I have reach my limit and usedy 3k, so please go to my Facebook page to follow our last 100k to Santiago.

So are within 100k of Santiago or about 62 miles.

Santiago allows people who don’t have the time to walk the full Camino to get a taste of The Way. Walking over 100km also makes you eligible to receive the Compostela (Pilgrim Certificate). This stretch of the Camino de Santiago takes approximately one week, making it a very feasible trip for many.

All of the last 100km walks to Santiago de Compostela are predominantly through the undulating landscape of Galicia. Galicia is renowned for its rolling hills and lush vegetation and is a wonderful place to walk. This area is also rich in history that’s still visible today. Celtic tribes initially inhabited this land and it’s from them that the area’s name was derived. The region was then occupied by the Romans in the 3rd Century BC until the Middle Ages when Moorish invaders attempted to conquer these lands.

Ultimately, the Moors never obtained much control and the land soon fell back into the hands of the Christian Kingdom of Asturias. It was at this time that the tomb of St James was discovered and since then this area has been a pilgrimage destination.

Seven days left until we reach our destination. Still walking in beautiful weather. During the day nice bright sunshine. Looks like a bit of rain next week, but this regin is known for it’s rain which keeps it very lush and green.

So we left Trabadelo and it was up the hill to O Cebreiro. We asended 1968 feet in elevation over nine miles. We were definitely on top of hill almost. We also enter the province of Galicia.

A short walk today, got to the albergue before they opened at 1300. So we hung out a ND ate lunch. The owners of Casa Susi we’re amazing. A homemade dinner and great conversation. We we’re hanging out by the stream on the property soakiny our feet when the owner, Susi came down to tell us they just checked in four pilgrims with suspected bed beds. She had taken all of their clothes a ND sleeping bags and washed everything. She then sprayed all their stuff and gave them all something clean to wear

This has been one of our favorite places to stay. As we left our last town we walked through wine country once again. Elevation coming
Tomorrow Enjoy.

S

o another 25 k today, but mostly flat. We ran across two friendly mutts hanging out looking for attention. In Ponferrada is a well preserved example of a Templar castle similar to many others built around the time of the Crusades. It was built in two distinct phases (12th and 15th centuries) on the ruins of an earlier Visigoth fortress which had in its turn been build on a pre-Roman castro. A moat surrounded it on all sides except where it faced the river. We also saw this wierd looking building and a beautiful small church. Also a few pictures of bill boards advertising places to stay in the next town. And finally a menu in English. The ownerd interpretation of the Spanish menu to English

Enjoy!

A very long walk today. We passed through Manjarin, population of 1. We also stopped at the Iron Cross. One of the things that pilgrims traditionally take with them on Camino is a stone, and this stone is normally taken from home. The idea is that you leave the stone at an iron cross called the Cruz de Ferro along the route of the Camino Francés.

The tradition of pilgrims leaving a stone at the Cruz de Ferro was originally a very religious one and the purpose was to say a prayer at the Iron Cross and leaving the stone behind was very symbolic in that you were really leaving behind all your sins.

More recently, the tradition has been built on in that it’s a recognition of leaving behind not only the sins that pilgrims carry but also other burdens in their life. Enjoy the days pics.

Hello all. A short walk today. Enjoy the pictures of the day including Kathy holding an eagle a Cowboy Bar and other good things. Tonight we head over to a service with monks singing a Gregorian chant. Buen Camino. Just an update on the eagle. His owner is a cancer survivor and he takes him into hospitals and entertains children who are battling cancer.

Thought I would share a mostly typical day.

In order to find our way through Spain the trail is marked in many ways but primarily by a yellow arrow.

We are up by 615 every morning getting ourselves and packs ready to head out for our walk to our next destination along The Way.

It is pretty dark when we leave, but we have headlamps and the opportunity to see many sunrises.

Doing our walk each day we get to see a lot of cool things.

We do meet some strange pilgrims along the way.

And of course we have to make sure we follow the yellow arrows.

And when we finally get to where we are staying for the night we have to sign in and pay up. The place we stayed tonight is a muncipal albergue. This usually means we all share the same bathroom and showers. And of course don’t forget to get the WiFi password!

But don’t forget to take a break during our long walk

And after checking in and getting cleaned up check out the beautiful Cathedral.

And finally after a long day take sometime to relax before starting over the next day. Buien Camino.

