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Neil Armstrong's Travels
We weren't up as early as we should following the previous evenings sing songs but we got away all the same in search of the first waymark to Santiago. Neil got a stamp for everyone's 'Credecials' and soon we were walking across one of the many bridges across the river Mino. I think we all could have stayed a few days more exploring Ourense but of course time was against us and we had 4 days to cover the 115k into Santiago de Compostela.
We picked up a waymark on the main road through the outskirts of the city and the first kilometre was done...114 to go! After a few kilometres and with empty stomachs we stumbled upon Cafe Bar Parallada in a suburb called Arco da Vella, a family owned coffee shop which was just opening it's doors. We sat up on the terrace and enjoyed tea, coffee and buns (magdalenas), and were very well looked after. We complimented the owner and his wife on their setting and asked for a stamp for our passports. Unfortunately he did not have one so I simply wrote the name of the cafe onto the Credencial and he signed it. Sadly I cannot remember the gentleman's name so cannot add it here...but Craig noted the bill came to a cheap 10 Euros!!!
Off we headed...uphill...but the countryside really started to open up and the views got better and better. We headed on towards the town of Tamallancos where we stopped for lunch (baguettes) Our rucksacks were already starting to feel heavier than that morning and it was with a tinge of reluctance that we headed back out again into the heat as we made our way onwards. Again lunch for five including a couple of beers came to 25 euros between the five of us...I'd have stayed!
We made our way through the village of Bouzos and what can only be described as a graveyard for Horreos (see photos below)...it was 30 degrees at this stage and we were getting more and more tired with every step. A somewhat dangerous dual carriageway appeared for a couple of kilometres before the town of Sobreira which is Portuguese and Galician for 'Cork Oak Tree'. Neil suggested from the map that we push onto the next stop, a thought echoed by a local who joined us for a kilometre while we chatted. Lunch was fair to average and again we hit the road towards the town of Cea where we finally had a decent break and decided how to move forward. Cea was a small town with a small plaza renowned for its bread making. There was an albergue (hostel) in Cea so we needed to decide whether or not to stay or move on to Oseira.
Cafe Bonka was a welcome relief as we splashed our faces with cold water from the fountain and we removed our walking boots. It was siesta time and there were few people around so we kicked our walking boots off and sat beside the fountain in seats owned by the bar. A lovely waitress came over and we ordered cold drinks all round. The waitress had a dressing on her nose and God love her looked in a bad way to be honest. How did that happen we wondered...so Neil just asked...'que te ha pasado?'...she smiled and explained that she'd had an operation on her sinuses very recently and that was the result. We told her she was lovely anyway and ordered another beer. There was a joke cracked about a Nose Bag, maybe one of the guys will remember it and post it on here!
Oseira it was and after a well earned break and a few laughs we put our boots back on and we left Cea. On the way out of the town we found a Supermercado where we bought a CO for the journey of about 5 miles to Oseira. The laughs we had on this final stage of the day I (Neil) will treasure. For five guys three of whom had only met a day before, we had already become best mates. One game that became popular was 20 questions, so much so that we played it as we dandered most days...hilarious!
The Monastery at Oseira was a magnificent site to behold. As the sun was descending behind the hills it was actually a little spooky and we wondered if we were being watched as we approached. An elderly gentleman met us at the gate to the grounds and advised that we should go into the dorm and a Monk would call down to greet us. We walked into a room of some 30-40 beds where there was a Spanish gentleman in his 60's also staying. The Monk arrived and took our passports, credencials and 5 euros each and asked us to sign the registry. He told us where the showers were and to have a good night's sleep. His number was written on the wall should we need to get in touch and he bade us a good evening. We showered and changed and headed up the 100 metres to Bar Venezuela where we would dine for the night.
