For dinner last night I thought it was time to take the plunge and try some Pulpo a la Gallega. This octopus dish is very popular in Galicia and actually has a long history. It was very popular with farmers coming into town for cattle markets and has a resulting alternate name of Pulpo a Feira.
It was only a 20km walk today through similar country to previous days
The bus shelters around here are very cute – shaped like Hórreos!
Many of the fields have grape vines around their borders and I walked through this beautiful arbor.
People take a lot of pride in their homes and villages with lots of gardens
I thought I must have been getting close when I came over a hill and there in the distance was the cathedral!
One last medieval bridge, one last feed of figs from a roadside tree.
There were lots of pilgrims wandering around wondering what to do next like me. The impressive. building at the back was originally the pilgrims hostel and dates back to the 15th century. It’s now a very posh hotel – not many pilgrims staying there! They do offer free meals from the staff canteen to the first 20? Pilgrims in the queue each day as part of their tradition.
I should have stayed in an albergue with bunk beds one more time but somehow I felt detached from the other pilgrims I saw. Many were in big groups and I saw lots with just little day packs. I think the fellowship I had along the way is what to remember. Also I could do with the sleep without all the snoring!
I little old lady came up to me touting her rooms for rent so I went with the flow. This is my little attic room for three nights until my flight back to Italy on Sunday
In the afternoon I went to the pilgrim’s office to get my certificates. I thought I’d done pretty well but there was a couple who had walked over 2,400km from somewhere in Switzerland!
This is what my credencial or pilgrim’s passport ended up looking like.
Tomorrow I’ll do a tour of the sites of the city sites .
You did it! My congrats!
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Oh Paul so proud of you. The certificates are beautiful. You will take a few days to get your head around the change in your days.
Love from the Beestons
Xxxxoooo
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I have to get used to walking without 13kg on my back! I’m certainly looking forward to wearing different clothes!
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Great effort Paul, congratulations.
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Thanks
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Congratulations and thanks for sharing your travels with us, Paul.
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Thanks Marcella it had been a struggle at times with dodgy internet!
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Congratulations Paul. Beautiful certificates. Thank you so much for sharing your long and amazing journey. I will miss opening your blog each day to see where you’ve been, your photos of the countryside and villages and the people you’ve met. Your photos are perfect records of your pilgrimage. Keep us posted re your impressions of Santiago.
How are you feeling now that you’ve reached your destination? I hope you’re meeting up with some of your fellow pilgrims.
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Thank you for posting these beautiful photos and memories of your trip. I am considering this walk for the fall of this year.
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Thanks for your comment John. I’m glad you like the photos, it certainly was a lot of work at the time as I had to transfer them every night from my camera to the phone!
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