Today was a beautiful day because of the scenery. We’re in Sarria now, and have a layover day. Everyone else we’ve met is going on tomorrow so Rick and I will be exploring on our own after tonight.
Here are a few shots of the scenery and two very small groups of houses that were actually two different villages. The difference between them is that someone clearly had enough money to figure out how to integrate the medieval buildings with more substantial livable buildings – as well as filling in the street beautifully. I liked both places, of course. Each small village had a church at the end of the group of houses, the second one was wonderful. I couldn’t see how much it had until I used a flash on my camera just inside the security grille and I saw all the statues in the niches.
Hard to see, perhaps, but the light brown are all the ferns that have changed color for the fall – so pretty.
Each little town had a chapel at the end of it. The run down town had the little one with the blue cross, this was at the end of the second one. Chapel of San Antonio da Balsa. I didn’t realize all the statues were there til my camera flash lit them up. I think this would be a wonderful place to sit. Elias Valina, I think the priest who restarted the Camino, described it as “humble, traditional” from the early 1800’s.
Below was a shot of a hippie like gathering, complete with a guy playing the guitar and a group sitting around on couches in this open area. Felt a little studied to me, but I also felt old! We just looked in and kept going on. Rick’s talking to Johanna who we’ve met a few times, so nice, taking her time walking the Camino. She’s the one who left our wonderful place a couple of nights ago at 5:30am and walked up in the dark through the woods. She moves slowly and wants a lot of time, but wow. She told us today she was worried about wolves. I’d be worried about getting lost and not seeing an arrow to point my way.
But, whoever this group is, they built an amazing labyrinth years ago. Both Rick and I walked it and it probably took us close to 15 minutes and not going super slowly, just quietly.
Then the cows changed – Jersey now? Not bushy and tan. And finally a few donkeys. I’ve heard them periodically over the days, but hadn’t seen any.
And, finally, a little path that led over a creek, realized later that it was the same shot that was in one of my books.
Reb's Walks! 