Day 31.

 Posted by VQT

Headed to Portomarin - a 13 mile walk on woodland paths and gravel tracks.  The early section is uphill to rolling and ending with a long downhill.  The guidebook mentions we will walk through a small town with an official population of 1.  

Per the author, John Brierley, of our guidebook: “Beware of signs of irritation at the intrusion on “my” Camino - remember that many of the new arrivals may be nervous starting out and the last thing they need is aloofness built on a false sense of superiority.  A loving pilgrim welcomes all they meet along the path with an open mind and an open heart…without judgement” 

Photo of a Sarria pilgrim tour bus.  

We will try our best to smile at the “bus” pilgrims.  


Comments

  1. CDZOctober 1, 2025 at 8:51 AM

    It sure is a blemish in this beautiful country! But ...oh my - I was in that bus! Busted!

    ReplyDelete
  2. To Dog With LoveOctober 1, 2025 at 9:19 AM

    Ha! You had an experience the bus people will never know. Lucky you (for real)!

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousOctober 1, 2025 at 3:15 PM

    Population 1? Is it the mail carrier? The mayor? Hope they aren't too lonely.
    Cheryl P

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Are we there yet?

Image
 Posted by LP Today was 14 miles, not too hilly (but enough hilly to make us believe we achieved something), cool in the morning, hotter and sunnier as the day progressed - it took us about 5 hours (with a few brief breaks) and when we arrived at our destination, we stopped at the first bar/cafe along with a bunch of other pilgrims - now we have completed approximately 60 miles in 5 days….only another 400 to go! Photo - teapot and teacup sign outside cafe Photo - LP and VQT, with Tina from Germany, at dinner last night - we had the “pilgrim’s menu” = 15 euros each for salad, pasta, fresh fruit (melon) and red wine - we were so hungry we ate it all  Photo - Camino Arrow sign…..crocheted  Photo - graffiti of heart and smiley face  Photo - green door covered in graffiti  Photo - green door with “for sale” sign Photo - delightful house and garden with vines and geraniums  Photo - graffiti of a menacing face  Photo - VQT at green grocers (we bought bananas)...
Read more

Day 2. Sept 2nd

Image
 Posted by VQT Headed to Estella.  When we were here 3 years ago we had booked a room at a self check in hotel - using the kiosk challenged us beyond normal cuss words. But there was a reward - a vegetarian restaurant down the street.  This year when we were booking rooms we reserved a room in Estella and we realized it was at the (curse word) self check in hotel!  We are mentally prepared for the kiosk and hopeful the vegetarian restaurant is still there.   Stopped for lunch and a beer   We have 4 to 5 miles still to walk.  Sights along the way    Very fancy water fountain.  Almost all the small towns have a fountain for Camino pilgrims to use.   Baby snails.    More baby snails.    Fields of dead sunflowers.  Right before seeing these dead flowers we walked past a very dense hedge filled with birds.  Merlin identified the song as Eurasian linnets.  We never saw them.   Owl planter in the mid...
Read more

Wanderlust

Image
 Posted by LP VQT sitting at cafe in Madrid airport under a sign that says “Wanderlust (n) a strong desire or urge to travel and explore the world” As we walk out of the city, we see the bright blue sky above the bell tower of the cathedral at Santiago de Compostela  Liz (met last year on Portugues Camino), LP, VQT and Michelle (met this year on the Primitivo Camino) outside the restaurant we ate lunch together yesterday/Thursday  LP, VQT, Michelle and Liz enjoying dinner at The Green Room (a veggie restaurant!) on Wednesday evening  We’ve walked, we’ve celebrated…..we are ready to be home :) HUGE and HEARTFELT thanks to everyone who supported us to have this wonderful adventure - I recognize it is a privilege to spend a month walking and exploring (also finding our way, negotiating various challenges, looking for the next place to rest, eat, sleep and do laundry, etc.!) - special appreciation to GJA (previously identified as the most supportive spouse in the world),...
Read more