Sarria, a good place to break for coffee

We just wizzed from Triacastela to Sarria, a little over 25 km done. It's a little foggy in the mountains but we are pretty sure to have great weather further down as the mist settles. It's just passed 9:15 am and we are making good progress.

The next stretch will be a slight climb to Feirreros, after which it's pretty much up and down all the way to Santiago.

We might actually decide to go to Santiago today, we'll see how it goes.

Hasta la próxima
Douwe


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Goodmorning Triacastela

Once again we slept like babies and are completely refreshed after 8+ hours of comatose sleep. Frans jumped into his jeans and ran to the hotel garden where we had locked up our bikes for the night. Turns out he had a nightmare of our bikes being stolen and us having to catch a smelly bus to Santiago. Luckily also in this case dreams don't always come true :-)

Our hostel is right at the 129 Km marker, so no guessing how far we have left. Today we will see how it goes, but we want to do a minimum of 100 km, such that if we overnight before Santiago that we have little left for tomorrow morning. The plan is to have at least half a day there before we catch our Sunday morning flight back home.

It's been an amazing journey so far, a lot of which we captured on video. As soon as I will have had a chance to edit them, they will feature on this blog.

Time to get ready for what will be a tough day. More later from along the trail.

Hasta la próxima
Douwe


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We arrived in Triacastela

We arrived, after the climb we were able to descend pretty much the last 20 km's. Pretty spectacular, the views as much as the descend it self.

We found our hotel without any problemsn, and have a room that thus far is the most kitch of all places we have stayed at. But, a room, a hot shower and some restaurants at spitting distance.

Now for a hot shower. We have a pretty heavy day ahead of us tomorrow, a little over 100 km's.

Hasta la próxima
Douwe


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Resting our legs in El Cebreiro

OMG!!!! We are on what is most likely one of the toughest trails this week. We just climbed from 500 to 1300 m altitude, after already having climbed some 750 meters on this mornings track.

But, we made it: "con dos cojones" as the Spanish would say.

The weather is great, a little hot (35 degr.) so we are taking in simply liters of water. A lot of it comes back as sweat, and quite a bit we cop-dust along the route. What's remarkable is that when we relieve ourselves, it sort of stains the grass a similar yellow as used for the Camino markers. Hope we're not misguiding too many fellow pilgrims with our urine graffiti...

El Cebreiro is a little hippie place on the edge of the Galician border. We are indeed in Galicia!!!! Getting pretty close now.

Ok. More when we get to Triacastela.

Hasta la próxima
Douwe


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Having lunch in Villafranca de Bierzo

Another 20 km done, which puts us at 50 for the day. We decided to break for lunch in Villafranca del Bierzo as we have a rather heavy trail still ahead of us. We are facing a 750 meter climb. Triacastela seems another world for us now, but I am sure we'll make it.

Bierzo is a lovely district, also known for its amazing red wine.

Lunch is mediocre, Frans his Cordon Blue is deep fried it seems. But the sun is shining and we are enjoying actually sitting down on something other than a saddle.

More after our monster climb.

Hasta la próxima
Douwe


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A coffee break in Ponferada

We just cycled to Ponferada, 30 km's. This puts us at the 200 minimum for cyclists, that is if you want it all to be official. From here we need to get the minimum 2 daily stamps. We will get our first of the day here at the Ayuntamiento which is right at the terrace where we stopped for some coffee. Well, tea for me actually, as I woke up last night and projectile vomitted out my supper. Am pretty sure it must have been the Gazpacho that was dodgy. In any event I was not in my best form this morning. Cycling seems to be going alright, but I will have to watch what I eat today.

The first part of today's trail so far was made up of a relatively short climb, and a spectacularly long and winding descent towards Ponferada. It helped us get here relatively quickly. We need it as we have another 60 km to go today, which includes a tough and long climb.

After coffee we'll go and visit the castle of the Knights Templar. After that I am sure we'll need to make our way towards Triacastela, our target town for today which is in Galicia.

Meanwhile we are enjoying the sun and resting our legs.

Hasta la próxima
Douwe


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We made it to Rabanal del Camino

We made it, a cool 70 km's, it turned out slightly more than anticipated. But the weather was amazing, and all the rain and ugly weather preparations were unnecessary in retrospect. Hind sight is 20 : 20, and we learned earlier on the Camino that preparation is of paramount importance. It's all tough enough as it is.

The B&B we just checked into is more like a country manor. It is amazing and we have not one but two queensize beds in our large room. The bar is great and Heineken flows gently into pint-sized glasses whilst we come to the realization that we have only got some 240 km's to go until we are knighted über-pilgrims as we enter Santiago de Compostela.

During our previous stop, as Frans was fixing his bike, we caught up with two fellow Dutchmen who actually started in Groningen. OMG!! They left mid May and made sure we knew that they actually sleep in a tent. When we mentioned our accommodations along the route, they frowned and we tried to break the ice by admitting that we are in fact Camino Preppies (or Camino Kakkers in Dutch..) I was quick to add that I am from Groningen originally, which seemed to help a little bit. In the same town, the pueblo known as Astorga, we stocked up on water and chocolate. Astorga is known for its chocolate, no doubt through some Belgiam pilgrim that got stuck and never left. It was lovely and a great energy boost.

The scenery from Astorha to where we are now has greatly improved from near-motorway and strip-mall suburbs of León to a countryside that more resembles the highlands of bonnie Scotland than your stereotypical Spain.

We are off for a much needed shower and a dinner that is served at an un-Spanish early hour. (Kitchen closes at 10) Just as well as we have a killer program ahead of us tomorrow.

Hasta la próxima.
Douwe


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