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On the Camino: One Day at a Time, one Photo at a Time 6.0

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I' m coming to the point that I'm not sure if I did not already post a certain picture.
But hey a little bit of repettion is not bad I guess....



Next picture is by no means a political statement pro or con ( seeing the subject ) and I trust all of us not to break the forum rules .
Zaragoza, on the Camino del Ebro 2013.
A small protestmarch against genetic modified crops.
I had to giggle with the costumes though.
 
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Mine Host, making aligot in Aumont-Aubrac, on the Le Puy, 20 September 2009. Aligot is a delicious concoction of potato, garlic, cream and special fresh aligot cheese, stirred and worked strenuously, as shown. It is a speciality of the Aubrac region.

 
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I couldn't help wondering if the cat and the dog knew if each other was there. Obviously not. This is in Portugalete, a suburb of Bilbao where we spent 2 weeks as hospis in the albergue. We were there mainly to relieve the local association who struggled to keep it going with no real help from anyone, although the local council did convert the aerobics room of the polideportivo into a temporary dormitory for six months a year.

 
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Been there, seen that etc.
Gawd! I even store my Weetabix (UK) in a WeetBix tin(Aust.) adorned with Brett Lee on the front!
 
I’ve always meant to find the name of this. So a bit of Google Earth: Santa Baia de Lagrosa. Some googling, alternate name Santa Olaia. More google: St Eulalia. So I get to add a related picture from the Primitivo
 
Join the Camino cleanup. Logroño to Burgos May 2025 & Astorga to OCebreiro in June
I’ve always meant to find the name of this. So a bit of Google Earth: Santa Baia de Lagrosa. Some googling, alternate name Santa Olaia. More google: St Eulalia. So I get to add a related picture from the Primitivo View attachment 106658
What an extraordinary photo this is. Thank you for sharing it. Are those vines carved on the
column?
 
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Been there, seen that etc.
Gawd! I even store my Weetabix (UK) in a WeetBix tin(Aust.) adorned with Brett Lee on the front!
Going to add some nuance to the great eucalyptus divide. California has a similar argument over the place of this non-native species. A very heated argument. When I smell eucalyptus I think of home (California not Australia) and my childhood, then immediately think of all the native plant arguments against them, then flash on the great overwintering areas for the monarch butterflies in California who prefer the eucalyptus forests. Like everything in life, it’s complicated
 
What an extraordinary photo this is. Thank you for sharing it. Are those vines carved on the
collumn?
I think so. Thank you. Went with the theme of birds, trees and flowers in the murals. For anyone who hasn’t taken the side trip off the Primitivo to St Eulalia de boveda it’s worth a few km extra. When I went I couldn’t believe there was no sort of protection for the place, I hope it’s changed. For those who haven’t heard of it, under an already old church they found an even older Christian church that they think was before that a pagan temple. I think I have better pictures…still to lazy to pull out laptop…couldn’t use flash when I was there

to get there you follow a turn off the Camino between (I think) San Vicente do burgo and San Roman; in theory you can continue on and rejoin the Camino further on but I of course got lost and ended up retracing my steps the way I came
 
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CF October 2, 2013 not long after leaving Sarria in the dark approaching the railroad tracks. I captured something magical in the sky that morning. I’d have to say this is my favorite photo of a waymarker. I looked for it in 2019 but couldn’t find it. A lot changed between 2013 and 2019 including waymarkers and in some places “the way” itself.
 
I almost remember the fact of taking this photo, and it has to be in Padrón. I do not remember any details of who the lady is... I await illumination from those who know. Thanks in advance!

View attachment 106662
Rosalia de Castro. This was the only stage of the Portugues I walked, Padron to SdC
 
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2nd ed.
Santo Domingo de la Calzada
door

photo taken November 2, 2013



Above this doorway on the CF the distinctive architectural escutcheons, akin to 3D armorial devices, celebrate one family's history/heritage.
 
