The first bit of today's walk was the 6km downhill, mainly by road, to Laza. The wooded embankments by the side of the road provided cover and shade from the already hot sun. Arriving in Laza, I had a lovely conversation with a local man who was out for a constitutional with his wife. We exchanged pleasantries and he told me of a priest who came from those parts who had lived in England but who had vineyards in the nearby Ribeira Sacra. I'd heard this story before but couldn't place exactly where. But it was a pleasant exchange and wished me a Buen Camino. The bar in Laza, the Pilgrim's Rest, was a real magnet for local people coming for their mid-morning coffee so it was quite busy as we took our second coffee of the day.
From Laza we took the road which led to Soutelo Verde, a small village in the valley. It has a great example of a lavadoiro, a Galician washing place fed with spring water. After a rest in this village we continued along a country track to Tamicelas, roughly half way on today's journey. The day was so warm that by this stage my water in my backpack was already warm, and yet I drank it and topped up the suncream as we were about to make a very steep ascent - 400 metres over 3km, with a very steep section shortly after the start. It was a real trial to my resolve to take on this hill in the heat of the middle of the day, but, using my tried and trusted method of counting steps, I managed the steep section as well as the later relentless climb to the top. As the climb ensued, the mountain became more wooded and shade became greater. Eventually I saw the top of the treeline and emerged onto the road into the village of Alberguería.
The albergue bar in Alberguería, the Rincón del Pelegrino, was a welcome place to rehydrate and take on some sustenance. Over the course of many years the owner of the bar has invited pilgrims to write their names on a St James shell. These shells were then Steven to the walls of the bar, making a fascinating wall covering. It was great to feel part of the bigger picture: so many people and lives touched by the experience of pilgrimage on this beautiful pilgrimage route. Fed and watered, we moved on to make the final push of 7km to our day's destination, Vilar de Barrio. From Alberguería, we had a bit of a climb through heathland to a summit, leaving a drop of 200 metres down to the road leading into Vilar de Barrio. I had arranged accommodation in a beautifully renovated Casa Rural, the Casa do Adelino near the entrance to the town.
Venturing out in the evening, we found a wonderful thing: the restaurant named the Casa Carmiña. What a find! It was an old business, 90 years old. It certainly felt like stepping back into the early twentieth century! We were greeted by the lady of the house, in her housecoat, like a universal grandmother, offering home cooked food. No menu and not much choice, for 12 euros we ate homemade chorizo and salchichón with Galician cheese, a huge mixed salad, and top quality steak, egg and chips. We also had a bottomless supply of local unlabeled white wine up wash it all down. The food was great but it was the experience of stepping back into a Spain now lately lost, but which I remember from when I was at seminary - an old world Spain with simple people serving with love and without desire for profit. It may sound like rose tinted spectacles, but what we have gained in sophistication we have lost in these traditional qualities.
So today we have competed 113km in five days, but with three consecutive tough days including mountain climbs. The scenery has been exceptional and the views breathtaking. But now we are emerging out of the mountains, with two days and just over 35km to get to Ourense. A short day tomorrow means the ability to rest a little...
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