Tracking Progress Part 3

Two nights ago we were in Sarria before traveling to Portomarín last night. Today we hiked about twenty-five kilometers and ended up in Palas do Rei.

Galicia

We are in the final stretch! Yesterday and the day before we completed thirty kilometer days and only have three days of walking left until we reach Santiago de Compostela. A few days ago we crossed into the province of Galicia. Everything here is much different than what we have encountered in other regions. The landscape is made up of spectacular mountains and is more dramatic than the others. We have been high enough to look out on the surrounding mountains and see exactly where the clouds cast shadows. The weather is also quite different. In the mornings it is cold enough that I wish I had a winter coat, hat and gloves. However, one warms up very quickly climbing a mountain, so I usually end up in shorts and a t-shirt within an hour. The other main difference is the language. The primary one is Gallego, although everyone is at least bilingual and can also speak Castilian Spanish. I enjoy reading the signs and magazines written in Gallego, as it is a challenge to decipher them using the Castilian that I know.
Last night we stayed in a town called Portomarín and saw the first body of water since we flew over the Atlantic. During the Franco regime a reservoir was built and flooded the town. The residents disassembled the church brick by brick and carried it up the hill before moving the entire town. While it was a gorgeous view, the several flights of stairs to get to the town were not fun after a very long day of walking.

Ponferrada to Villafranca del Bierzo

Two nights ago we stayed in the city of Ponferrada. It was a nice to have some excitement after staying in very quiet, rural towns since León. Although we had to stay in a dark basement, we reunited with almost all the friends we had met along the way. It was great to see everyone again and meet even more people, including some fellow New Englanders.
It seems to be the heart of festival season here, as we have come across about five in our travels. While in Ponferrada we were serenaded by the city orchestra who were playing in front of the medieval castle while we ate dinner. There were also fireworks and street performers while we were out and about.
Yesterday we hit the heart of wine country and spent most of the day walking through vineyards. It was some of my favorite scenery that I've seen so far. It was amazing to be surrounded by the grapes and colorful mountains. We ended in Villafranca last night; it was another quiet town, but had some wonderful old buildings and all cobblestone streets. Our hospitalero (the person who runs the albergue) made us a home-cooked meal beginning with noodle soup and salad and ending with chorizo, chick peas and potatoes all stewed together. Like everything else we've had it was absolutely delicious. We are typically offered the pilgrim menu every night, which is virtually the same everywhere. The first plates are usually a mixed salad with tuna, penne and tomato sauce, a vegetable soup of some kind, and white asparagus with homemade mayonnaise. The second plates are typically eggs and potatoes, pork, veal, and a white fish. Dessert is a packaged ice cream, flan, rice pudding or fruit. Then coffee comes after the dessert; they are not, under any circumstances, served together here. While everything on the menu is really tasty, it has gotten a little tedious having the exact same options every night. It makes one really appreciate when the hospitalero/a cooks an original meal for everyone.
Today we began our trek into the mountains. In a matter of minutes we gained five hundred meters of altitude, and then carried on uphill until we were walking along the mountain ridge. It offered spectacular views, but was the most difficult day so far.
Tonight we are staying at an albergue run by a Brazilian man and are about to enjoy a traditional Brazilian meal. Since I don't want to miss that I am going to say buen camino for the night!
(the picture is the view from our albergue)

Pictures From Rabanal

Tracking Progress Part 2 (León to Rabanal)

I have finally reached the point where I can look at a map of the Camino without feeling a bit defeated. We have gotten to the point where it really looks like we've come far. Before it was upsetting, as we would walk for days and make seemingly no progress. It felt as though we were never going to make it to Santiago. However, after a thirty kilometer day yesterday and then a twenty-two today we are back on schedule.
Last night we stayed in Astorga-the chocolate capital of Spain. Yum. I had some of a delicious dark chocolate bar made right in town. You could even get a chocolate bar with bits of ham in it. Although I didn't try it I was told it didn't taste much different, like chocolate with a little extra texture. It was a gorgeous small city, with all the best traits of the large cities. The hostel we stayed at was the largest one yet; it had 176 beds. Personally, I didn't like the size. It felt much more like a hotel and didn't have the sense of community a smaller hostel does.
Tonight we are in another small town, my favorite since Rabé: Rabanal del Camino (the attached picture is our room tonight. It's obvious there are 11 teenagers in one room). All the buildings are made of stone and unlike many of the other small towns it looks like people actually live here. I am off to do some exploring now and will post some pictures of the town when I get back from my little adventure.

¡Buen Camino!

León

Today marks the halfway point, as we have been here for exactly two weeks. Yesterday we only walked about ten kilometers and were able to spend the rest of the day in León. It was a wonderful feeling to come over a hill and see a real city in front of us! Out of all the places we have been, it was my second favorite behind just Madrid. It shares the narrow, colorful streets, but has a very different feeling despite many similar physical features. We visited the Cathedral and were able to explore the entire thing unlike in Burgos. The stained glass was the most breathtaking part of it all; every window was stained glass that had been taken apart and locked away for centuries.

( I didn't take any of these pictures. All of mine are on my camera so they can't be shared until I get home. These are all things we saw that I thought were just too impressive to leave out)

Photos From Sahagún