So many landscapes today as I crossed into the state of Galicia where Santiago is located. I covered 14.8 mi (23.7 km) and climbed two hills, the first of which was the challenge. (At the top of it, I crossed into Galicia.) It wasn’t so much the elevation gain of some 1200 ft, but rather the mud I was trying to avoid. After a while it was slowing me down so much that I gave up and just sloshed through it. I’m including two map profiles, one from today and one from the entire Spanish Camino that shows I’m at the 60% mark of my of my planned route and 11 days to go until I arrive in Santiago (you can see I’m skirting Portugal!):

Here are some memorable shots of the day: first, mud everywhere, second, an attempt in places to create a protected walkway; next, entering Galicia; big stones to walk over water underneath; lastly I was huffing and puffing from climbing up when I came to this beautiful cross.

Had a super walk this morning covering only 17.4 km (10.8 mi), but having to climb about 1,700 ft. My reward was to find the albergue that was FULL the night before and caused me to change plans was empty except for Thomas. Of course, I expected that because he and I left at 6:40 AM when it was ice cold again, in the low thirties! But today I had three layers on—only my hands complained.

After the summit, I ran into a bar/store combo for a well deserved mid-morning snack. Then came a detour that I followed blindly. It was neither my preloaded track, nor did it show up on my map. This was a first—I followed it with blind faith.

Here are some pics for the day: nearly at the top, I found a marker with boots on it—hmmm; then a glimpse of the trail up; the bar about a mile past the summit—a welcome break; this bottle fascinated me at the bar; and finally, a makeshift bridge to cross a small stream.

I left the albergue in Puebla de Sanabria at 6:40 AM in bitter cold and wind: 38 deg F and with the windchill at freezing (I just wasn’t dressed for it). I could have used the gloves. After walking 12 km (7 mi) and meeting my German friend, Thomas, it became clear that the 12 beds at my planned destination of Lubian would already be gone, so I decided to stay here with him. We nicknamed our short stage: Urlaubsetappe (vacation stage). It’s crazy—Lubian doesn’t even have a store and only an albergue with 12 beds, whereas Requejo has two albergues (we‘re splurging and staying at the private one—the first albergue ever that had two sheets for every bed (fitted lower one and an upper one) and a coffee machine!! And Requejo has two hotels.

Here are some memorable pictures: the first shows the planned route of 29 km and the blue dot, my actual stay; my friend Thomas dressed in his north Vietnamese monk’s attire (from his days of studying meditation with a Vietnamese monk); third, having fun with Perry the Peregrino; then our hall of beds (18 beds, but only 4 occupied); and lastly Thomas and I having lunch with food we bought at the local store.

I managed to get an early start again before 7:00 AM, but it was fairly chilly in the 40s and didn’t warm up very much. The path of 10.8 mi (17.3 km) was nice and easy to negotiate—not very rocky and not many muddy obstacles. The destination was Puebla de Sanabria and here’s its location in Spain:

The municipal albergue is super clean and with 30 beds has ample space for the wave of peregrinos (including me) passing through—a situation I hope will continue the rest of the way. Everyone I missed from yesterday seemed to meet here today. The town is definitely a tourist attraction with its castle dating back to the 12th century. It’s such an attraction that it has a cake similar to tarta de Santiago, but it’s known as Tarta de Sanabria and has its castle in the middle (instead of the cross of St James)—and I had a piece which was delicious.

Here are a few impressions of the day: trees along the path or stone walls; then the view of the castle from the bridge over the River Tera; the small street approaching the church next to the castle and finally the Tarta de Sanabria.

This is just one of the reasons I love the Camino so much: space and time contract to where your most urgent problems are today’s, like finding lodging and knowing that the town you set as a goal (at 15.5 miles) only has one albergue with six beds! You hear there’s a Casa Rural (a step up) less than 2 miles before but figure others ahead of you will already take their only available six beds. So you start preparing yourself mentally for a 25-mile walk to the next biggest town you know has plenty of lodging. However it turns out, you’ll be elated beyond words that you’ve solved the most important problem of the day—nothing even comes close at home!

How did it turn out? I was able to get one of their last two remaining rooms at the Casa Rural. The Camino gives and the Camino takes—today I’m ever so grateful that it gave. Some pics from today’s route and the last from my balcony:

Spectacular scenery today over a stretch of 27.3 km. (17.1 mi) but essentially no store and only one bar/albergue open at 5.5 km near the end. Although I had a 6:50 AM start, I felt exhausted by my 2:00 PM at arrival. Much of the walk was along either the Rio Tera or a canal that was an aqueduct from it and then fed small irrigation canals.

These are some of my memorable pictures from today: first, standing in front of the Rio Tera that was dammed up at this point and almost felt like a lake; the river downstream from the dam; five of us who happened to arrive at that bar/albergue; the canal I walked next to go miles.

