Wednesday 14 May 2014

Camino Frances (May 14, 2014) - Day 82 Sarria to Castromaior

Another superb day of walking in the Galicia over 32 kms in just under 6.5 hours. The morning represented what might have been the finest walking of the Camino Frances so far...I know I have said this before! We walked on forest paths, country roads and paths with wide open views...inspiring walking!

We have been so incredibly fortunate so far...no rain in the Galicia under sunny perfect conditions. Cyrille mentioned that last year the Galicia had 170 consecutive days of rain!

We are staying at the Pension Casa Maruja...somewhat ok but incredibly cold with banana beds.

After showers, etc. yesterday we went for a bite to eat and cervezas...pulpo...or octopus a Galician delicacy was our tapas.

Pulpo

I ate some of each type of pulpo...yes including the swirly type! I enjoyed the taste...the texture was a bit chewy...I likely will next taste pulpo in a few years! Marc adamantly and respectfully refused to taste it!

Before supper Marc, Cyrille and I went to a Farmacia (Paulo had to work on a Legal case) where Marc was looking to purchase Second Skin for his blistered feet! What happened next was one of the funniest , most pathetic, purchase attempts I have ever seen.

Nice lady pharmacist approaches us Hola..."can I help you" in Spanish. Marc looks at her and says "I'm Canadian". That's it folks...nothing else...not even an attempt to point at his feet and try to convey why he was there. The pharmacist looked nonplussed and smiled and walked away. Marc then proceeds to purchase something which as it turns out is not Second Skin at all! Only my brother could have pulled this scene off perfectly!

Yesterday's supper was a bit of a hit and miss affair for me...

Supper - Minestrone soup...tasty but somewhat salty!

Galician stew...looked good however the salt simply overpowered everything!
Very tasty pear dessert!
Yeah Brazil...I mentioned to Paulo on several times that my blog had zero page views (Blogger measures this) from Brazil. A few days ago he put out the call and voila I now have over 50 page views from Brazil...right up there in that time period with Canada! In total the blog has over 12,000 page views to date! I'm sure Brazil will win the 2014 World Cup as well in football/soccer!

After supper Paulo disappeared for a while...when he came back he gave Marc and I a picture...nice gesture on his part which we appreciated! The day in pictures...

Pretty awesome! Guess who I am!

Yes I walked over this!
            














Not quite sure what this structure is?
This gentleman was so excited as we were at the 100km to Santiago sign!

What a breakfast...empanada, chocolate caliente, and cake!

Not a dangerous animal!
Quite the shrine!
Crooked cross
Portomarin
Long way home!
Excitement is building for all of us...81 kms to go to Santiago to Compostela...then 90 kms to Finisterre...hard to believe that soon the long walk somewhere between 2,400 and 2,500 kms spanning 3 countries will be completed!

7 comments:

  1. Hi Guy
    Beautiful pictures (not just the scenery - seems that you may be a frustrated food stylist, or perhaps it is a new vocation for life after GWL?) and of course interesting commentary. I hope you enjoy the last few days of what has to have been a wonderful experience on many fronts. I hope Marc has found a way to communicate his foot care needs more effectively. Hope to see you next time we are in Winnipeg to hear more in person. Best wishes for a successful conclusion to your pilgrimage.

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  2. Hi Guy
    Beautiful pictures (not just the scenery - seems that you may be a frustrated food stylist, or perhaps it is a new vocation for life after GWL?) and of course interesting commentary. I hope you enjoy the last few days of what has to have been a wonderful experience on many fronts. I hope Marc has found a way to communicate his foot care needs more effectively. Hope to see you next time we are in Winnipeg to hear more in person. Best wishes for a successful conclusion to your pilgrimage.

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    1. Thanks Sheilagh...yes food is a major objective in this walking journey! I mentioned your best wishes for Marc expressing his needs regarding footcare...both had a really good laugh!

      See you when next in Winnipeg

      Guy

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  3. Paulo definitely captured The Teeth!

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    1. Jeanne,

      Pas trop gentil ça!

      Je t'aime

      Papa

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  4. Re the mysterious looking structure: the first time I saw one of these – practically every farm had one – I was intrigued. What was its function? The cross suggested some religious significance. Was it a shrine? If so, why was it bricked-up? Was it some kind of tomb perhaps? Did they bury bodies inside them? The truth turned out to be far more prosaic – it’s a corn-crib used for ripening husks of corn.

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    1. Thanks John! Why of course...how could I have not known? To be honest I could have spent the rest of my life guessing and still not guessed right!

      Guy

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