Monday, April 14, 2014

Day 34: to Oliveiroa


Impressively, Teresa and I were up at 6.45 - as were the nuns in Santa Clara convent next door, if the church bells were anything to go by.

This early start was so we could backtrack on the bus I took last Thursday, and return to Negreira on the Finisterre camino. It was another beautiful Galician day, both in landscape and weather (roasting). I drank the whole of my water supply for the first time, which I think is 2 litres. Teresa did brilliantly given both the heat and the baptism of fire that a 33km walk is on your first day out!

Silage making is in full progress and the whole day reeked - either of cut grass, hot eucalyptus and pine, gorse, and when nothing else, dairy and muck spreading. We were mostly in tiny hamlets (only one bar stop!) and as usual the average age of the people working looked to be about 75. Some of whom wore the most astonishing flatbrimmed sunhats with a ribbon... and sometimes whatever they were carrying (eg a shopping bag) balanced on top. 

I really hope there's a generation of Galicians earning big bucks in some city somewhere, that will come back to the countryside and take over the farms and renovate the old houses. Sadly I very much doubt it.

Plenty of other pilgrims around but almost all are Spaniards, enjoying their Easter holidays. I've used Teresa as an excuse to give up entirely on dormitory life, and tonight we're in a very nice rural guest house attached to its own bar and restaurant... I can't wait for my first beer and given Teresa's tough first day I don't imagine we're going to stray far!


PS- mum what is this purple stuff?

Pps - my starter! ('Lentils')


No comments:

Post a Comment