- Time of past OR future Camino
- Except the Francés
At noon today in the cathedral, there was mention of "uno del Reino Unido, desde Almería", marking my sixth compostela. Not quite sure why I still pick them up, as the others are all in a drawer at home. Perhaps it's just for that little mention, among the other 114 who arrived yesterday.
This has been a really muy buen camino. Five World Heritage Sites, two National Parks, well over 100 bars and restaurants, cafés con leche and cañas, 22 public or religious albergues, 10 public ones.
2 hours of heavy rain in 8 weeks, 3 hours of drizzle and 1 of snow. Not a drop of rain in 10 days in Galicia.
Many many friendly kind people, many entirely indifferent, and only a couple of nasty ones. Six rises up to over 1000m, and some fantastic views. A lot of excellent food (and some indifferent, but only the callos tapas in Cea had to be furtively removed into the hankie). Recently homemade membrillo for breakfast with Don Blas in Fuenterroble was another highlight. From Alhambra Cerveza through fino de Montilla, past the Riberas del Guadiana and del Duero and on to albariño and the glorious Rías Baixas. Went near or past several Extremadura food museums to add to the museos del jamón and queso further south, including Monterrubio's museo del aciete, Castuera's del turrón and museums of paprika and cherries near Plasencia, not to mention the wolf museum in Puebla de Sanabria (I shouldn't mock, we have a pencil museum near where I come from).
3 seasons in one camino - hot, high 30s late summer in Andalusia, glorious autumn through Extremadura to Galicia, and heavy winter snow from Requejo to Aciberos.
Sometimes on Sundays I arrive to find the church firmly locked or that I am (at 55) the youngest person in the congregation, and the only male other than the priest. This time there were several packed services: in Hinojosa del Duque there was a choir and orchestra of teenagers enthusiastically accompanying the mass, and at San Pedro de Rozados we had a procession and incense and church packed with people of all ages, as was Guadalupe and Granada.
What will next year bring, I wonder?
This has been a really muy buen camino. Five World Heritage Sites, two National Parks, well over 100 bars and restaurants, cafés con leche and cañas, 22 public or religious albergues, 10 public ones.
2 hours of heavy rain in 8 weeks, 3 hours of drizzle and 1 of snow. Not a drop of rain in 10 days in Galicia.
Many many friendly kind people, many entirely indifferent, and only a couple of nasty ones. Six rises up to over 1000m, and some fantastic views. A lot of excellent food (and some indifferent, but only the callos tapas in Cea had to be furtively removed into the hankie). Recently homemade membrillo for breakfast with Don Blas in Fuenterroble was another highlight. From Alhambra Cerveza through fino de Montilla, past the Riberas del Guadiana and del Duero and on to albariño and the glorious Rías Baixas. Went near or past several Extremadura food museums to add to the museos del jamón and queso further south, including Monterrubio's museo del aciete, Castuera's del turrón and museums of paprika and cherries near Plasencia, not to mention the wolf museum in Puebla de Sanabria (I shouldn't mock, we have a pencil museum near where I come from).
3 seasons in one camino - hot, high 30s late summer in Andalusia, glorious autumn through Extremadura to Galicia, and heavy winter snow from Requejo to Aciberos.
Sometimes on Sundays I arrive to find the church firmly locked or that I am (at 55) the youngest person in the congregation, and the only male other than the priest. This time there were several packed services: in Hinojosa del Duque there was a choir and orchestra of teenagers enthusiastically accompanying the mass, and at San Pedro de Rozados we had a procession and incense and church packed with people of all ages, as was Guadalupe and Granada.
What will next year bring, I wonder?