Day 23, September 16: Sarria to Hospital de la Cruz (34 km; 8:15)
It was foggy when we left and it became worse as the day dawned. After a couple of hours it started to drizzle and I put on my poncho for the first time in 21 days. In this part of Spain, the Camino was a pleasant walk of short ups and downs through tiny farms, fields, and lush oak forests. Moss-covered dry stone walls lined the route.
Photo 713: Markus pausing by one of the typical dry stone walls.
Photo 724: A beautiful walk where the trees arched into a canopy high over our heads.
The drizzle stopped as we approached Portomarin near noon. The original town was condemned to a watery grave when a hydro-electric dam was built in the nineteen-fifties. The new town looks out of place, despite some of the monuments and the original church having been moved to avoid the rising water.
Photo 720: The ghosts of the old town were laid to rest long ago and our trip through Portomarin was without incident.
Throughout Galicia it is common to see beautiful horreos, which are designed to keep vermin away from stored corn.
Photo 725: A great deal of craftsmanship went into the building of this horreo.
It was another 12 kilometres to Hospital de la Cruz, a tiny hamlet consisting of a few houses and, most importantly, a bar and a very modern albergue. Despite the modern albergue, the kitchen had no utensils or cookware, so we ate our dinner of pulpo a la gallega (octopus), a Galician delicacy, at the local bar with two men from Switzerland and Belgium.
Photo 729: Some happy barflies at the bar in Hospital de la Cruz.
When we returned to the albergue I sat on the kitchen counter and immersed my leg under cold running water to try to reduce the swelling. I wish someone had taken a picture! I kept my leg elevated with a couple of extra pilows overnight.
Photo 713: Markus pausing by one of the typical dry stone walls.
Photo 724: A beautiful walk where the trees arched into a canopy high over our heads. The drizzle stopped as we approached Portomarin near noon. The original town was condemned to a watery grave when a hydro-electric dam was built in the nineteen-fifties. The new town looks out of place, despite some of the monuments and the original church having been moved to avoid the rising water.
Photo 720: The ghosts of the old town were laid to rest long ago and our trip through Portomarin was without incident.Throughout Galicia it is common to see beautiful horreos, which are designed to keep vermin away from stored corn.
Photo 725: A great deal of craftsmanship went into the building of this horreo. It was another 12 kilometres to Hospital de la Cruz, a tiny hamlet consisting of a few houses and, most importantly, a bar and a very modern albergue. Despite the modern albergue, the kitchen had no utensils or cookware, so we ate our dinner of pulpo a la gallega (octopus), a Galician delicacy, at the local bar with two men from Switzerland and Belgium.
Photo 729: Some happy barflies at the bar in Hospital de la Cruz.When we returned to the albergue I sat on the kitchen counter and immersed my leg under cold running water to try to reduce the swelling. I wish someone had taken a picture! I kept my leg elevated with a couple of extra pilows overnight.
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