Kathy and I walked from Lyon to San Martin Del Camino. Bill and Shelly took a bus from Leon to shorten thier walk due to a foot issued. We will meet them at the albergue when we get there. We took a few pictures headed out of Lyon including the Harley-Davidson symbol and Route 66. We stopped along the road I got something to eat and found a pilgrim sitting by himself in the restaurant not sure what what he was waiting for. When we finally got to the albergue we had a beer or two and played some cards. The day started out cold about 40 degrees but ended nicely warming up to around 60

Stayed here an extra day

Rained the entire time we were here but we tried to make the best of it. Pictures of Barry’s Irish Pub. Bartender not from Ireland but Holland. Opens up at 1500 and closes at 6am. Does not play Irish music.
The Gothic Catedral de Santa María de León was inspired by the cathedral of Reims, in northern France. It was built, beginning in the 13t century, on top of the original Romanesque cathedral which was built on a palace erected by King Ordoño II, which was in turn built on top of public baths from the Roman era. The 1,800m² of stained glass represents humankind’s supremacy on earth with depictions of paradise, flora and fauna, saints, biblical stories, hunting scenes, etc.

Tropical storm Leslie move through the area today providing us with some liquid sunshine and we were lucky enough to walk through it. The girls took a taxi to Leon but Bill and I decided to walk. We both had good rain gear while others on the try were not so fortunate. Not many pics today but enjoy. One of the pictures shoes some of the building materials used.

Elvis lives in Reliegos at least Bar Elvis! Bar Elvis, quite possibly the most famous bar on the whole of the camino, is located in the main square. The owner is quite a character and if you’ve brought your sharpie marker get to scribbling, this is one of the few places where graffiti is encouraged. About 227 people live here and most are famers. In 1946 a metor landed in this small village.

Finally some good internet! We past the halfway point today symbolized by a set of pillers. Another day with a long walk. Once we arrived we celebrate our half way point with a bit of wine. We also took a picture with Alex, better knowing as The Professor. He has done the Camino several times and has offered up his opinion, which most of it we followed. We also bought our flights back to the USA. Arriving 3 Nov and all getting home on the 4th.

A rainy walk today. Only took a few pictures. But I did find it interesting that some pilgrims are walking with unbrellas! To each his own

In the middle ages Carrión was one of the most important cities in the Christian kingdoms with the largest Jewish quarter in the province of Palencia. Today it is the main town of the Tierra de Campos.

This section follows the route of the Roman road Via Aquitana.
Entering the town you’ll pass the Cuesta de la Mora / Hill of the Mooress, where there is a fountain which was cursed by King Alfonso because his Muslim lover, Zulima, was late for an illicit rendez-vous there. Tragically, when she eventually showed up she drank from the fountain and died. In Carrion we stayed in an interesting alburgue,
Albergue Espíritu Santo. On Calle San Juan. Turn left where the Camino crosses the main road. Nice patio. Kitchen, laundry facilities. Dorm, segregated by sex, with no bunks, and described by one correspondent as “grandmotherly”! There is a picture of us checking in with the nuns. None of them spoke a word of English and our Spanish is very limited. A short older woman brought us to our room and rumbled on in Spanish for about 5 minutes. None of us had a clue what she said.

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p early and on the trail by 715. Still dark but we get to see the sunrise after a steep climb out of the valley. we reach the top of the hill just in time to see the sun come up and to snap a few pictures. I know way down we had an 18% grade which is all poured concrete. get pretty flat walk after that where we went into a canal which provides irrigation for the wheat fields in the area. following the Canal takes us down to our next stop. We were going to stay in and albergue but found out it was nextto the train station. So we headed into town and stayed at a fairly new albergue. We are closing in on the halfway mark and hope to see it within the next couple of days. Buen Camino

So after a mini break on Burgos and enjoying the celebrating of El Cid, we headed out of town for a short 21k walk. So far all are doing well. Feet are holding up with no big issues. A few sore knees and shin splints are the biggest issues. Today we passed through a small village which was having a potato festival. Nothing was ready so we moved on. You will see a picture of a food truck. The walk was pretty flat so we made good time. On the way in to town where we are staying we met Charlie, from Ireland. He was playing a guitar and singing. He told us about an Irish pub in town called the Green Tree, and they have Guinness, so I guess we will hang out there a and eat.