STILL POURING IN SANTIAGO DE COMPOSELLO

 STILL POURING IN SANTIAGO DE COMPOSELLO

Wed, Oct.25- 26,2023

Weather forecast is rain every day in the foreseeable future.  We had originally thought that we would walk to Muxia; however,  carrying my pack another 2-3 days in the rain with my pack is not the way we choose to end my birthday celebration trip. We have already spent tourist time in Santiago and Finisterre on past trips so we headed for the bus station free of our backpacks to go to Muxia for the day

"Padron Peppers"

Our Favorite

Thurs Oct.25, 2023

Up at 3:00 for prearranged 4:00 taxi to Renfe Station

    which was a good thing cause it was still pouring down rain.

.

Love the high speed train to Madrid.

we didn't make the transfer to the airport so wee took a taxi and got to enjoy the club lounge and their great hospitality.

Walking Day 9 O SISTO to SANTIAGO de COMPOSTELA

O SISTO to SANTIAGO de COMPOSTELA

10 miles or 16.8K

1360 ft elevation gain

Tues Oct. 24,2024

We left our beautiful Casa Vella, which is one of the Casa Rural group about 9:00 after the best breakfast on the Camino.  Each small plate was a work of art just like dinner last night. The wife served eggs, toast, plus meats, cheese, tomato’s, avocados and melons in perfect thin slices.

As predicted it was raining when we left and increased during the morning as did the wind.  Leaves were blowing horizontally in the oak forest paths.  Hard to believe that it’s such beautiful country side just a few miles out of the city.

Our first glimpse of the Cathedral was 7k from it.  Up until then it was too wet to take photos .

One of several Halloween scenes .

Just starting the climb up into the city.

Walking to our Hotel to check in before heading to the Cathedral. Still raining and we are drenched inside and out.  Your body creates so much heat walking up hill that it condenses inside the ponchos and causes it to be just as wet inside.

We were able to make reservations at Via Aetcal for 2 nights which is the same one we stayed in 2019.  It's very small hotel.  I think there are only 3 rooms on each floor.

Finally the rain stopped while we were getting warmed up with hot showers and the driest of our clothes on to check out the Cathedral.

So much joy!   A whole group of pilgrims coming in from the Frances runs into a group that they hadn't seen in days and are greeted as long lost friends.

WALKING DAY 8 Padron to O Sisto

Walking Day 8 - Padron to O Sisto - 10.8 km Elevation gain 88m

October 23, 2023

Today was a planned light day to make the walk tomorrow into Santiago de Compostela manageable.  We had the usual breakfast and headed out at 0830.  Padron has more history than meets the eye.  The old portion shows close quarters, good maintenance, and architectural features like the sunrooms.  Supposedly Padron dates back to the actual time of the headless body of  St James’s transport to Santiago up the small river from the sea.

The walk was relatively flat and unremarkable.  We did stop at an open church and were surprised by its interior.  It was with full Catholic alters and furnishings.



The hard granite ground makes grave digging difficult so most graves are at grade or in vaults.

Rain was light or non existent for this morning walk. The sun appeared and the rays lit the path.

JoLinda thought she found a new fruit species, but on close inspection, not.

But one must be aware of the ever seeing guardian!

There were also a few goats along the way that had no interest in chatting.

By 1230 we arrived at Casa Villa de Rivera, a Casa Rural inn.  The owner notified us along our walk that our backpacks had arrived and were very tired and needed to go immediately to their room.

The villa was delightful and the owner a joy to meet.

 

Shortly after our arrival it began to pour with thunder and lightning.  But we had a cozy place to be for a little cervisa and vino.

We enjoyed an evening meal and discussion with a fellow pilgrim.









WALKING DAY 7 CALDAS de REIS to PARDON

10-22-2023    CALDAS de REIS to PARDON

                                         19.9 Km. 

We’ll this is going to be a shortened version of the original that I just lost in the digital space.    It was 7:45 and 46 degrees when we left Caldas de Reis this morning.  It had rained a lot in the night but had stopped.

We quickly found a great little posteria with a few Pilgrims.  

We crossed a very fast moving river on our way out of town.   The bridge was a beautiful old stone bridge way above the river but I couldn’t get a good shot. 

Some scenes along the way.

 

This thing appears several times a day at various intersections.  Not sure why ?

Mud from all the rain and bike tracks.

                        The town of Pontecesures but I’m curious about what this is.

                                       I found out it is a Nestle processing plant.

                                      
                     A 4 block long Sunday Market, no one was bothered by the sprinkles.

                                   Look at the price of the Levi’s and they look real?