Walking the Camino de Santiago
My beautiful bride walks the misty Camino paths of Galicia, full of mystery and promise. Even now, I can easily call to mind the romance and adventure of this day, and I am reminded of the liturgical principle that sacred things are veiled. Date: 26 April 2013Place: between Fonfría and Biduedo (Province of Lugo, Galicia, Spain)Today started: Fonfría (Province of […]
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No, I can’t properly explain why I find old rusty farm equipment sitting outside to be so photogenic. There’s just something that appeals to the romantic in me, I suppose. Like the bones of some dinosaur embedded in a cliff face, they are reminders of a world gone but now freshly remembered in its remains. Date: 26 April 2013Place: between […]
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As we started walking that morning, the mists of Galicia closed in around us. There’s something both mysterious and intimate in those mists that I find difficult to explain, but once you’ve walked there, you will understand. Date: 26 April 2013Place: Fonfría (Province of Lugo, Galicia, Spain)Today started: Fonfría (Province of Lugo, Galicia, Spain)
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The next morning, we asked the hospitalero to take a photo of our little Camino family. From left to right: me, Iain, Francine, Bob, and Anja. There’s a fork in the road coming up, and while some of us are heading directly to Sarria, some of us are instead taking the alternative route to the ancient Benedictine abbey of Samos. […]
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After dinner, we all sort of collapsed. Well, not all of us. Iain and a Japanese fellow named Su took turns playing the albergue’s guitar and singing. It was a splendid evening, even if we were exhausted! Francine, Anja, Bob, and I watched and listened. There was hardly any snoozing. Date: 25 April 2013Place: Fonfría (Province of Lugo, Galicia, Spain)Today […]
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If you stay at the albergue in Fonfría, dinner is down the hill at this amazing place. The food was outstanding, as was the company. More on that next week! Date: 25 April 2013Place: Fonfría (Province of Lugo, Galicia, Spain)Today started: Vega de Valcarce (Region of El Bierzo, Province of León, Castilla y León, Spain)
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The tiny hamlet of Fonfría has a population of four humans and probably four dozen cows. Nevertheless, it also has this lovely little albergue. A small group of us piled in here at the end of a long day, including (in addition to Francine and myself) Anja from Germany, Iain from Scotland, and Isabel from Korea. For reasons lost to […]
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This particular stretch of the Camino is a gently undulating terrain, but just a little further on there’s a bit called Alto do Poio, which I think might translate into something like “lousy hill”. This was a crazy bit of hill, so steep and full of boulders that at some points I was on all fours scrambling up the slope. […]
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While much of Galicia is forested, quite a bit is given over to pastureland and farms as well. This should give you a pretty good idea of what much of this looks like from the Camino. Date: 25 April 2013Place: between Hospital da Condesa and Padornelo (Province of Lugo, Galicia, Spain)Today started: Vega de Valcarce (Region of El Bierzo, Province […]
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Back in 2013, these markers could be found throughout Galicia. I don’t recall seeing them since, and I suspect they were all replaced with more modern signs and markers. I hope I’m wrong about that, and there are still some of these kicking around. To see what the modern markers look like, check here. Date: 25 April 2013Place: entering Hospital […]
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