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Been there, seen that etc.
Gawd! I even store my Weetabix (UK) in a WeetBix tin(Aust.) adorned with Brett Lee on the front!
Not sure if I'd want to have Brett Lee's shining visage staring out at me over my breakfast, but we appreciate the gesture. And I solemnly agree not to enter into discussion related to yeast extracts of any shape, size or description. Cheers, and buen camino.
 
I think it works better without flash. There is enough natural light to show the detail without washing out the inside/outside contrast so you have kept the atmosphere of the place. The lighting is just right. Lovely picture. Thank you.
 
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The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
3rd Edition. Vital content training & pack guides avoid common mistakes, bed bugs etc
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
Looking back at Valdedios monastery and the Norte where I’d slept, I’ll drop my pack in Oviedo on the Primitivo in the afternoon
. View attachment 106682
Oviedo in one day? That was good going. We stopped overnight in Pola de Serra. I hope someone else was there, the monastery is a bit creepy at night, especially when you know a bit of its history. We arrived in time for the guided tour. Fascinating place with a ninth century church thrown in for good measure.

 
Even for its original audience, surely allegorical? If St. James had been in 1st century Galicia, he would hardly have been walking around dressed up as a 13th century pilgrim. There is also the inconvenient question of how, if his (definitely dead, he had been martyred) body had been brought to the holy land and a burial place for it finally provided by Queen Lupa, he was then in a position to give her baptism?
 
3rd Edition. Vital content training & pack guides avoid common mistakes, bed bugs etc
View attachment 106169
A group of storks, between Sarria and Portomarine. Is there a name for that kind of group? A flock? Anyway, it was something I had never seen before and it was impressive to see so many at the same time.

July 2017
A group of storks is a 'muster of storks' or a 'phalanx of storks.'
 
Not the longest distance I did those three months, and for the Norte relatively flat I ate lunch in Pola de Sierra (I think)—watching them pour cider was the second time in my life I regretted not drinking alcohol. I was alone but at least it wasn’t raining (unlike my day alone in zenarruza which was a little unnerving) I’ll need to learn about the history.

edit: looks at map, yes lunch in pola de siero (and stops autocorrect making it Sierra )
 
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I’ll give the clothing a pass because it was common to use clothing of different times in religious art, especially to portray a saint’s particular emblems so everyone knows at whom they’re looking. If we accept St James’ disciples brought his body back to Galicia then he may have baptized others when he first preached in Galicia (although admittedly not Queen Lupa), and perhaps the miracles surrounding return of his body brought about her conversion and the sculpture is shorthand for that.

side story: I was in the Cathedral in SdC just before Mass. two young American women (not pilgrims) were taking pictures of people in Confession and a priest scolded them in Spanish which they didn’t understand. I translated and explained why, they apologized and put away their phones, thankfully. They then asked me who was buried in the Cathedral and I explained about St James. One turned to the other and said loudly (but thankfully in English): “see, I didn’t think it was Jesus in the coffin”
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
A selection of Camino Jewellery
As I get older, I think of when I may not be able to walk Caminos. Looking at motorised transport, to get me to Santiago, this looked tempting. Outside the Cafe Poligono, Camino Ingles Sept. 2018.

View attachment 106719
Please be sure to use your bell
 
leaving Hontanas
photo taken November 10, 2014



Into the void

Although it was impossible to see clearly walking west on the CF into a freezing
fog-hidden void was a frosty pleasure.
 
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leaving Hontanas
photo taken November 10, 2014
View attachment 106723

Into the void

Although it was impossible to see clearly walking west on the CF into a freezing fog-hidden void was a frosty pleasure.
Beautiful! I think you’ve captured the silent wonder of walking in morning fog: what mysteries are just up ahead? I loved hearing the birds wake up
 
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I could never get the cider pouring thing - it's supposed to aerate it in some way (most cider is fizzy). In Oviedo, some bars had a kind of hand pump device on the table which achieved the same effect without discharging half the contents onto the paving stones. Pola de Siero has a nice little albergue, run at that time by migrants from (I think) Cuba.
 
