Camino 2016: Via de La Plata Day 29 - Ruitelán to O'Cebreiro and Fonfría

Tuesday April 26, 2013
Woke up before the 7:00 am music we were told to stay in bed for and started to get ready. The two Frenchmen in my room also got up and started packing. We were ready just as the music came on at 7:00 and went in to the dining room for breakfast. It was a good breakfast and I was out on the road by 7:15. I saw very few other pilgrims as I started along the road to the highest point of our Camino at 1342 meters (4,400 ft). Our albergue was at 750 meters so a total climb of about 600 meters (2,000 ft) over the next 2 1/2 hours.
It was just getting light as I left the albergue

The sun lighting the sky behind the mountains in the east as I headed west

First along the road and then onto a path that led up and up between the trees with ruts in the dirt made by horses. One can rent horses for this ascent but I guess I am too cheap for that and walk.

After a while we were out of the trees with incredible views of the mountains around us on this beautiful morning. The birds were singing and the cuckoo joined in too.

There were not many people on the way up. Yesterday there were so many on the road but today I saw very few. I don't know if they will come later or perhaps many of them take the bus around to avoid the climb. Perhaps it is pride but that is not in my playbook in normal circumstances and today was beautiful. The temperature was in the 50's F and once the sun arrived in our valley it was perfect hiking weather. Even the trails had dried with the last couple of days of sunshine.

Above the tree line for this side of the mountain and approaching the crest this morning.

And the same place in 2013

Soon I came to the sign indicating that I was now entering the province of Galicia, the last province of this Camino. It looked very different than when I was last here.
2016

2013

Looking back down at the way we've come

The final stretch up to O'Cebreiro today

2013 the sign shown on the left in this picture has now fallen further and lies on its back in the weeds!

The first thing I did when I arrived is go to the church to say a prayer of thanksgiving for this day and this whole wonderful experience. They had music from a monastery choir chanting quietly playing in the background and that with the sun shining through the windows was very a meaningful and moving experience.

I was also able to get a new credential (pilgrim people passport) since the one I had been using was now full.

After this I went into a small restaurant for a bowl of soup after the strenuous climb. Now I am in Galicia the right thing to order is Caldo Gallego and it was delicious. A tasty broth based soup filled with different vegetables along with crusty fresh bread. Really it should be local wine but I still had more walking to do so I chose a coke to give me some liquid and some calories.

After this I set out again along the Camino which continues up and down across the mountains with views now of the valley on the other side. I was surprised to see that the valleys were filled with fog. It looked very pretty from high above.

From time to time I had met this charming family from Australia walking the Camino with a 6 month old baby. They are grandparents, parents and the baby girl. I am always amazed at how fast they are able to keep going. Here are the parents with the baby who had decided to be fussy and they had taken a rest stop. They asked me to give a message to the grandparents if I saw them which I did further along the trail.

L.

I came across these next to a spring along the way. There are so often lovely surprises like this

Then the view from another high point looking across the mountains far into the distance.

This statue of St Roque struggling against the wind or the forces of evil was next to the road.

Into a village and the cows were just moving to a new pasture with assistance from the dogs. They only wanted to show me their best side!

This is the highest point on the road, slightly higher even than O'Cebreiro (4,400 ft)

More mountain views. Not very good to see in the photo but snow covered mountains in the far distance.

Here a pilgrim walking barefoot. When I asked him why he said "I am sure the pilgrims in the Middle Ages also walked barefoot".

After 6 hours and 21 km of mountains I finally arrived at my shelter for the night. A very comfortable albergue.

E..

Dinner tonight was quite an experience. The albergue has a separate building where they offer dinner. It is built in the traditional Galician style as a round building.

Inside there is a stove in the middle for heating.

The table was placed as a semi-circle and we sat at this table for a very nice meal.

Caldo Gallego followed by beef with peas and mushrooms with rice, and torte to Santiago (an almond cake). All with as much wine and water as we wanted followed by a "digestive" that was the local equivalent of moonshine!
All excellent and good preparation for a good night's sleep. I think I hit the jackpot today in choice of albergue. It is not like in the "good old days" when albergues were cold and drafty and the bathrooms were ocross the road!

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