¡Hacia Santiago, con fotos, fotos y más fotos!

¡Hola! Here is the latest installment of los Stuhan: We are currently in Sárria, the last of the larger towns on the road to Santiago de Compostela. However, this is still rural Galicia (the province of northwestern Spain), with farmhouses and pastures that lend the area a special charm. This part of Spain is lejos (far) from the sunny beaches of the south. The weather here is more like Ireland, it has been wet and rainy since we arrived. Everything is green, and when it´s not raining there is still a bit of moisture suspended in the air. Our progress has been substaintial, until today, as I (Maggie) am suffering from a minor muscle ache and tendon inflammation. Fortunately, last night we had dinner with an Irish doctor and an Australian massage physiotherapist. From our Irish friend we got lots of good advice. From the Aussie, I got a couple of free deep tissue massages. They hurt like hell, I hope that they pay off over the next few days! Here is a quick summary of our progress: Day 1 - Ponferrada a Cacabelos (21k) Our first taste of walking. We were quite optimistic for the first 10k or so, then we realized that there were no signs (the path is marked with arrows and shells). Additionally, as this was our first day, each subsequent kilometer became exponentially more difficult to endure than the last. It was a relief to pull into town and find clean showers and private bunks. Day 2 - Cacabelos a Vega de Valcarce (22k) Okay, these packs are getting heavy! We enjoyed a lovely early morning walk through Spanish vineyards that evoked images of Napa Valley. This second day was also the beginning of our ascent of the mountains that seperate Galicia from the meseta (the large plain of central Spain where it doesn´t rain). Now that you have repeated that to yourself a few times, we will continue. Day 3 - Vega de Valcarce a O Cebreiro (13k) Now, before you go thinking that we took it easy, this was our hardest day yet! The toil was all uphill. Due to the rigor of the climb and the developing injury/blisters, we had little energy to devote to enjoying the scenery. That being said, it was the most beautiful day yet. We arrived at a tiny stone village at the summit just after noon. There was Celtic music playing and you could be forgiven for thinking that you had arrived in Ireland. This part of Spain was the stopover for the Celts before heading over to Ireland. The tradition is still strong here, and they participate in all of the international Celtic games and festivals. In the village we continued to make friends from all over the world, replacing people like the zippy little Italian guy who does 40k a day and with whom we could never keep pace. These encounters are one of the little delights that make the camino our own "moveable feast." Well, that and the menu specials that come with a bottle of wine, two courses, dessert and cafe con leche, all of which, are necessary to sustain the weary pilgrim. Day 4 - O Cebreiro a Sárria (46k) Does this seem like a super human feat? Possibly a little unrealistic for your beloved pilgrims? Actually, it was done by taxi. Due to schedule concerns and the injuries sustained, it was necessary to advance a bit to make it to Santiago on time. This also gives us a much needed day of rest. It is still 120k to the apostle´s city, which we will hopefully begin at sunrise tomorrow. In order to finish the camino and receive a full plenary indulgence for our sins, we must do the last 100k completely by foot and get our pilgrim´s passports stamped at least twice daily on our journey. If we are not able to finish it in this way, we will only get our certificate of completion and a coupon for a free meal in Dante´s Inferno. Please wish us luck, and remember, everything depends on this. (Well, that and Spain winning against Ukraine tomorrow. Otherwise, the bar that we are watching the game in may go up in smoke.) ¡Hasta luego!