The owner of Bar Venezuela was a scary lady (scary Mary we named her) and I'm sure has not smiled in many many years...until she met us lot! After some messing about we agreed to eat and she prepared everything she had. The food was actually great and she finally kicked us out some time later telling us we'd get locked out by the Monks should we not return quickly to the dorms! Another great feed for around 60 euros...no complaints! She allowed us to take a beer with us into the now dead street which we drank before returning to bed...a cracking day filled with fantastic memories....but for now, five broken necks! Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz z
We picked up a waymark on the main road through the outskirts of the city and the first kilometre was done...114 to go! After a few kilometres and with empty stomachs we stumbled upon Cafe Bar Parallada in a suburb called Arco da Vella, a family owned coffee shop which was just opening it's doors. We sat up on the terrace and enjoyed tea, coffee and buns (magdalenas), and were very well looked after. We complimented the owner and his wife on their setting and asked for a stamp for our passports. Unfortunately he did not have one so I simply wrote the name of the cafe onto the Credencial and he signed it. Sadly I cannot remember the gentleman's name so cannot add it here...but Craig noted the bill came to a cheap 10 Euros!!!
Off we headed...uphill...but the countryside really started to open up and the views got better and better. We headed on towards the town of Tamallancos where we stopped for lunch (baguettes) Our rucksacks were already starting to feel heavier than that morning and it was with a tinge of reluctance that we headed back out again into the heat as we made our way onwards. Again lunch for five including a couple of beers came to 25 euros between the five of us...I'd have stayed!
We made our way through the village of Bouzos and what can only be described as a graveyard for Horreos (see photos below)...it was 30 degrees at this stage and we were getting more and more tired with every step. A somewhat dangerous dual carriageway appeared for a couple of kilometres before the town of Sobreira which is Portuguese and Galician for 'Cork Oak Tree'. Neil suggested from the map that we push onto the next stop, a thought echoed by a local who joined us for a kilometre while we chatted. Lunch was fair to average and again we hit the road towards the town of Cea where we finally had a decent break and decided how to move forward. Cea was a small town with a small plaza renowned for its bread making. There was an albergue (hostel) in Cea so we needed to decide whether or not to stay or move on to Oseira.
Cafe Bonka was a welcome relief as we splashed our faces with cold water from the fountain and we removed our walking boots. It was siesta time and there were few people around so we kicked our walking boots off and sat beside the fountain in seats owned by the bar. A lovely waitress came over and we ordered cold drinks all round. The waitress had a dressing on her nose and God love her looked in a bad way to be honest. How did that happen we wondered...so Neil just asked...'que te ha pasado?'...she smiled and explained that she'd had an operation on her sinuses very recently and that was the result. We told her she was lovely anyway and ordered another beer. There was a joke cracked about a Nose Bag, maybe one of the guys will remember it and post it on here!
Oseira it was and after a well earned break and a few laughs we put our boots back on and we left Cea. On the way out of the town we found a Supermercado where we bought a CO for the journey of about 5 miles to Oseira. The laughs we had on this final stage of the day I (Neil) will treasure. For five guys three of whom had only met a day before, we had already become best mates. One game that became popular was 20 questions, so much so that we played it as we dandered most days...hilarious!
The Monastery at Oseira was a magnificent site to behold. As the sun was descending behind the hills it was actually a little spooky and we wondered if we were being watched as we approached. An elderly gentleman met us at the gate to the grounds and advised that we should go into the dorm and a Monk would call down to greet us. We walked into a room of some 30-40 beds where there was a Spanish gentleman in his 60's also staying. The Monk arrived and took our passports, credencials and 5 euros each and asked us to sign the registry. He told us where the showers were and to have a good night's sleep. His number was written on the wall should we need to get in touch and he bade us a good evening. We showered and changed and headed up the 100 metres to Bar Venezuela where we would dine for the night.
The owner of Bar Venezuela was a scary lady (scary Mary we named her) and I'm sure has not smiled in many many years...until she met us lot! After some messing about we agreed to eat and she prepared everything she had. The food was actually great and she finally kicked us out some time later telling us we'd get locked out by the Monks should we not return quickly to the dorms! Another great feed for around 60 euros...no complaints! She allowed us to take a beer with us into the now dead street which we drank before returning to bed...a cracking day filled with fantastic memories....but for now, five broken necks! Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz z
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