She didn’t spill. Looked cold & wonderful to this perigrina. I stopped at the tourist office (or was it city hall?) to get a sello. I picked up a tourist brochure and excitedly pointed to a small thumbnail picture on it, asking directions. Doesn’t help that I ALWAYS confuse directions for right and left. Got lost, came back for more directions. She explained there was construction and directions were complicated. She couldn’t understand why I was so determined to get a picture. I wasn’t getting lunch until I found the statue. I finally succeeded



In the tiny picture, plus confirmation bias, I saw Dorothy and her Oz companions. Sadly, it’s actually folk dancers
 
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Well it's definitely not Kansas, but I'm with you. I don't know what the sculptor told the town council, but that looks dead set like the tinman far right and Dorothy on the left. Asturian cider is an acquired taste, i.e. nobody really likes it unless they're practically brought up on it, and they have a lot of apples round that way. Maybe 'spilling half' was an exaggeration but when you pour a thin liquid from a height of one metre into a small receptacle, the laws of physics are against you. It's got quite a sharp taste but I did get to like it in the end, even got good enough at the pouring not to have the locals rolling on the floor in hysterical laughter. It's also a good match with local food which is excellent, but on the rich side.
 
As I get older, I think of when I may not be able to walk Caminos. Looking at motorised transport, to get me to Santiago, this looked tempting. Outside the Cafe Poligono, Camino Ingles Sept. 2018.

View attachment 106719
You'll never get that over the steps into the compostela office.
 
don't know what the sculptor told the town council, but that looks dead set like the tinman far right and Dorothy on the left.
Yes!!!exactly what I saw. Until I looked at my picture . There’s a show in the US, The Amazing Race, contestants have to do some complicated task in whatever country to get the next clue. I kept seeing cider pouring that way. The waitress made it look easy (really didn’t spill any). I’d be wearing 90% and 10% would be on someone else.
 
Get a spanish phone number with Airalo. eSim, so no physical SIM card. Easy to use app to add more funds if needed.
Ideal sleeping bag liner whether we want to add a thermal plus to our bag, or if we want to use it alone to sleep in shelters or hostels. Thanks to its mummy shape, it adapts perfectly to our body.

€46,-
CF July 20, 2019 Carrion de Los Condes: While strolling around I saw this unique mode of transportation. Talk about a front row seat.
View attachment 106707
I was prompted to look up what I now know to be recumbent bicycles...
 
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Albergue, Padrón, AUGUST, 2013
View attachment 106759
kirkie,
I was the sole pilgrim in that large dorm one cold night in December 2011. when slowly walking towards the Portuguese border "in reverse" since pilgrims usually walk to Santiago. The Padron albergue although a handsomely renovated stone townhouse then had little heat and no blankets.
I trust that your August stay was warmer and busier.
 
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€2,-/day will present your project to thousands of visitors each day. All interested in the Camino de Santiago.
Adaptive bikes were common in my veterans bike group…the recumbent bikes were very heavy, I can only imagine the speed a tandem bike w/recumbent AND trailer can attain on a steep downhill

I take the paths they warn us about in guidebooks, but I’d have my eyes closed in that front seat all the way down
 
Train for your next Camino on California's Santa Catalina Island March 16-19
Is that still there? What were they thinking?
Well as you can see we did it in May, 2018. At the time we wondered what we were doing, quite scary in parts and had to climb on our hands and knees for a short way. A young American couple were in front of us and very kindly reached down and took my(Anne) pack to allow me to crawl the last bit of the ascent more easily! Don't think we would go this way again . Once we were at the top we had magnificent views.
From the top you walk along a path that is sloping toward the edge of an approximately 200m high vertical cliff to rocks and the ocean below. There is also a steel cable attached to the ascending cliff face on the inland side, this is only for a few metres at the very narrowest part of the ledge.
We also had another Camino Angel (local, walking with her dog) on the very rocky hillside on the way down who appeared out of nowhere and told us the correct path to follow on the descent!
 
We had almost exactly the same experience back in 2015. The reward was the view, and that beautiful beach and ocean.
 
