<![CDATA[JamesQuast.com

<![CDATA[JamesQuast.com - Blog]]>Sun, 28 Apr 2024 13:59:38 -0700Weebly<![CDATA[Day 39]]>Sun, 03 Oct 2021 12:44:10 GMThttp://jamesquast.com/blog/day-39Rúa to Santiago de Compostela

We made it Santiago de Compostela!

We left the hotel in Rua at 6:00 am as we wanted to get to Santiago before the hordes of pilgrims arrived. With the heavy rains yesterday, the Camino was very muddy and littered with broken branches. Parts of the trail had been washed out. We got to Santiago around 10:15 am.

As soon as we arrived we walked by the Cathedral and then to the pilgrim’s office to get our Compostela. Again, this document certifies that a pilgrim has completed the Camino de Santiago and it is awarded by the Church authorities. At the pilgrim’s office we scanned a QR code that displayed a form to complete. Once done, we received a number (kind of like the DMV). Once our number was called, they reviewed our pilgrim credentials to ensure we have the proper number of stamps. They collected some additional information, and boom - we got our Compostela! The line wasn’t too long so we were out of there by 11:00 am.

We then went back to the Cathedral and our eyes welled as it hit us that we met our goal and completed the pilgrimage. It has been quite a journey: 39 days walking the Camino Frances with a final distance of 496 miles. Last night a storm arrived and we could see waves of rain passing outside our hotel window. Forecasts said today could be similar. We prayed for dry skies and received it. When we arrived in Santiago the sun was shining and the Cathedral bells were ringing!

We missed the 12:00 pm Pilgrim Mass at the Cathedral, but there is another one at 7:30 pm tonight. There is a maximum number of attendees allowed, so we hope we are able to attend. If not, we will be back. Jim and I have already started talking about our next pilgrimage!

]]><![CDATA[Day 38]]>Sat, 02 Oct 2021 11:59:32 GMThttp://jamesquast.com/blog/day-38Arzúa to Rúa

Because our hotel was not in the village of Arzúa we needed to take a taxi from the hotel back into town. We said goodbye to Bimba, got in the cab, and started to walk the Camino at 8:30 am. We walked 11.4 miles in three hours and 30 min. Because it was a shorter day with rain we didn’t take a break. It was raining when we started. It then stopped for a couple of hours, and started raining again for the last two miles.

In the cab, Jim reminded me of a story I have not discussed here. A couple of days ago we were walking by a farm. A gentleman was using a pitchfork to pull potatoes from the ground. As we passed him, we came upon a barn where there was a cow whose head was stuck in a fence. As she tried to free herself, chicken wire was scraping her face. Concerned for the cow’s safety, Jim pulled out Google Translate on his phone and told the farmer about the situation. The guy barely looked at Jim and did not seem interested in helping the cow. Frustrated, Jim gave up and we continued down the trail, lamenting about the cow’s situation and how callous the farmer seemed to be.

In the cab this morning, Jim reviewed his Google Translate history and started to chuckle. He realized what he told the farmer is, “You’re a cow and the cow is stuck in the fence.” No wonder he didn’t look at Jim. Although we got a good laugh this morning, we still feel bad for the cow.

We have been seeing these odd, pointy seed casings on the trail while we have been walking through Galicia. There was a familiar looking nut inside and we wondered if they were chestnuts - like the kind you roast on an open fire. We Googled it it, and yup, that’s what they are! They are quite prolific in Galicia.

We also came across a biergarten called Casa Tia Delores. It is rather well known on the Camino for it’s artistic display of empty beer bottles. Because of the rain we did not stop to add to the collection.

Tomorrow is our last day on the Camino. We are 97.4% complete and have 13 miles (20 km) to go! We plan on hitting the trail early so that we arrive in Santiago de Compostela before the hoards arrive. There are few tasks for tomorrow: 1) Show our stamps at the pilgrim’s office to receive our Compostela; 2) Go to the pilgrim’s mass in the Cathedral; 3) Look for souvenirs to buy to help us remember the Camino. Hopefully we can do all three.

]]><![CDATA[Day 37]]>Fri, 01 Oct 2021 14:09:50 GMThttp://jamesquast.com/blog/day-37Palas de Rei to Arzúa

We had an 18.9 mile day today to walk to Arzua so we left out hotel at 7:30 am. The trail was much less crowded today and we believe it’s because we left earlier than the hordes we saw yesterday. A peaceful Camino returned.

