Day 19 - Portomarin to Arzua

Another gorgeous section of walking.

Joe and I have walked this section before

and decide to take the road for much of it.

Nancy and Laura are doing fine!

A horreo.

We stop for morning coffee a few kilometers up the road.

Patty takes a photo of me taking a photo of her! 

:)

There must have been a fire here earlier this year.

This sunflower is heavy with seeds.

Joe is VERY tall compared to whomever owns this house!

 I can't get over how happy the cows in Spain are

compared to our poor old cows in the United States

who never see a blade of green grass

their entire lives.

Refreshment close to the end of the walk.

Note:  If you are interested in walking the Camino Santiago, 

but are not quite ready to go it alone, 

consider joining Annie

on one of our small, affordable Camino walks. 

For more information see our website 

at this link: AnnieWalkers Camino

Arzua to Arca - Chanterelles?

On our way to Arca today we walked through miles of eucalyptus forest.
Mycology is an interest of ours and we were looking at the various types of mushrooms growing on the forest floor, many familiar as also growing in Oregon.

Suddenly we gasped as we recognized a bright orange friend that we don't usually see until October...could it be...??!??

It was a chanterelle! Not one, but a bank full! They were small and would have been perfect for eating in a couple of weeks but we are here now. So...we picked enough for our morning omelette.

I wonder why the chanterelles are out so early? Maybe Mother Nature is tricking the shroomies as well as the pilgrim with this Autumn-like weather?

We picked quite a few for tomorrow's breakfast... yum!

Soon we arrived at Pension Maribel. This little albergue sits next door to another one called Pension Arco Pino.

Both are lovely. Both have a nice common area where you can cook. They have free wi-fi and Arco Pino has a beautiful garden where you can relax. Highly recommended.

Arco Pino uses an air freshener that gives me a migraine, however, so I usually settle into Maribel. We were offered the downstairs apartment at Pension Maribel. It was a luxurious rest with our own living room and terrace. We were able to get all of our laundry done for our trek on the Pelgrimspad beginning in two days.

Thank you, Maribel, for your generosity!

Bedroom at Maribel. See Fall trip for more photos.

We went into the kitchen to have a late afternoon coffee and found this note waiting for us along with some yummy treats!  Small things like the sharing of food makes the Camino experience a sweet one.

To Arzua

Today looks like a beautiful day for walking. Good thing because its a long stage - over 29 kilometers according to Brierley. But our walkers should be in shape for it by now.  

Here is the view out my window at Pension Palas:

Two more days to Santiago! 

The walk to Arzua began sunny and warm. We stopped in St. Xulian for breakfast at this beautiful Albergue set in an old casa rural. I'd love to stay here sometime!

The owner had walked the Camino 4 times and really understands what the pilgrim needs. The rooms have 6 beds. Beds are 10 euros They do have 2 privates and they do take reservations.

 Just a short walk out of St Xulian is this interesting house with a cat window where you can get Massage and Reiki.

Just a short walk out of St Xulian is this interesting house with a cat window where you can get Massage and Reiki.

Much of today's walk was on easy dirt track through woodlands.

We had heard of an interesting phallus carving on one of the small churches along the way, so we kept our eyes peeled. We found it a corbel of the church at Leboreiro (Field of Hares) on the way to Melide. I'm amazed it has survived. I wonder what it signifies... Fertility?

We stopped for pulpo and bacalau in Meride. The lady cooking was moving more than the octopus! Lunch was great! I recommend you share a SMALL plate of pulpo and have your own bowl of the best Caldo Gallego I have tasted in Spain!

My kids will know this kale potato soup as Querves.

There were other pulpo bars but this one is right on the Camino as you come into town and they actually have a hawker pulling people in.

 I think you might get better prices up the road but we were very happy with our lunch.

Soon, the rain began and got worse as the day went by.

Bob and Evette crossing one of the small streams on the trail. This was a really pretty section to walk today, even in the rain! The smell of eucalyptus was strong in the air and the frogs were singing up a storm!

The last 2 hours of our walk today, the skies broke open and it poured.

I shared a cab with two other walkers after going about 22 k but Joe wanted to finish the 30 kilometers.

Joe said it was raining so hard he had to hold the hood down on his Altus to keep the rain from blowing into his eyes so he could see the waymarkers.

He, Brenda, Mauve, Bob and Evette arrived looking like drowned pilgrims. But they were smiling. They DID it!

Congratulations!

This lovely Pension Arcano has a beautiful terrace where we are drying out our clothes.

I'm not sure why...tomorrow's forecast is RAIN!