Dawn

Dawn

Saturday, May 18, 2019

Thoughts from Galicia, Spain: 18.5.19

Spanish life is not always likeable but it is compellingly loveable. 
                  Christopher Howse: A Pilgrim in Spain
Spain
  • Spanish men, claims the BBC, are getting in touch with their feminine side, by joining a nationwide association for men for gender equality called AHIGE.
  • Here's The Eye on Spain with your coffee options in Spain. I have to say that there are folk - including my elder daughter - who are not great fans of the stuff here, compared with, say, Italy. 
  • Here's a second article from TEoS, this time rubbish.
  • Spain and the EU . . . No huge surprise. On a roll?
  • Advice from the British government for those zillions of football fans winging their way to Madrid in the next week or so.
  • Given Spain's notorious 'localism', I can't say I was surprised to hear from the owner of our hotel in Borrenes - near the border between the León province of Castilla y León and the Ourense province of Galicia - that the local politicians can't/won't get their act together as regards developing/promoting the camino. After all, after a thousand years of opportunity, they still haven't agreed which way the conch sign should point you. Witness:-
León:

Ourense:



The UK 
The UK/Brexit
  • Is anyone surprised that the talks between Mrs May and Mr Corbyn have collapsed? Or that the pound has fallen?
  • Sadly, it was all too predictable that The Oaf would lead the contest for taking over from the hapless Mrs May as leader of the Conservatives and Prime Minister. What a signal to send to the rest of the world. Johnson and Farage. Mini Farts. Here's Richard North today, with a more than usual dose of vitriol directed - justifiably - at Johnson. Going forward, says RN: There is only one preference that will currently command a majority, not just of the Tories but of all sides. That is the departure of Mrs May. Which may or may not happen soon. Dark times. Or, as RN puts it: Extraordinarily bad news all round.
Spanish
  • Word of the Day:  Mazo
Finally . . .

Camino Notes
  • Another lovely stage yesterday in the company of genially informative Geoff - from Borrenes in León to O Barco de Valdeorras in Galicia. This is a total of 35km but Geoff and I actually did only 22km, having knocked 7km off by accepting our host's offer to take us to the viewpoint at Las Médulas, and then ending the walk after a great lunch in the Mesón Museo restaurant in Sobradelo and availing ourselves of my car that our non-walking friend had brought from our hotel in O Barco de Valdeorras, saving another 7km. 
  • The lookout point at Las Médulas was truly stunning. The later one at Las Pedrices was perhaps even more impressive, especially as there are explanation boards telling you exactly how the Romans mined gold there until early in the 3rd century. Great fotos available at Geoff's Flickr site here.
  • We arrived 20 minutes early for the 10am opening of the little archeological museum in Las Médulas but decided not to hang around as there was no guarantee anyone would turn up to open it as the scheduled time. And none of the nearby cafés were open.
  • First thing, the temperature was at least 10 degrees lower than yesterday, calling for a jacket and even gloves. Not that I had any of the latter. And the intermittent showers made recourse to my cape a mild irritant. And gave Geoff cause for amusement. 
  • Along the entire stage, the scenery, flora and vistas were all - to say the least - very pretty. And it was enjoyable to have the river Sil down to our left, sometimes separated from us by the railway line from Ourense to Palencia.
  • There was no long climb like the previous day's but still quite a lot of up and down, especially in the last 5-6km alongside the railway line and the river Sil to Sobradelo. Just when I needed it least, as my right foot starts to give me gyp after 15km or so. 
  • Again there were lots of villages with 'pretty' tumble-down houses along the way that will surely rise in value as 'pilgrim' numbers continue to rise on this camino. See Geoff's fotos on these.
  • 'Fellow pilgrim' numbers were the same as yesterday - nil.
  • In the entire 21km. we encountered only one bar/café open, El Cruce in Puente de Domingo Florez. Whether this was due to the Galician Literature public holiday once we'd crossed the border, I couldn't say. 
  • Anyone know what his ubiquitous flower is?


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