And after arriving, everyone flocked to this gourmet restaurant that featured a dynamite three course menu (no choices) for 10€  that included pate, a local cabbage soup, pork cutlet, desert, water, wine, and digestive.

Before looking at today, I have to comment on yesterday’s albergue—absolutely fantastic in terms of hospitality—the hospitalero (Jose Mari Tekane) made you feel so comfortable. He had prepared a 3-course meal that included egg drop soup, paella, and desert plus wine and three different home-made fruit liqueurs. And, Jose’s passion is writing poetry. We only had room for 12 at that municipal albergue, so the others had to sleep at other places. Here the choices of other places are more limited; one decided to give up his spot here and sleep outside on the ground. I elected to take their only spare mattress and put it on the floor finding that it’s quite comfortable.

So, today was a great walking day: 20.9 km (13.1 mi) over rolling sparsely forested hills. A 77-year old Italian was picking herbs along the way (see next to last pic)—never did get the name of it; here are some memorable photos: the first two from last night’s communal dinner; third was of me leaving by 7:30 am to get a bed here; then there’s one of the German, Thomas, who’s been on the Camino for about 20 years straight—could write a book about him—he’s as close to being a monk as you can get w/0 taking the vows—he’s studied meditation with north Vietnamese monks and teaches it on invitation. . . Then there are my feet looking around while on a mattress on the floor.

I had a very challenging day not so much the distance of 16.5 miles (26.4 km) but there was a 1+ km section (0.65 mi) that was a narrow rocky path along cliffs with a steep drop off to the river that slowed me to a crawl. My balance is just shot. And I noticed several others actually skipped this section—smart!

The scenery changed dramatically over the past week which was mainly agriculture to going through forests interspersed with fields of grain. Just before that challenging section I had a spectacular view of the bridge over the River Else.

Here are a few memorable photos: first, we’re reminded that last night’s town was the bifurcation point of the two Caminos, one going via Orense (mine) and the other going via (Astorga); next the Else River and the bridge; and finally that challenging path. I wish I knew the name of those white blooming flowery bushes??

First, for all mothers reading this: HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!!

Cold this morning and I kept my jacket on almost the first 2/3rds of the walk. Then it heated up. The stretch was 22.7 km (14.3 mi) and I felt it. I arrived at the bar where they issued a sheet and pillow cover, then after my beer, I walked the 100 to another building where the alberge was located. Of course all the lower bunks were already taken. BUT, you know you’re getting up in the years when three people offered to move to an upper one—muy amable!!!

It was a real treat walking through old Roman ruins of a castle. Then it became known as the ancient town of Catrotorafe, popularly known as ‘Zamora la Vieja’, are in San Cebrian de Castro, emplacement already located in the XII century. So it became a medieval defensive site which appeared on the banks of Esla River.

Here are a few memorable shots: first the saying of the day (seen at breakfast) and the route; then, everyone on the Camino must experience negotiating one’s way around sheep, and finally a shot of the old ruins of  Castrotorafe.

It’s exciting for tomorrow I make a left turn to start Camino Sanabres.

The Camino spirit is alive and well—I discovered that last night when Luigi invited me to join his group of three Italians for a home-cooked spaghetti ragu, eight in all. We enjoyed the mish-mash of languages and laughed the evening away—no one wanted it to end. The hospitaleras were invited and brought out some of their stash of pâtés and spreads.

Today was a great day for walking the 19.5 km (12.2 mi). The albergue here was a far cry from yesterday’s, so I opted to stay at a casa rural with my own room and bathroom—only one other couple here—a real splurge that won’t be available once I turn off on the Camino Sanabres. Not sure where the others went—possibly to a new Casa rural advertised by a leaflet delivered as we were walking by a car!!!!!

Here are some pics: first, the street cleaner spraying down the streets; dinner from last night; my Casa Rural; lastly, cyclists, maybe a few dozen that passed me by and wishing me, Buen Camino.”

The day started with an un-forecasted drizzle, so instead of a planned short 8-mile walk, my French buddy and I decided to take the bus for the short distance. Then he opted to stay there and I opted to walk 20 km (12.5 miles) to Zamora. The drizzle had stopped by then and I gained a day to spend at a more interesting place than a 200-people village. The short walk would have put me in town before noon with nothing to do. The whole walk would have been uncomfortably long.

Zamora is a fascinating city of some 60,000 with a history going back to Roman times. It lies on a rocky hill in the northwest overlooking the Duero (that empties into the Atlantic in Porto, Portugal. With its 24 characteristic Romanesque style churches of the 12th and 13th centuries it has been called a "museum of Romanesque art. Zamora is the city with the most Romanesque churches in all of Europe. I visited the Cathedral and the museum in its former cloister and was overwhelmed—so impressive.