The day started foggy. With our headlamps on, our vision was obscured by the mist. The countryside was beautiful with tree-covered hills, green grass and ferns, with the occasional flowering mint and eucalyptus providing a lovely scent as we walked the Camino.

About halfway through the leg, we came upon the small town, Melide. Although we had breakfast, we were hungry and wanted something to eat. Walking down a main street we saw a number of restaurants. As we walked by one, a man began talking to us through a wide open window. He pulled a large octopus out of a simmering caldron and told us his restaurant was the best in town. Impressed by his active marketing skills, we entered. Jim wanted to try the octopus (pulpo), and I wanted the grilled peppers (pimiento de Padron). I also ordered chorizo con patates (french fries).

We arrived in Arzua and called for a transfer to our hotel. We saw a number of hotels in town, but this place is a little gem. The service is great and the grounds are beautiful. Our host brought us a great bottle of white wine and although there is a fire burning inside, we opted to sit outside in the lushly planted garden. But the best part: there is a small black lab who is hanging out with us. Her name is Bimba. She is super sweet and makes us miss the Bud Bud more than we already do.

We have only have 24 miles and two days left on the Camino. Tomorrow we head to Rua.

]]><![CDATA[Day 36]]>Thu, 30 Sep 2021 13:17:30 GMThttp://jamesquast.com/blog/day-36Portomarín to Palas de Rei

The day started out cool and misty and the terrain began similarly to the day prior: we went up hills and down hills. Around noon, the mist cleared and the sky was blue. As the day progressed, there were less steep hills to climb and at times the Camino was relatively flat yet wound around little towns and pastures. Jim kept getting distracted by blackberries, and I would wait patiently for him to catch up.

The Camino is definitely more crowded and the energy has changed. Prior to Sarria, we would see small gatherings of pilgrims on the trail and folks would chat, but generally walking The Way was a quiet, peaceful experience. Today we experienced groups of 10 or more people walking together and it felt more like a party atmosphere. There was yelling and loud laughing. It’s not a bad thing, but I miss the peace of the Camino that we experienced previously. We stopped for a break and the crowds passed us. For the last three miles or so it was more quiet, and we both appreciated that.

Another difference is that we are no longer seeing the same friends we’ve met along the way. Some of them were only doing segments and have gone home. Others are walking with a different schedule. But when leaving our hotel for lunch in our destination village, Palas de Rei, we ran into our lady friend from Germany. She has been dealing with some injuries so has been taking some days off and taxying from village to village. It was great to see her, and hopefully we can connect more. We’ve also ran into the gentleman from Virginia that we met on Day 10. This is his fourth Camino, and it was great to see him too. So with the throngs of new people on the trail, it is comforting see a couple of familiar faces.

Tomorrow we head to Arzua.

]]><![CDATA[Day 35]]>Wed, 29 Sep 2021 12:27:22 GMThttp://jamesquast.com/blog/day-35Sarria to Portomarín

Today, the Camino had us ascend up a hill and then descend down it. We repeated that pattern for about five hours. For us, this is the most beautiful part of the Camino. There are rolling, tree-covered hills everywhere and the weather is cool. Around 10 am, the clouds started to break revealing patches of blue sky.

There are definitely more people on the Camino. As I mentioned yesterday, a lot of pilgrims start in Sarria as it meets the minimum requirement of walking 100 km to get your Compostela. Sarria is the point of entry for half all Camino Frances pilgrims.

After a couple of hours walking, we stopped at this great little place that had a bar and café. It was surrounded by ivy covered stone walls and had a terrace with white tables, chairs, and umbrellas They were playing the jazz version of pop songs - which was better than it sounds. Jim had a sangria, I had a beer, and we had some Santiago cake - an almond pastry which I would describe as cross between cake and a cookie. It’s delicious.

We are officially under 100 km to finish the Camino!

We crossed a bridge across a wide river to get to our destination, Portomarín. Looking over the bridge into the water you can see the remains of a town. The entire village was moved in 1962 up the hillside to make way for a new reservoir. The church was reassembled stone by stone.

Tomorrow we head to Palas de Rei.

]]><![CDATA[Day 34]]>Tue, 28 Sep 2021 11:16:31 GMThttp://jamesquast.com/blog/day-34Sarria

Today was a day off from the Camino. It’s our last rest day before arriving in Santiago de Compostella on Sunday. At breakfast we met some pilgrims who have also traveled from St. Jean - where we also started. They have only taken one day off, where this is our fifth. We could have easily resumed our walk today, but we appreciate having a day of rest. We also are grateful to have another day to soak up the experience and culture of Spain. As I was in bed last night, I reflected on everything I was grateful for and was filled with such joy. Oh - and the pilgrims who have only one day off were probably in their 20s!

