Tabara to Santa Marta

Distance 14 miles / 23 km

Tonight my new group really came together. We had been walking as pairs of whatever, which is how it should be. Everyone walks at their own speed.

What changed was that we all ate dinner together at the local bar. There was much laughter, much conversation ( in English, Spanish and German ) , toasts all around and a lot of camaraderie. I was surprised because the dynamics of this group are very different from the other two groups with which I melded

Even the bartender joined in for the merriment.

Yet when we returned to the albergue, Maria Angeles, Bienve, Ximo - pronounced ‘CHImo’ - and I carried on for another hour. It was an incredible feeling of comfort and companionship. … and totally unexpected.

The hike here was really beautiful as we crested and descended hill after hill as we walked thru beautiful valleys of lush green trees, alternating with golden fields of crops. I just did not feel much like taking pictures today.

Here is a picture of my new group after we had finished dinner. What surprised me was that the Germans initiated the session to record some memories. That's had been slightly more reticient than the very gregarious Spanish. I, of course, fell in the middle.


Bienve and Maria Angeles ( Spain ),  Ximo ( Spain ),  Uli ( Germany ),  Martin ( Germany ) and me

Granja de Moruelo to Tabara

Had a good day climbing mountains, more precisely the sides of the Río Esla gorge. Glad that I had my poles. It would have quite a struggle otherwise.

Met two nice German men, hiking on foot the Camino Sanabres. As well as a very kind Spanish man, Roberto. He is biking.

The blister that I treated came back, so I patched it up again.

Made it to Tabara, and glad that I did. The albergue here is fantastic. They are doing laundry for us. Later we have a community dinner, home cooked and tomorrow morning, a community breakfast. The hospiteleros are so accommodating. They are volunteers, and obviously have a strong desire to serve.

The community dinner was great. It was what the Camino is about. I enjoyed great conversation and great homemade cooking.

Forecast is for strong rains on Wednesday. That will be quite a challenge, as the weather has been exemplary so far.

'Orense' to the left.  So begins the Camino Sanabres in a small pueblo in Spain but with big meaning to me. 

Heading west

Everything is green

Rio Esla

The climb up the west side of the river bank

Uli and Martin ( Germany  ) in front

I also made the climb

Stones mark The Way of St James

Astorga to Granja de Moruelo

As they say,  the Camino provides.

When I got on the bus,  the driver said that he could take me to Granja without the need to double back.  That will save me two hours and I can get to Granja before dusk.

Once again I passed by places that I hiked with my Camino associates. I understood the Meseta as something which took a week of sweat and exertion.  But on the bus,  I grasped the enormity of those vast flat lands with unending fields of crops from a different perspective. The Meseta is also a vast farmland,  serving a purpose ... I saw it not as one field after another,  but as a living,  breathing entity full of life ... something I did not grasp as I trudged along the dirt trails.

Astorga

Another lesson from the Camino.


Went to the bus station to get a ride to Granja de Moreruela for the Camino Sanabres. But this is Spain.  The station was supposed to open at 9 am, but the manager showed up at 9 30, and there are no attendents until 4 30 pm. Spain time is plus or minus an hour or so.

Spent time with a nice couple,  waiting for someone to show up. She reminded me that this is the Camino. Be flexible,  be patient and accept what you have.

Finally got a number to call. Bus leaves here at 6 pm,  so I have time for the noon mass at the cathedral. I do have to go to Zamora first and then double back to Granja.
The albergue manager in Granja is not going to be happy because I arrive there at 1030pm.


I allowed myself one moment of self congratulation. I was walking past the cathedral of Astorga, waiting for the noon mass,  when the church bells started ringing. Drowning in the wondrous sounds of those bells ... in Astorga ... after 3 years and over 400 miles ... I said out loud  with a jump and a fist pump ...

"I DID IT!

Plaza at the cathedral of Astorga

Sunday mass

The altar area

The end of the Via de La Plata. Three years and 470 miles across Spain from south to north in the making.

La Beneza to Astorga

Distance 14 miles / 24 km

Today is the day that I end my journey along the Via de La Plata. 25 kilometers and we are in Astorga ... the end of the Via and the join up with the Camino Frances.

3 years in the doing ... and it is so hard to believe how it all started.

Here are the approx numbers:

280 kilometers or 170 miles in 13 days which averages to about 12.5 miles per day. ( My total for the Via Plata is 430 miles. )

I ended the hike by checking into the albergue with Daan, Roberta and Garreth. Then later we all headed out to beers and dinner and an evening walk.

I have three goals here.
1. Get a pilgrim's credential for the Camino Sanabres. ( Done )
2. Get my Via Plata credential stamp from the cathedral at Astorga as the final stamp. (Done)
3. Get the bus to Granja de Moruela to start the Camino Sanabres.

Got lost again.  Her we are in Palacios de La Valduerna. Add another couple of miles. 

In Palacios, we approached a round about as a driver swerved out of it and towards us. We were all walking in the street but I was in front. I jumped to the sidewalk but landed on the curb,  lost balance and fell back into the street. Fortunately he regained control. I end up with scrapes but otherwise was all right. We walked in the street,  and not on the sidewalks,  because here sidewalks are part of the driveway (  they slant often ) and also disappear and reappear as the buildings can and do extend to the street.

One more flock of sheep on the Camino.

Probably about halfway to Astorga and the end of the Via De La Plata. 

Roberta and I talking.

Roberta on the last stone bridge on the Via Plata.

Daan and Garreth

It may be getting towards the end, but the trail is still pretty rough. 

Astorga in the background

Alija del Infantado to La Beneza

Distance 14.5 miles / 24 km

Alija in the early morning,  as we make our way out of town. 

Hard to believe but we missed a marker and got lost. Trying to figure out how to continue. I never cover the same territory twice, so Garreth and I continued walking along the road while Daan and Roberta turned back to find the Camino.

Trees

Garreth, from Ireland, and I walking L-114 in the early morning.

Morning light on the way to La Baneza

Another town

Story of the 15th century castle on the left in the picture above

Benevente to Alija del Infantado

Distance 12 miles / 21 km

It was a shorter day today ... only 12 miles, and we slept in until 8 am before getting on the road.

I think we are leaving the Meseta behind as I came across groves of trees which at times provided shade.

The bugs in the afternoon are always a problem. They seem to swarm here, sometimes dozens of gnats.

One of today's challenges was the monotony of the the unending asphalt road. As always, the challenge and growth comes in dealing with the Camino as it is, as opposed to what we want at the moment.

The feet are in okay shape. I've got some hot spots, but I'm working at taking care of them, as I'm still working hard at foot care.

If, five years ago, you had told me that I would be sitting around a table in North western Spain with a Belgian, an Italian, and an Irishman, trading stories about our backgrounds, drinking wine and laughing like crazy, I would have bet you a million dollars.


Daan, a Belgian firefighter, took time today to stay with a pilgrim who was having a lot of foot issues. Good man.

Roberta, a wonderful Italian lady, spends the day reminding us thru laughter and humor how we, altho different in our backgrounds, have things in common beyond the Camino: things like blisters and families, aches and dreams, losses and loves.

Drank wine and coffee from bowl. Good convo around dinner table.

The unending asphalt highway

Finally a grove

Notice something different ... shade

Old Roman stone bridge

Rio Orbigo