BLOG: Our daily adventures,
Week 27: Igresario to Sestelo
July 9th to 15th
- Day 183: July 9th: Igresario to Magros - 12 km
Today, we met Jesus! As we were packing up this morning, a man stopped by with his car, gave us a dozen of cupcakes and invited us for coffee at his place a few meters down the road in Igresario.
Jesus, introduced himself as Suso (his nickname) and lead us to his sanctuary: his ancestors home here in Galicia. He is coming from Panama and retired here in the village where his parents emigrated from. After the cupcakes, he kindly offered us coffee, fresh orange juice and tartines of his homemade figo marmelade..delicious food and company this morning. Jesus messages and teaching for us today: "don't worry be happy", "carpe diem" (Today is always the perfect day), and "may the force be with you". He is a friend of the camino: he walks every year a different stretch to Santiago and loves it especially for the positive encouragements of the people he always meets on the path.
Jesus treats to give us the force to continue walking in the heat.
Jesus also recommended us to stop in Magros which built a fluvial swimming pool out of the Rego de Touza.
After a quick dive in the refreshing water, we had a little picnic beside the river and headed to the local cafe in Magros. There,we met a very friendly couple who is living in Portland, Oregon and who always come here in Magros (where their family originated from) every summer. They gave us precious advices and recommended us a few places to see along our way. In Santiago, we shouldn't miss to partake in the traditional ritual of "Conxuro da Queimada". It is the reading of an ancient “spell” from the Galician tradition which supposedly protects you against the witches which are numerous in the province. Some claim this ancient ceremony dates back to Celtic times when Paganism was widely practiced in Galicia.
12 km done for a total of 2431+12= 2443 km
- Day 184: July 10th: Magros to Soutelo de Montes - 15 km
We asked for a sandwich and got the x-large full bread kind...how to make Casey happy
Right After Beariz, this crystal clear river is our relief in the burning hot weather.
How to use a T-shirt till the bitter end
Soutelo de Montes: Some people definitely built themselves "des châteaux en Espagne".
We are getting closer and closer to Santiago...the camino sign can be seen now everywhere.
15 km done for a total of 2443+15= 2458 km
- Day 185: July 11th: Soutelo de Montes to Ponte Gomail (O cacheiro)- 11 km
Transition from the granite houses higher up in the mountains to these stone houses...very charming again.
Holy cow! surrounded by butterflies...
Best doghouses ever!
Casey's impressed...perfectly organized veggie garden!
Our swimming pool today...just past O Cacheiro, we walked across the medieval bridge of Ponte de Gomail and saw a beautiful waterfall just a few meters away...too beautiful to go further.
We decided to establish camp here next to the fresh stream so we can savour our time here in this little paradise.
We decided to establish camp here next to the fresh stream so we can savour our time here in this little paradise.
A new friend seems to love us very very very much...landing on me
on Casey's backpack...
..on mine...and it's a chameleon...changing colours from brown to purple/blue
while I was chasing butterflies..Casey prepared the dinner. Sweet!
And there, it's back right on my camino sign ..good omen!
How we are hanging our wash !
And how our socks are definitely loved by these two....attracted by our salty nectar: cheese deluxe on demand!
Casey's dancing on "Good Vibrations" while brushing his teeth...multitasking as always!
What's the message ?
"Good traditional cooking ahead!"
"Good traditional cooking ahead!"
11 km done for a total of 2458+11= 2469 km
- Day 186: July 12th: Ponte Gomail (O cacheiro) to Codeseda (Filgueiras) - 11 km
Find the butterflies..there are 2 on this picture... clue: they love Casey's smell.
Hiking poles are the new Christmas decorations...everytime we load up our backpacks we need a place to grab our poles that doesn't involve doing squats.
I'm doing whatever the snow is doing in summer!
The Spanish must have realized that deforestation was detrimental when they started to lack shade...Hence these beautifully replanted pine trees!
Would you eat these magic mushrooms grown on horses' questionable leftovers?
We are glad to witness our ever changing path, especially when it turns into a mossy trail along an ancient stone wall under the trees..
there, we can breathe without feeling as if our lungs were on fire.
there, we can breathe without feeling as if our lungs were on fire.
We are falling in love with the stone houses of Galicia...o' so romantic!
Local art work supposedly representing a compostela pilgrim.
Every small village on our way has an eldorado of a fountain for us to water our clothes and quench our thirst...they also unfortunately all have their unleashed dogs there to scare us off from the full enjoyment of a refreshing moment.
When the forest disappeared, the Fern flourished !
A cup and a good table are provided for the pilgrims passing by...very hospitable village!
We have noticed that, in Spain, illegal littering is common in the country side.
Sometimes the path ahead looks quite discouraging ...Casey is saying YES! for the downhill slope but NO! for the uphill one right after.
Sad to see beautiful old stone houses abandoned and taken over by Nature.
The beautiful church of "As Bouzas". As we were resting and having a great picnic under the secular trees..an old man next door suffering of some kind of Tourette syndrome started to chant what sounded like a buddhist mantra "Ommm" every 30 seconds and never stopped...after half an hour of this background humming... we departed still having this as an earworm for the rest of our day.
We finally arrived at our destination , bought groceries and found afterwards heaven under the trees .
11 km done for a total of 2469+11= 2480 km
- Day 187: July 13th: Codeseda (Filgueiras) to A Estrada - 12 km
12 km done for a total of 2480+12= 2492 km
- Day 188: July 14th: A Estrada to Pontevea - 12 km
It is too hot to walk (38 degrees) so we authorize ourselves a little siesta time under a Catalpa at the Igrexa de San Pedro de Toedo.
Plantar fasciitis and its joy. Since a few days my right foot is complaining...Voltaren my good friend came to help.
A banana tree in the forest..
The forest fires in the North of Portugal and Spain are creating a smoky sky that turns the sun orange.
A wink for my friend Dani...on a pumpkin this time.
Casey is welcoming the rain and its cooling effect...a terrifying thunderstorm broke out as we were about to reach Pontevea...impressive lightnings and deafening thunders which shook the ground under our feet...one was very very close to the trees we found shelter under...
Romantic atmosphere at the bar "A Praina".
In Pontevea, at the restaurant "A Senra Cafe", we met Daniel, owner of the Cafe, winemaker and fan of the Camino. He invited us to spend the night in his backyard...special treat the next morning: a warm shower and a little dive in his swimming pool.
12 km done for a total of 2492+12= 2504 km
- Day 189: July 15th: Pontevea to Sestelo - 7 km
After a night spent in Daniel's backyard, Casey needs a nap. The nearby supermercado ventilation system was emitting a constant roar that prevented him to get a good night sleep. Eating a giant hamburger completa at the praina bar triggered the need of a resting time.
We stayed a bit longer in the village to enjoy Pontevea's fluvial beach, the temperatures rose to an unbearable level so we had to wait until we could hike again. We dived in the fresh water of the rio Ulla and laid down in the green grass..in the park, a painting of a fairy with butterfly wings attracted my attention.
The perfect throne for a queen bee!
The landscapes are beautiful in Galicia's countryside despite the mountains which disappeared in the distance due to the forest fires smoke.
We are turning into waterfalls..literally melting in the hot humid air (34 degrees in the shade) ..to avoid a heat stroke, we thought we should adopt dogs' technique and stick our tongues out...
At last we reached Rego de Sestelo: a small river to do our daily ablutions to survive in the heat.
We need to slow down before reaching Santiago. Casey booked an accomodation for Sunday and we are already kind of there, with only 11 km left to do in 2 days...
7 km done for a total of 2504+7= 2511 km