entrance. As with so many of the small churches along the Camino, this one was closed. In this case they do actually open it for visits... but they have reduced the hours from what was posted to the online guides. So, I wandered around the grounds for a few minutes.

I then set out to follow the parallel route in my guide. That's where the real adventure began. Paved road to a dirt road to a tractor path between fields and into the forest. I missed a couple turns and had to backtrack. ("That's a road?! Ok...")

It got interesting at one point where a low section in the road was filled with... an organic, black, soupy mud. I made it past on the 4 inches of high ground between the mud and a barbed wire fence. 

And then...

Shortly after that stretch, I came upon a large farming operation and was greated by two dogs. Two very big, very angry cattle dogs. (Like German Shepherds, but bigger?!) Growling, barking, teeth bared, backs arched, the whole works. I was boxed in - fence and vegetation on one side, steep slope on the other, mud pit behind, angry dogs in front. Not exactly the peaceful walk in the countryside that I had in mind.

Ok, so, I pulled out my best don't-threaten-the-dogs behaviors (avoid eye contact, turn sideways, stay relaxed...) and then I started yelling to see if someone at the farm might call off the dogs.

Ayúdame por favor!! Quiero pasar!!

I yelled a few times. No response. So I yelled louder. No response. But... 

The dogs backed up a little. 

Oh... Really... Should I try that?

Dominance behavior. (I'm not a cow that you can intimate, I'm a human!) Stand tall, look big, (hiking poles out in front,) speak low and firm... 

and walk... 

right... 

past... 

them!

(as the bark, snarl, and generally threaten to eat me for about 200 yards.)

Phew. 

On with my peaceful walk in the countryside!

Aside from that, not a lot to share today!

Tomorrow is an easy 12 km to Albergue El Aleman in Boente.

A few friendlier critters from today: