Day 37 – Triacastela to Sarria

Day 37 – May 9 Triacastela (Km 134) to Sarria via Samos (Km 115) = 19 km 629

“Sarria, Province of Lugo, Comunidad of Galicia 08 05 09 15:15

We are in Galicia, rainy Spain and today we walked all day (about 5 hours in the rain. Not torrential rain but a continuous drizzle. Today we are 115 km from Santiago, and if all goes well we will reach Santiago next Thursday, May 15, on schedule.

Dad”

"I am the pilgrim of the autobus and today I left Sue Dick and Dad in Tricastela and took the bus. Met a number of interesting pilgrims on the bus and have experienced a new hot chocolate drink...thicker than usual and you get 6 doughnut like sticks that you dip into the chocolate... very rich and very good. Yesterday I took the taxi to Tricastela because the bus left O Cebriero at 7 am ...just too early. I am finding that just being here is quite a job; each day I figure out how to the to the net stop. Usually Dad and I scout it out the night before because he can ask questions in Spanish. Once the bus arrives at the appointed place, then I have to find our hotel so I have learned to pay attention to the street names and my directions. Then I have to ask for the rooms, register with my passport and get the keys. Next I usually try to scout out the town to see what sights the group would like to see and where they would like to eat.

Yesterday as I made my scouting walk, I met 2 Australians who were stopped for a coffee. We knew them because they had been at our previous alburgue so I just had coffee with them. In the conversation, one said that his wife did not want to come as she was completing her post graduate thesis.....I said oh my! It’s as if the community of the Camino travels along and the places change. I have lost track of the days of the week and the places we have stayed. As one lady from Paris said "All we think of is where we are; where we are walking, where we will eat and where we will sleep." We have nothing else to focus on.

While waiting for the walkers yesterday, I me an Audrey..... who was head of homecare for Minburn-Vermillion during the time that we were in Alberta. She knew Gloria Lerrand. She had trained at Toronto Western.

Hope all is well. We have 7 more days to the end of the Camino and then will be on holiday.
Love Mom"

From Sue Schubert

Galicia is magnificent!

There is definitely a different feel to Galicia--huge farmlands lush and green, divided by rock walls (no mortar), the path mostly steep down, down. Follow the yellow arrows and, in Galicia, the way markers (concrete with the kms. left to Santiago well marked). There is never a rush. Our hiking days continue their pattern: A quick Spanish breakfast of toast, orange juice (usually fresh squeezed), and coffee; on the trail by 8:30, hike 20 Kml.; second breakfast or first lunch, depending on the hour (always in a bar along the trail); a coffee or beer as we near our destination (another bar).

Some more observations:

-The farmers in the field usually wear royal blue pants and shirt; the women, royal blue skirt and shirt, with an apron. All wear galoshes. It is muddy!
-We are often stopped by cows being herded to the barn to be milked. Or sheep to pasture by the farm dog.
-Today a farm woman came out and offered us freshly made crepes as we passed by! We chatted and gave her 1 euro each.
-Many villagers wish us well. It helps that we greet them in Spanish.
-Pilgrims hike in many different ways. Some have their packs transported for them daily via taxi. They walk with a day pack. Some have arranged at home (via travel agent) that each day they won’t hike over 15 K; a taxi awaits them at that point to transport them to their destination where their backpacks await!
-Many pilgrims hurt (physically). Perhaps they didn´t train before getting on the trail. Maybe they have new boots. Or, they aren´t in shape; or, their backpack is too heavy. Maybe the trip isn’t for them, and they realize this after arriving in Spain. Everyone has a different reason for hiking the Camino and either giving up, or completing their goal. We are all on a different journey.
-The Spanish love their cured meats, and in many places we see it hanging from the ceiling of the bars and restaurants: hams, bacon, chorizo, etc.
-There are some very old buildings in Galicia called pallozas which used to house farm families. Today they are museums and we toured one. In days of old, before roads were put through (and new building materials could be brought in), pallozas were very common--round with thatch roofs, dirt floors, and plenty of space to cure meats at the ceiling. The parents had the only private room; the kids shared the common room; there was a separated-off room for the kitchen; and space for the animals adjacent. No heat; no electricity; hardly any light."