Here are just a few pics: my entry into Zamora as I crossed the Duero River and the view of the fortifications and cathedral in the distance; the next three are inside the Cathedral, the religious float made of silver and gilded, a St James altar piece, and the third, an amazing silver altar piece; lastly is the outside of the cathedral.

Here is a pic of our four-bed room—huge space between top and bottom bunks!!!!

Much less windy today and more enjoyable; walked 12.7 miles (20.3 km). Had a continental breakfast at the other albuerge which gave me a good start because nothing else was available along the way—that had to last me (and it it). Chose the Albergue Y&M and was one of the early ones to arrive at about 1:30 PM and first in the shower is always a treat.

Here are some memorable pictures: the first pic gave me a real scare, as in, do I really have to cross this water—panic; after looking at my electronic track, I realized I missed a detour about 100 yards back! The second picture is what the trail looked like paralleling the highway; the third and fourth pics, were common sights along the way.

Mucho viento hoy! First day trekking in Spain was an easy one: about 10 miles (16 km) on level terrain but the head- and cross-winds were fierce, maybe with 30 to 40 knot winds. Most of the route was over a dirt farm road. By noon I reached my first destination staying at a municipal albuerge for 5€—a real bargain. Only one other peregrino is here, a young Spanish fellow. About a half dozen others are staying at another private albuerge that offers breakfast—I'm going to try to get a breakfast with them tomorrow morning because there’s nothing else available. You can see from the pics the road and my albuerge.

MI left Vienna City Center right after a lovely lunch very close to the airport express train yesterday on Monday. My cousin, Martina, joined Susanne, Peter, and me. The flight was short of three hours and I had a hotel reservation at the Madrid Airport. To call the hotel for a pickup, I decided to get a SIM card for my phone right at the airport. After a good night’s sleep, I went back to the Airport today Wednesday, to catch a bus to Salamanca. So here I am checked into my hostel and ready to walk tomorrow morning. The weather here in Spain is quite a bit warmer than in Vienna which was hit with a cold spell. Nevertheless, I already miss all my relatives in Austria—we had such a great visit.

I spent more than two hours visiting first the new Cathedral (16th-18th centuries) and adjoining it the old Cathedral (12th-14th centuries). So much architectural character and art pieces as well as religious relics—it’s hard to take it all in. Since the Salamanca diocese was once part of the Santiago diocese, the two cities have a special relationship. Some of that comes through a special exhibit in one of the halls of the old Cathedral that has a statue of St James.

Before looking at some memorable pictures from Salamanca, I had to insert a picture of the alps we flew over on the way to Madrid—makes you shiver just looking at them. Next is the new Cathedral, then the house of shells built by a knight of the order of St James; the statue of St James in the old Cathedral; and the interior of the new Cathedral.

And I couldn’t resist a churro with hot chocolate in Plaza Mayor:

I spent a wonderful Sunday with family that culminated at a delightful lunch in the suburbs for nine of us—Harald, my three cousins’ father treated. With soon to be 94 years old, he’s doing wonderfully. Before dinner, however, Peter, Susanne and I visited the Ernst Fuchs Museum at the Otto Wagner Villa—amazing art is in understatement. Fuchs (1930 –2015) was an Austrian painter, draftsman, printmaker, sculptor, architect, stage designer, composer, poet, singer and one of the founders of the Vienna School of Fantastic Realism. In 1972, he acquired the neglected Otto Wagner Villa in Hütteldorf (just outside Vienna) which he restored and transformed into a magnificent showpiece. The villa was inaugurated as the Ernst Fuchs Museum in 1988. I was full of oohs and aahs.

After lunch, Harald and I went to Wolfgang and Maria’s house for desert and chit chatting.

Here are some memories from today: one of Ernst Fuchs’ creations; in front of the museum; entrance to the museum; lunch together; back to the museum (Otto Wagner Villa); the other end of the lunch table; and finally, Harald enjoying desert while Kurt and Wolfgang look on; (Kathi, Resi, und Gregor sind auch dabei).

Since the last blog, it’s been a lovely time visiting my cousin Martina in Graz and my other cousin Susanne and Peter at their country home in Kreuzberg, about an hour south of Vienna, but also saying farewell to Martina soon after having a scrumptious Styrian lunch in Langenwang. After lunch all of us drove a short distance to Krieglach where the Peter Rosegger Museum is located. So who is Rosegger (1843-1918)? Well, quite honestly, I wasn’t familiar with him at all, even though I should have been after studying German literature. Above all,  he was an author but painted as well. Well ahead of his time, he believed in a tolerant church and party-less politics. He also advocated conservation and preservation of nature.

