Day 36 – O Cebreiro to Triacastela

Day 36 – May 8 O Cebreiro (Km 154) to Triacastela (Km 134) = 20 km – Cumulative 610 km

"Two days ago we were in the land of up. For 12 km we went up. Except for a couple of very short down sections we went up all day. And when we were finished we had arrived in the village ofO Cebriero perched on top of the world, at least that part of the world we were in (1300m.) O Cebriero started as a celtic village and is built of stone walls and thatched roofs. In winter it has only 12 residents but in summer it is filled with `pilgrims and bus tourists.

Yesterday was the land of down. All day for 18 km we came down to Tricastela. Going down is always more difficult and yesterday I fell for the first time. large llose stones and I knew they had the potential to trip me up and so they did. However not much damage except to my ego."

From Sue Schubert

"It is still sunny and we are entering Galicia!

Spain has around a dozen autonomous regions, and Galicia is one of them (located in the Lugo region). Castilla-León, which we left this morning, is another of the regions--all of which have their own local traditions and customs.

This afternoon we enter Galicia, the Gaelic part of Spain and much like Scotland, due to the invasion of the Celts long ago. We see heather, hear bagpipe music and walk through mostly green, lush and pastoral countryside grazed by cattle, sheep, pigs, sheep and chickens. In fact along the trail we passed a farm where the woman was sheering sheep by hand, while her husband looked on! The mountains of Galicia are the first objects in 5,000 km that the westerly winds coming across the Atlantic hit so there is, indeed, an immediate change of weather as we hit the mountaintop. Misty, foggy, much cooler.

Galicia shares many similarities with other Celtic regions--too poor to provide much employment for its large family structures, emigration of its younger men is common. However, the pilgrimmage of close to 100,00 people per year has brought a dependable income to many. Galicia is one of several regions of Spain with its own language, Gallego, which the people speak, along with Castillian (Spanish), which is the national language.

I must tell you about Jean, our front (wo)man, so to speak! Because Jean doesn´t hike, she arrives at our destination hours ahead of us. In the meantime, she has had time to find our hostal, register us and become acquainted. Where is the internet cafe (or a computer for rent)? She knows. Where should we eat lunch? She knows that, too. What sights should we see? Jean is our guide. She has evolved into the unofficial welcome wagon of each town we stay in--greeting and helping pilgrims in any way she can. Probably the funniest was when she arrived at the Brazilian Albergue ahead of us. She had had time to learn the ropes, welcome the pilgrims that Cristina, the owner, didn´t have time to welcome, show people to the dormitory, and, the next day before her taxi arrived, have time to clean the entire dormitory! Like Jean said, the albergues have very strict rules and everyone must be out by 8am. Since her taxi wasn´t arriving until 10, she had to get to work!"