Albergue in Sarria.
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The bar across the street from the Sarria albergue begins serving breakfast at 5:30 a.m., at least during the summer time, and all the restaurants in the area begin serving supper at 7:00 p.m., seemingly adapting other countries’ dinner customs since the hours for the evening meal in Spain are much later.
After a tardy 8:00 a.m. breakfast, Maior street, ascending and cobbled, can be seen from a table in the restaurant, as well as the buildings abutting it that appeared diaphanous in the morning fog.
Leaving Sarria one passes by the Magdalena convent, also shrouded in fog, and crosses the Aspera Bridge that leads to a cedar forest formed by trees that are hundreds of years old.
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Aspera Bridge on the outskirts of Sarria.
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On that October morning there were two Austrian female pilgrims, walking slowly and absorbed in conversation, that were startled by my “Good Morning” salutation.
The route crosses the railroad, which in the fog seemed to lead to never-never land. Near a railroad crossing there were two female pilgrims preparing to take a photograph. There were carrying a large “Corte Ingles” shopping bag, as though the store had joined a publicity campaign announcing that it is autumn in the Way to Santiago. The sight of the bag was startling; one has become unwillingly accustomed to the ubiquitous ads of a certain soft drink, but publicity for the Corte Ingles is rather unexpected in the Way.
Railroad going to never-never land
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The accent of the two Spanish speaking female pilgrims by the railroad suggested that they were from Latin America. In fact, they were from Peru. They had arrived from Madrid by train at dawn that morning and began walking as soon as they got their credentials from the Civilian Protection office.
They were not exactly dressed as pilgrims; rather they wore the type of street clothes that would lead an observer to assume that they might be the type of urban pilgrim who walks the minimum to obtain a Compostela and bellyaches about something or other all the way. As it turned out, walking besides the two Peruvians revealed that they. in fact, walked very well; the morning went by in a flash while they spoke about another mythical Way, that of the Incas in Machu Pichu, and of other places hallowed places in Peru that beg to be visited.
The route in that area crosses a cluster of small towns, linked to one another indistinguishably; pilgrim may find themselves walking in front of cow herds, avoiding protective snapping dogs, almost stepping on manure, and disturbing hens in the walkway which, indifferent to the Way, do not take kindly to the intrusion.
Panoramic view between Sarria & Portomarin
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The window and the arrow
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There used to be a church in Cortes that gave rise, in Galicia, to the founding of the Santiago of the Sword Order in Extremadura, in 1170, now called Santa Maria de Loio.
The Vilar de Donas temple is found between Portomarin and Palas de Rei, set a little away from the road in order to allow for the private quietness of its ancient occupants. Here was the Priory of the Order of Santiago and the church contains several sepulchers of knights that were members of the Order.
Order of Santiago shield
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The canons of the Order of Santiago were “to defend the Faith in the fight against Islam”
and to protect pilgrims and provide them with spiritual support, hence the characterization of its members as cleric-knights. The Papal Bull approving and confirming the order was signed by Pope Alexander III in Ferentino on July 5, 1175.
The beauty of morning light
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The much bandied about name of Santiago “matamoros” (slayer of moors) comes from a legend that has Santiago fighting for the Christian cause in the battle of Clavijo, brandishing his sword, from atop his horse, against the vanquished moors at his feet.
The Cathedral of Santiago still has a statue of Santiago in such posture; the statue is covered discretely when an important official from a Muslim country visits the Cathedral.
The shield of the Order of Santiago adorns the famous “Santiago Tart” and, unfortunately in my opinion, it also appears on the uniform of the Spanish brigade presently in Iraq, the shield shares the Spanish presence there with that other symbol of Spain, the “Osborne” bull which is located atop the Spanish brigade quarters in Iraq.
Regardless of how much we, Spaniards, may say that our presence in Iraq is for pacification purposes only, it begs credulity to think that Iraqis will gladly accept troops that wear the symbol of Santiago “the slayer of moors”.
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The “David” and “Goliath” bridges
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We entered Portomarin over the bridge that was built to safeguard the Mino River. The water level was very low when we went by and 30 meters below, seemingly of Lilliputian size, the old bridge could be seen as well as the ruins of the original town that was swallowed up by the Belesar flooding.
At least the church of San Pedro was spared, as was the church of San Xoan built in the twelfth century by disciples of Maestro Mateo, which explains the similarities between the Portico de Gloria in the Santiago Cathedral and the principal portal of the San Xoan church with its 24 Apocalypse elders.
“tour” to France
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On a more mundane plane, Portomarin is known today for producing the best liquor in Galicia and Santiago tarts that rival those baked in Santiago itself. Portomarin’s albergue, however, left a lot to be desired when I was there.
In fact, it was possibly the worst I’d found in Galicia; it looked unclean and helter-skelter taken up, it lacked a kitchen, it had almost no heat, and the showers appeared to have hot water for only the two first pilgrims to take a bath; unluckily, I was number three.
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Walking at night can be very dangerous.
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Two French pilgrims riding a long bicycle-built-for-two remarked that they had seen scallop shells in the Portuguese Way; they had gone from Lisbon to Santiago and were now pedaling their way back to France.
In the morning that I was there, the next to last pilgrim to leave the albergue wondered what could have motivated more than 30 pilgrims to start out so much earlier, while it was still dark, and in a 2C degrees (app. 36 degrees Fahrenheit) temperature. Perhaps they wanted to reach the Palas de Rei albergue in time to get a berth. That albergue is one of the most popular in Galicia; its facilities are very comfortable and it is well equipped to shelter pilgrims even in harsh winter conditions.
A beautiful image of an “horreo” in the morning
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After a hearty breakfast which included the offer of a drink, politely declined, to “warm up”, a brisk walk led to catching up with, and passing, other pilgrims, including the previously met Mexican, who seemed to personify the logo of the caminoasantiago.com webpage: a pilgrim walking slowly and carrying everything in the backpack, up to the kitchen sink.
In short shrift I caught up with the two Peruvian pilgrims and with the three just-met, friends-forever, Spaniard pilgrims. I said my goodbyes since my walk would end, this time, at Palas de Rei, having walked the rest of the Way to Santiago twice within the last few weeks and being pressed for time in order to arrive at Muxia on November 13th.
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Walk interrupted in Palas de Rei
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The Vilarino restaurant in Palas de Rei is to be recommended to pilgrims not only because its prices and quality of food are agreeable but also because it has an elevator; this facility alleviates that “dawdling duck” walk that afflicts so many pilgrims. After sealing the credential in the albergue I said good bye again to my erstwhile fellow pilgrims with whom I would have gladly gone on to Santiago. But there will be other times, and other ways, or even the same, when and where we might meet again.
To link the Palas to Santiago entry, press
here.
Rural landscape in the Way.
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To see the album of pictures of the French Way in Galicia,
press here..
¡¡Ultreia!!
Carlos
Palas de Rei, October 25, 2003
Translated by Rosina (Blaroli@aol.com)