Our hosts at the hotel did our laundry, so we did not have that task to complete today. And we also walked the small town of Sarria yesterday, so not a lot more to see. We are sitting in a tapas restaurant drinking sangria and eating empanadas. Life is good!

Tomorrow we head to Portomarin.

]]><![CDATA[Day 33]]>Mon, 27 Sep 2021 13:40:14 GMThttp://jamesquast.com/blog/day-33Triacastela to Sarria

We started the Camino around 8:45 am. There was a drizzle so we used our umbrellas rather than putting on our ponchos. Within 15 minutes we were wearing the ponchos. We started going uphill and the higher we got, the more it rained. As I’ve mentioned, Galicia is a rural area with a lot of cows. Every time the Camino turned to reveal a pasture, there would be a group of cows staring at us. They were forced to stand in the rain, and I believe they were wondering what the hell was our excuse?

When we started to descend, the rain cleared and we finally started to dry; although, our shoes and socks were pretty soaked through.

We got to our destination in Sarria and our hotel is nice. In addition to the bedroom, there is a sunroom with a great view and it has comfortable chairs and a refrigerator. The rooms have stone walls and wooden ceilings. It feels like a little cabin.

On the recommendation of our host at the hotel, we went to the Hotel Roma for lunch and had our first real grilled steak. We had pimiento de padron (grilled peppers), grilled vegetables, and french fries. It was great! The restaurant butchered and grilled the meat in the dining room. The pounding of the cleaver wasn’t relaxing, but the meat was fresh! It was a new experience for us..

We are anticipating more pilgrims on the Camino from now until the end. One of the rules for obtaining a Compostella is to walk a minimum of 100 km. A lot of people start in Sarria as the distance to Santiago meets that requirement. There will be more traffic on the Camino and if you ask me all the new people are slackers. ;-)

Tomorrow is a day of rest. We then have five walking days and we will then be in Santiago de Compostela and finished with the Camino!

]]><![CDATA[Day 32]]>Sun, 26 Sep 2021 05:26:32 GMThttp://jamesquast.com/blog/day-32O Cebreiro to Triacastela

We had breakfast this morning at our hotel. We had fried eggs, toast, and a couple of café Americano‘s. It was a great way to start the day! Our transfer to get back up to the top of the mountain was arranged for 7:45 am. It arrived promptly. While walking the Camino and crossing the roads, we have noticed the Spanish drive fast. I’ve often sang the Speed Racer song as I have jumped out the way while they sped by us. Apparently they’ve been our taxi drivers because both of ours drove like a bat out of hell.

The taxi dropped us off at O Cebreiro so we could start the Camino. It was still dark out. The buildings resembled something out of a Renaissance Pleasure Faire and it was misty at the crest of the mountains. It was cold and breezy for the first couple of hours of the trail.

During today’s walk I started reflecting on what makes something an adventure. Clearly it is seeing and experiencing new things. I also think it includes being outside your comfort zone. I am usually a creature of habit and routine. I enjoy having that challenged when I am traveling. An adventure is kind of like a box of chocolates.

I also started thinking about where the line gets crossed between being outside your comfort zone and getting into a stressful situation. I thought about thrill seekers who jump out of airplanes. I also thought about pilgrims who don’t book rooms in advance. For me it’s one thing to challenge your routine, but I also don’t want to add any unnecessary stress of not knowing where I will lay my head at night. On an adventure scale from 1 to 10, I am a six. I love experiencing new things and being outside my comfort zone, but I don’t want to jump out of an airplane or sleep on a church floor. We’ve met a lot of people who don’t find it stressful not knowing where they will sleep at night. That’s part of the Camino adventure! Different strokes for different folks.

One of the unexpected experiences of day was the release of cows just as we were passing their barn. They were being shepherded by a gentleman who guided them down the Camino to get some lunch.

It is not uncommon for me to be walking along the Camino and turn around to see that Jim is nowhere to be seen. At first this was a little concerning. I would wait a couple of minutes and would see Jim sauntering up the trail looking like the cat that swallowed the canary. Apparently Jim has an addiction to wild blackberries. At first I cautioned him not to eat them as Lord knows what stomach ailment he could get. But he didn’t listen to me and he has been sampling the berries the entire length of the Camino (with no ill effects). Pro Tip: Galicia has the best blackberries on the Camino.

