Today started out beautifully, I left at 7:45 and was happy I’d prewalked yesterday to know where I was going. Loved this photo start below – crossing the river.
This was the church of San Lazaro, below was the hospital of San Lazaro. The sign about it was great. I’ve noticed a few signs now that are blunt (snarky?) about poorly done remodels of ancient buildings: This hospital (the row on the left) has existed from at least the XII century, but its current state arises from its final reconstruction carried out in 1779….In spite of its division and subsequent practical alterations devoid of aesthetic touch, the original space has been preserved mostly with integrity.
Hard to capture, but Lugo was really big – had no idea because they somehow craft the Camino to easily go from country to city and back out again.
It actually took a while to get to this state of country – rural with intermittent houses for at least an hour or two before started having country paths instead of road. I was just really happy that we did still get paths and birdsong!
Yep, hitting tired here. Forgot to take the photo of the object written about here. This sign is saying that the stone column is a replica of an original Roman milestone (it’s now in a museum), that was here, on the Primitive Way. This milestone was dedicated to Caligula and served to mark the distance between different populations. There was another milestone in the next town dedicated to Marcus Aurelio. People have been traveling these roads for a long time!
So appreciated that the farmer sowed his corn field (now cut down) around these two wonderful trees.
Much fewer cows, a lot more corn, still so pretty.
I got to Ferreira, a town of one cafe and 3 albergue spread out. I’m sure there are houses, but didn’t see that many. I waited at an albergue for the owner of the place I was staying to come pick me up. I chatted with the women owner for quite a while, super nice. She was Dutch and she and her husband had done a lot of different Caminos, but liked Galicia the most. They looked and looked and finally found an albergue that was nice enough, small enough to manage, and in a good spot. They’ve been running it since 2018, weathererd COVID, but are now looking to sell next year. 26 beds in 3 bunk rooms, vegetarian communal dinner every night, no help, all sheets, cleaning, she’s getting tired. I was just amazed.
Then the husband of the couple running the house where I was staying picked me up. He was young and had just picked his girls up from school, 9 and 5 years old. I thought he didn’t look Spanish and then his girls started talking – in German. They had moved two weeks ago and took over this guest house from the previous owners, with the bookings and all furnishings just carrying on. Wow. Brave. The couple is lovely, both cook, and the woman told me that she now has 3 full time jobs doing this, and is only now realizing that it’s really happening. The girls are in school in classes that are split between Spanish and Galician. Amazing.
Both husband and wife seemed really happy and somehow both focused on their daughters and yet taking great care of the 7 of us who are here.
Reb's Walks! 