Pilgrims on the Way

This trough is probably not a good source of potable water unless you happen to be a cow. Still, it is festooned with an old holy year mascot from the 1990s. Here in 2013 it’s not in great shape, and if Google street view is to be believed, it has since been removed. On our early Caminos, you saw this […]

There are any number of little chapels and parish churches in the string of villages beyond Sarria. We popped into this one briefly, but I couldn’t actually tell you where it is. It is, however, typical of these sorts of places on the Camino in Galicia. I’m not sure why the Spanish seem intent on having the presider’s chair directly […]

At about 10:30, we stopped in a village bar for second breakfast. The place was festooned with pilgrim and Camino memorabilia. They sold shells, and various bracelets, ribbons, necklaces, and medals (holy and otherwise) as souvenirs, remembrances, and items of devotion designed to appeal to those on pilgrimage. They also had this amazing poster celebrating the 1976 Jacobean Holy Year. […]

We’re on the road again! While it’s a bit muddy from yesterday’s rain, it looks to be smooth sailing, if a bit chilly. Even though we left Sarria late, there are plenty of pilgrims on the Camino now, most of whom probably started their walk today in Sarria. This would later be a point of consternation for me, and the […]

As you leave Sarria, the Camino passes by the stately Monasterio de la Magdelena, which these days is an albergue rather than a monastery proper. We stopped in briefly to take a look around. This is the main entrance to the monastery and leads pretty directly to the cloister. I just love the mosaic work. Date: 28 April 2013Place: leaving […]

As we left Sarria, I snapped this photo of the Castelo de Sarria, otherwise known as Torre dos Batallóns. No one knows when it was originally built or by who, though there is evidence of some sort of fort here before the 12th century. Over the centuries it’s been knocked down and rebuilt a couple of times and has served […]

While many pilgrims begin their Camino in Sarria, it was never our intention to stop here for more than lunch. And yet, here we are, setting out from Sarria late in the morning – well, 9am is late on Camino. We are refreshed and determined, and we have dedicated ourselves to getting to Portomarín today. Date: 28 April 2013Place: Sarria […]

Our dinner in Sarria was in a semi-fancy place, and we ate with a group of Irish pilgrims we had befriended. It was a lovely meal with great company. That will end our photos for this day. Tomorrow we begin walking from Sarria on 28 April 2013 with thousands of other pilgrims. Date: 27 April 2013Place: Sarria (Province of Lugo, […]

As I mentioned yesterday, in Sarria Francine and I met up with a group of Irish pilgrims we’d walked with a while back, some of whom I’d met during the first week of my Camino. While Mia may not have been their leader in any formal sense, she was certainly the ringleader! This is how I always remember her, quick […]