Train for your next Camino on California's Santa Catalina Island March 16-19

Rio Louro on the Camino Portugues.
The etapa between Tui and O Porriño. The part that goes through this nice area instead of the industrial part.
Just before the split there has been a continuous conflict between some barowners on the main road and people from the local St James ' confraternity about flechas and deviations to the bars.
Hope they sorted it out because imho there must a middleground to keep both parties happy.

See the dotted line.
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
Sabine the peacemaker…
 
Statue of the Virgin in front of San Vicente de Abando, Bilbao (Norte) 1 May 12. My book said the statue had to be redone because the first version was too, um, attractive

if anyone knows the sculptor please let me know
 
Statue of the Virgin in front of San Vicente de Abando, Bilbao (Norte) 1 May 12. My book said the statue had to be redone because the first version was too, um, attractive

if anyone knows the sculptor please let me knowView attachment 106835

Curious too now.Just did a quick search and found lots of interesting info about the Church but nothing on the statue.
 
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En la plaza está la estatua de la Inmaculada en mármol blanco de Tranco, obra del escultor bilbaíno Agustín de la Herrán. Se inauguró el 8 de diciembre de 1954, en el centenario de su dogma, erigida por las Congregaciones Marianas. Al descubrirse la estatua se pudo comprobar que la Virgen marcaba sus senos, lo que probocó un gran escándalo y hubo que retirarla y sustituirla por otra del mismo artista, pero más recatada.

In the square is the statue of the immaculate in white Tranco marble by the Bilbao sculptor Agustín de la Herrán. It was inaugurated (?unveiled) on the 8th of December 1954 on the centenary of her dogma (?) erected by the Marian Congregations. When the statue was unveiled, it could be seen that the virgin marked (?was pointing to) her breasts, which caused a massive scandal and led to the statue being removed and replaced by another by the same artist, but more demure.

Clumsy translation (mine) but I think we get the gist.
 
Train for your next Camino on California's Santa Catalina Island March 16-19
Thank you so much!
….hurries off to look up Agustin de la Herran…..(I wonder if I saw other of his work there—after the Norte I was surprised I could tell a Llimona when I was on Monserrat)
 
The 2024 Camino guides will be coming out little by little. Here is a collection of the ones that are out so far.
I know I’m the only one fascinated by this story. Couldn’t find a picture of the removed statue but this retablo carving he did may be similar.
 
Camino Finisterre/Muxia
Hospital

photo taken March 31, 2007



Looking down into the cold water of the river I was glad that a new footbridge had been built.
Both the river and nearby hamlet are named for a pilgrim hospice, which probably existed in the middle ages.
 
June 2012 Camino Finisterre: somewhere between rejoining the way from my off road casa rural in Logrosa, and leaving it for my off road hotel in A Picota. Owners would always protest I should have called for a ride, I’d reply a few extra km walking for a private room was a fair trade. Probably closer to A Picota, I’m pretty sure it rained on me the first half of the day
 
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@Smallest_Sparrow : I called them! Hihi.Here was the designated (bus)stop for the pick up.
The day of the bombings in Belgium and I just did not fancy an albergue. Wanted to watch the news without being interupted.
Nice people. They were then busy with starting an albergue somewhere further on the road.

 
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My Spanish is at best so-so and that’s reading and writing. Speaking-listening much worse. So I’m not exactly sure what inn keepers said when I insisted I liked walking (or nuns and priests when they’d ask if I was traveling alone and I said yes…I’d like to think it was “you go, girl!” But it probably was “you are one giant ball of crazy”

my email home about it said: water is cold but my sin humo really is sin humo! Salad was good, fish OK, chocolate mousse to die for. I also called to be sure they had a room, and had to tell them no, no, really I want to walk. So I’m sure they had a hour or so to laugh about the crazy American before I arrived
 
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16 Aug 2019. Fiesta Day in Portugalete, processions followed by fireworks which kept everyone awake all night. The secretary of the local confraternity, the venerable Carlos, looked after the albergue to give us time to go and watch. We got talking to an older local couple who told us their life story as we watched a display of Basque cultural pride. I later got talking to Carlos. He was originally from Chile, his parents having fled Spain to escape Franco. This, in turn, gave him Spanish nationality allowing him to flee to Spain to avoid Pinochet. It then turns out he knew Pablo Neruda. I couldn't believe it, I was talking to someone who had not merely met Neruda, but actually knew him. Amazing. Everyone has their story.