We checked into our room at our destination city, Triacastela, and had lunch. For two days in a row, we have had Caldo Gallego, or Galician Soup. It’s a brothy soup with white beans, potato with chard or turnip greens. With the cooler Galician weather, it hits the spot. It’s another thing I plan to make when I get home.

Tomorrow we head to Sarria and then another rest day.

]]><![CDATA[Day 31]]>Sat, 25 Sep 2021 13:36:52 GMThttp://jamesquast.com/blog/day-31Villafranca del Bierzo to O Cebreiro

We had breakfast in the hotel and left around 7:30 am. It was raining so we put on our ponchos and headed out.

Today’s leg started with us walking up a narrow canyon with a river running through the middle. It was lovely and the trail followed a very gentle slope. With it being a cool, overcast (and at times rainy) day, the moss on the rocks was a vibrant green and occasionally we smelled the smoke from neighboring fireplaces. Jim made a comment how he would like to bundle up in front of one.

Yes, the first 10 miles were idyllic. Spoiler Alert: The last five miles went straight up in mud, rock, and cow dung.

About five miles into the trail, we stopped and had coffee and a tortilla. We ran into Banff (Canadian #2) and his daughter and visited with them for awhile. I think I have mentioned this, but they are booking rooms about three days in advance. It provides flexibility in a case you want to change plans due things like weather or injury. We are booked in all of our hotels for the entire Camino so have very little flexibility. The downside of booking three days out is that rooms are not always available. They’re going a little further than we are today because there’s no accommodations where we stopped. He mentioned that a couple of days ago pilgrims needed to sleep on a church floor as no rooms were available. We most likely will not see them again because of our scheduling differences.

As I mentioned, the last five miles were a tougher haul. It was raining and the trail became much steeper. We were no longer walking on a paved trail, but hiking in mud. This is a very rural area and cows and horses share the Camino with us. And let’s just say they are not potty trained. And although it was a more strenuous climb, the views got more beautiful as we gained elevation. Also, we are officially in Galicia! This is the last region of Spain we will be walking through, and it’s the region that Santiago de Compostella is in.

We got to today’s destination at the summit of the hill we had been climbing all day. Jim said, “Before we walk much further, let’s find out where the hotel is so we don’t get too far from it.” We looked it up and it was a 48 minute walk away. Wait. WHAT? We looked at the fine print on our reservation and we were supposed to call the hotel to arrange a transfer. Or we could walk. I pulled out my phone and a taxi picked us up, we checked in, had a delicious lunch.

Overall it was a great day. We hiked 18.2 miles, our moving time five hours and 55 minutes and the ascent was 2,626 feet.

Tomorrow we head to Triacastela.

]]><![CDATA[Day 30]]>Fri, 24 Sep 2021 16:10:37 GMThttp://jamesquast.com/blog/day-30Ponferrada to Villafranca del Bierzo

We left our hotel around 9:30 am. We got a later start than usual as we knew it would be raining. We had breakfast and coffee in the hotel and waited for the rain to stop. Rain was forecast all morning, so we started the Camino and assumed we may need to wait out additional rain in a cafe. We walked about two and half miles to Compostilla and stopped and had a couple shots of espresso.

The Camino was mostly flat today. There were some gradual hills that we climbed and then descended, and we passed a number of vineyards. With cloudy skies and cool weather, it feels like fall. Even some of the trees and vines are changing color and apples have fallen from the trees.

We stopped for lunch in a village called Cacabelos. We ordered a salad, a calzone, and a couple of beers. We waited quite a while for the calzone. The server came out and explained in Spanish there was an issue. I didn’t understand anything she said, so I pulled out Google Translate and asked her to say it again. Google Translate told me, “Pablo stayed in his pants and you have to wait a little bit because to be another one again.” Uh…what? Good job, Google Translate. But we waited about 10 more minutes more and got our Calzone. It was good, and I’m glad Pablo stayed in his pants.

Today’s leg was officially 15 miles but the the GPS said we walked 17. We went off the Camino a couple of times during the rain looking for coffee, Jim did some backtracking, and our hotel in our destination town, Villafranca del Bierzo, was further from the center of the village. But we had a good day and our hotel has a washer and dryer. Score!

When we started the Camino in St Jean Pied de Port, Santiago de Compostella was 790 Km away. Today we have less than 200 Km left!

Tomorrow we head to O Cebreiro.

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