Here are some memorable pictures (not necessarily in order): first photo at the Rosegger Museum (Peter, Martina, Kurt); next, Peter and Susanne at their summer house; then, Peter next to the 1961 Steyr tractor, that some years ago we rode up the hill for a tour; then, Saturday taking a stroll in the drizzling rain; next to last, I’m standing on the Graben in the heart of Vienna with Julius Meinl in the background (Vienna’s deli in the heart of the city)—I had a hard time believing the large crowds visiting Vienna!!!; and lastly, on Saturday, the two sisters Martina and Susanne and Peter.

Today, Sunday, it’s off to a lunch gathering with as much of the family as we could muster (9 of us).

After an early start from Zagreb by train, went through some beautiful countryside and came to the Slovenian border of Dovnia. A squad of police boarded the train to check for illegals, a check that lasted about 15 minutes. Then we continued through nearly to the Austrian border and switched to a bus for the rest of the way on account of track maintenance.

When I arrived in Graz, Martina met me and one of the first orders of business was to change leftover Croatian money (kunas) into Euros. We drove to her house in St Oswald about 26 km from the train station. Martina had done some amazing home improvements starting with a covered car port and entry way that’s now more level. Her vegetable garden keeps her busy but rewards her with many just-in-time harvests.

Here are some pics: a fixer-upper still available along the way; typical countryside scene while traveling along the river before switching to bus;  Martina’s house with car port on  far  left, glass-house garden, and main house; lunch—all healthy things from fresh salad from the garden, and white asparagus and potatoes; and lastly, Martina with Sunny in front of the Glycine flowers that are stunningly beautiful.

Left Split at 8:33 AM by train and arrived at Croatia’s capital, Zagreb, at about 3:00 PM. Got settled as quickly as possible in a little apartment not far from the train station and hit the sightseeing trail a bit before 4:00. Being a holiday, the hustle and bustle of locals wasn’t there—it seems it was mainly tourists. Curiously, I noticed lots of Asian tourists (China and Hong Cong)—easy to spot and they’re extremely courteous. Although Zagreb lacks the historical flair of Split, their history goes back just as far—there’s just no Diocletian’s Palace to draw you in.

Here are some of my impressions, starting with two evening shots in Split from last night (the lighting gave it a special aura):

My quest followed the app called VisitACity— highly recommended: first was the Zagreb Cathedral and the sarcophagus behind the altar of Cardinal Stepinac who was tried under the communist regime and sentenced to 16 years, but only served 5 followed by house arrest; there’s a picture of the altar; then there’s St Mark’s with the tiled roof depicting the coat of arms of Zagreb (white castle on red background); then the stone gate entrance where people prayed before they entered the city; and finally, a statue of a serpent slayer amidst a bed of black tulips.

Spent a full day wandering around Split that included a walking tour where I was the only client—no problem getting questions answered. Overwhelmingly, the theme of the tour was how Diocletian’s Palace was the bedrock for Split for over 1700 years integrating over these years various architectural styles and cultures spanning the Romans, Croat, Venetian, Hungarian, Habsburg, you name it, all the while trying to repel the Ottoman influences. Just amazing the interlacing of it all, and it seems to be stable both physically and psychically.

I also focused on the sights and smells of the outdoor markets brimming with activity. The guide brought to my attention that I saw no flies in the fish market due to the slightly sulfurous odor in the water used to clean the stalls.

Here are some impressions: walking among the Palace structures one looks down on a platform used to sacrifice animals during the Roman era; then looking through the east entrance one can spot the bell tower addition made during the medieval era; the drawing gives a good impression of how it looked in 305 AD; and this kind of picture shows the integration of new with old.

And here are the markets, the second being the fly-less fish market.

Finished my walking yesterday in arriving in Bol (115 miles in all) and am in recovery mode until May 8th when I start walking again—pretty cushy! Took the bus/ferry combo and arrived on the mainland again at about 4:00 PM. Got settled into an apartment (the hostel I signed up for is out of business) for $30 a night—it’s very nice and modern and close to the city center.

My first evening out exploring the town and having dinner in the area Marjie/Mark recommended was amazing—picture taking saturation. The city center is built around the Roman emperor, Diocletian’s Palace that was readied for him in 305 AD. Every turn you make you feel obligated to take yet another picture—can’t post them all!

Here are my main impressions: first, the Temple of Jupiter was built sometime between 295 and 305, then converted to a Christian Baptistry in the sixth century; and on the sarcophagus as you enter you see one of the earliest sculptures of a Croatian King; next the Cathedral built in Middle Ages in Diocletian’s Palace, and further down a picture of the main altar as well as a picture of the entrance to the Cathedral from the main square; the other two photos show one of the many small streets winding through the Palace, and finally Restaurant Sperdun in the quarter recommend by Marjie and Mark (a family recommendation). The restaurant had a wait of over an hour when I finished—no wait when I started!