 


Below, from the web:
Also known as San Gregorio's mount, this historic spot was said to be the preaching ground of Saint James whilst he was in Galicia.

Today it is a collection of stones and boulders with a stone cross at its head and you can reach the summit by climbing a handful of heavily worn steps. This is also the point at which pilgrims on the road to Santiago must pass through " hell, purgatory and glory" if they are to satisfy the Camino trail.

There is also a small church at the site as well as a fountain, that St.James is said to have caused to gush water when he thrust his staff into solid stone, as a demonstration of God's power.

Above the collection of stones is a large picnic style area where pilgrims (and anyone else) can rest up and take some refreshment.

Santiaguino mount is an important stop off point for pilgrims doing the and on reaching the mount they must pass through three separations in the rocky formation known as Hell, Purgatory and Glory in order to meet the Camino's requirements. Only by doing this can they claim the "Jubilee" at the end of their journey.

 
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@kirkie This is really cool but where exactly is it and when were you there? Fascinating.
 
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CF August 14, 2019 Between Arzua and Pedrouzo: When nature reclaims what was once hers.
View attachment 106906
Now living in a rural town I can say that what photographers and writers see as an interesting subject is a point of contention for the couple who own it . When looking for her current house my sister’s number 1 must have: no barn!
 
Now living in a rural town I can say that what photographers and writers see as an interesting subject is a point of contention for the couple who own it . When looking for her current house my sister’s number 1 must have: no barn!
I couldn't imagine having to demolish and clear the ground from a house made of stone, it's much easier to demolish and remove the rubble of a house made of wood. I suppose this is why I see so many dilapidated structures along the way. They do make for interesting art through the camera lens.
 
@kirkie This is really cool but where exactly is it and when were you there? Fascinating.
To the best of my knowledge it is in and around Padrón. I was there in August 2013. I have another photo of the two of us standing like looney tunes smiling away at our friend who took the photo! I do recall being there for some time, taking it all in. However, it is an isolated memory, so except for the sequence of photos, and a few markers on some of them, they could have been anywhere after Caldas de Rei! My next one will be of an adopted son of the region, a poet...
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
In my first month of walking I was good about taking a picture of each road sign/town marker I passed so I’d know roughly where pictures were taken. Less and less the last two months—oh I’ll remember I thought. These days I can’t recall why I’m standing in my pantry, let alone where I was standing years ago
 
Yes - San Gregorio's Mount is in Padrón. A beautiful peaceful place, accessed turning right at Fuente del Carmen, following the road for about 100 mtrs and then looking carefully for a small stone cobbled street on the left leading to a climb up 132 steps to the site.
 
A selection of Camino Jewellery
A couple of recent ones here, just back completing the Ingles. It may be the shortest camino but i was delighted nonetheless just to get back out there after the past year or so. However it was more hilly than i expected! First pic is of the lovely Ria de Ferrol heading towards the shipbuilding centre of Fene. The second is of the wonderful historic bridge at Pontedeume, great little historic town.


 
Leon
Parador San Marcos
cloister garden

photo taken March 7, 2007



Wearing pilgrim winter garb I brazenly entered the super deluxe San Marcos Parador which had been built as a pilgrim shelter/hospice 12th/16th c.

Speaking French the maitre de querried Madame? I asked if the famous cloister garden could be visited; he answered that I might faire le tour/circumnavigate that space but must not enter it. While I slowly walked the periphery arcade photographing he intently watched every footstep!!

Thus this view is proof of one peripatetic shot.
 
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Beautiful! Is no one allowed in the garden?
 
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