O Cebreiro/ Triacastela

Dear Family and Friends
Tonight I am at Triacastela in a funky old Pensione that smells ancient. Not bad, just old - sort of like the stacks at a university. The key is a skeleton key that looks like it was used in the middle ages. The bathroom, though simple, is updated and the water is lovely and warm, even of the room isn't. Still, I am lucky to have a bed. Tuesday is a National holiday in Spain, so it seems a though all the hotels, hostels and Albergues are filled to capacity. People are being put on mattresses on the floor and some have taken a taxi to the next town hoping to find a bed.

Friday morning in Los Herrerios I awoke in the rain and went down to the bar to get some breakfast later than usual. I knew much of the trail was in the woods so I needed light. I also knew I had a shorter day. The first part was on the road with considerable incline, then the road divided - the trail for walkers and the road for bikers.
I had met up with the Spanish friend of my Brazilian friends. His name in Spanish is Haime (James - like the Apostle). He told me he has done the Camino 10 times. The first was in 1948 by steam train. There he met a "real pilgrim" who had walked from Belgium to Santiago and made a real impression on him. He first walked the Camino with his son and grandson in 1999 when he
retired.
On this steep rocky path in the rain, this man just flew. He was like a mountain goat and was at least 10 years my senior. My training on Giant's Head and Grouse served me well, for I was able to stay close behind, but when he and the Brazilian couple stopped at the next village, I continued on. It was still very overcast but was lightening up. Some time later the clouds lifted and the magnificence of the intersecting mountains revealed itself. It was exquisite. The climb was significant and when I arrived at the next village I was sure I had arrived at OCebreiro and thought this is very small, bit I learned I still had several km to go. I stopped for a coke and headed out once again on the rain.
I met man pulling a suitcase on wheels in the opposite direction just about where there is a sign marking entrance into Galicia. I stopped to talk to him and learned he had left from Poland in June, had arrived to Santiago and was now returning to Germany. He hoped to get there by Christmas.
From here the trail flattened out and it was an easy 2 km to O Cebreiro.
A rock wall guided the path and soon I saw a large group of people with umbrellas and then a big Tour bus. The place was crawling with people.
My first stop was at the church to get my credential stamped. There was a service going on so I stopped and joined in for some time. This church is said to have housed the Holy Grail ( Christ's chalice after the crucifixion.

Eventually I found the right bar where I was to register for my hostal. I waited a good 2
hours before I was led to my room because there was only one man working and the bar was
constantly crowded with people wanting drinks and food. That was when I made my last post.
Once settled into my room, showered and my laundry washed and hanging in my room in the sun which had reappeared, I went out to explore and get some food.
The lunch menu, the same as the dinner menu, is available before 4 pm so you don't need to wait till 8 pm. I had had a restaurant recommended to me and I headed there. It was very crowded and I was guided to a table where an Italian cyclist was eating. He had a dish special to Galicia, pulpo a la gallega - steamed octopus sliced, sprinkled with paprika and served on a wooden platter. I ordered the same, happy to have a change from the pilgrim menu. It was delicious! Then, for dessert, a special soft cheese with a thick honey poured over it. It too was delicious. The Italian had left by this time since he was heading for Sarria which was a good 40 more km.
The day had turned out spectacularly with the sun shining revealing the beautiful mountainous countryside. I met a man from Parry Sound who with his wife had arranged for bikes at Ponderrada. They had done no training and spent most of the time walking their bikes up the hills.... Everyone finds their own way to do the camino.
The rest of the time I O Cebreiro was pretty low key. I realized I had set up expectations of my time there. I visited with various people and looked around to see If bagpipes were being played, and eventually headed to bed, only to discover today from Suzie and Pierre that they saw the pipes being played in a bar close to the albergue. I'm sorry I misses them
but at least I saw them on Leon.
Today turned out to be a beautiful day. I left OCebreiro around 8:30 and followed a pretty mud path through the trees. I came upon another Canadian from Edmonton who has been doing the Camino in sections. She started in Aatorga this time and will finish in Santiago.
Haime caught up with me and I walked with him for some time, but his pace was too fast for me. He informed me that we were walking at 4.7 km/hour. There was an astounding number of people on the trail today, many with no packs walking along quickly and often in packs. Haime called them " plastic pilgrims".
I stopped for breakfast and met up with Suzie and Pierre several times as our breaks were a little out of step. Walking along the paths that wound through the steep sloping mountains, I felt like "Heidi" walking in the mountains of my girlhood fantasies. It was brilliant. Walking with Suzie at one point she was singing music from the sound of music. It was that kind of day.
I met up with a French woman whom I have met up with several time. This poor woman has been plagued with bed bugs and has had another episode and was looking for a place with a washing machine to wash all her things again. The bed big stories keep mounting. My photographer
friend from south Korea with whom I sat on the train to St Jean has battled them for 2 weeks and went to the hospital in Astorga and was given an injection which cleared them up and she believes has made her immune to them- with limited English that's all the info I got. But the bedbug situation is bad. One woman told me the Camino is going to be shut down in December and all the albergues fumigated. Many believe that would be a very good idea. Hostals might be a good choice afterall.
Coming into Triacastela tonight SuZie and I heard what we thought were gunshots since hunting season for wild boar has just begun, bit it was infact fireworks for this holiday time.
Today marks the last week of my journey to Santiago. I will arrive one week today. I must say that although this has been a very exciting journey, I am counting the days till I return home. Tomorrow I head for Sarria.
Goodnight from the Camino. Heather