Day Two: Gonzar to Casanova

My 36th birthday!! Javier and Virginio kissed me happy birthday as soon as I came out of my room this morning. I helped myself to a big ol' piece of breakfast cake with sugar sprinkled on top! We also had bread with butter and apricot jam, fruit, cafe con leche, and two kinds of local cheese, plus a Tang-like orange drink. It was great fuel for the road.

Late in the morning, we passed kilometer marker 76. As a bicentennial baby, that felt like a serendipitous moment, so I got Qassab to take my photo.

My feet were still feeling a little sore this morning, but I was okay once we got going. I wrapped one toe in moleskin along the way as a precaution...best to head off a blister before it starts. I am glad I did not skimp on socks! I am mostly wearing Smart Wool, which are $15 a pair, but they have been great so far.

Today we walked a total of 23K. I spent the morning having a deep chat with Paulette from Canada. Her first marriage was similar to my parents', and we had a meaningful conversation. Then I shifted gears and walked a while with Qassab (His name, by the way, is pronounced "Ga-sob," but he told us we could call him Q or "Butcher," which is what his name means in Arabic. Paulette suggested we shorten it to Butch.) We listened to one Indian song on his iPhone, and then I treated him to the sounds of O.A.R., Bare Naked Ladies, David Allen Coe and Lynyrd Skynyrd.

Late morning, we passed what would be our hotel for the night. It's gorgeous, something that belongs in an architecture magazine. They renovated a farmhouse and managed to get a perfect blend of old and new. Stone walls, lots of glass, open views to the east, several sitting areas and a patio with comfy outdoor sofas and a hammock. Virginio made sure I got one of the nicest rooms with a sofa and a jacuzzi tub. My friend Page said one of her friends called this way of walking the Camino the "partial princess package." It is indeed, and I love it!

Lunch was outside in the town of Palas de Rei. We shared tortilla, more pulpo gallego, and tuna empanada. I washed it down with a birthday beer and had fun reading my Facebook birthday posts, courtesy of the restaurant's wi-fi (pronounced "wee fee" in Spanish).

The afternoon leg was less than 6k, which went by quickly and was nicely shaded for the most part. I can't imagine better weather for this...cool mornings, sunny days and clear skies. I will say, unless it's muddy, I'm not sure you really need hiking boots for this...the owner of Spanish Steps insists a well broken-in pair of boots is the most important thing to pack, but I think a good pair of trail runners would be fine and probably more comfortable. There are a few rocky bits where I'm glad to have the boots, but I'm not sure it's worth the comfort sacrifice. Maybe it's just the brand I have? Anyway, for the most part, my feet are holding up fine, though my calves and shins are sore.

We all enjoyed several hours of free time before dinner. Virginio has a PhD in the history of travel (the Camino was the subject of one of the world's first guidebooks), and he gave us a short lecture on the history of the pilgrimage.

Dinner was outstanding! The first course was a "cazuela" (clay pot) of mushrooms baked with tomato sauce and cheese. It would have been a great meal on its own with a salad...but it was followed by a main course of roasted chicken with roasted apples and herbed rice. They dimmed the lights for dessert, brought out a torta de Santiago with candles and sang happy birthday to me. So sweet!! My family sent my birthday cards early, so I packed them in my backpack and enjoyed reading them this evening. It was special day...I can't imagine a better way to spend my birthday!

Day One: Sarria to Gonzar

And, we're off! After a month of "practice walking," I am here, on the Camino de Santiago. Sunday morning at 10, I met my fellow travelers at the bus station in Lugo, and we got into two vans to drive about 40 minutes. We started walking the Camino outside the town of Sarria.

Our group has 9 travelers and two guides, Virginio and Javier. We have one couple from Washington state, two female buddies from Canada, one couple from California, and three singles: me, Qassab from UAE and Sandra from Melbourne. It's a really nice mix. Qassab is 27, so I am not even the youngest.

It was a beautiful morning: blue skies, just cool enough for a fleece when we started, but we shed our jackets quickly. All morning we walked up and down rolling hills through the countryside, passing cows (and dodging lots of cow pies!), strolling through little villages, encountering lots of fellow walkers and cyclists.

Pilgrims greet each other by saying, "Buen Camino." Some of the locals will say that to us too, but I get the feeling some of them are a little over the waves of walkers in their backyards. However, others have turned their homes into inns, hostels and rest stops (we are staying at some lovely converted farm houses), so you can't argue that the Camino isn't good for the local economy...especially if we make sure to buy a Coke or a water when we stop for a potty break.

I can see the appeal of biking, as you could cover the trail in about a week, but it can be a little annoying to stop and let the groups of cyclists pass. This is the most crowded part of the trail, since 100K is the minimum you can walk to get the Compostela, or certificate of completion at the cathedral. I don't think most people really care about the piece of paper, but it gives the shorter journey some legitimacy, and in four or five days, it's a more doable length than the full 800K.

We walked a total of 23K on the first day, about 14.4 miles (someone else did the conversion math). I felt great through lunch...there was some confusion about how far we were walking, as the guides didn't give us maps that first morning. So, when we got to the town of Portomarín for lunch, I thought we were done for the day. "Wow!" I thought. "That went by a lot faster than I expected!" Uh, no, we still had another 8K to go!

The last part ended up being the toughest of the day, as we had several long shade-free stretches along a highway (the Camino varies a lot...sometimes you are walking on a dirt path through the woods, other times you're following a paved road). So far, everyone has made it without pooping out in the van, though Sandra said she would have bailed on the end of day one if she could have found Virginio! Fortunately, I had a stash of peanut M&Ms to perk me up. We celebrated the end of our first walk with local beer (Estrella Galicia) and soft drinks, and Virginio let us have some of his melon with jamón, the Spanish version of Italy's melon with prosciutto. Another sweet and salty combo, delicioso.

We spent our first night together in a beautifully restored farmhouse. I believe my room used to be part of the stables! It had stone walls and lots of charming antique furniture...and a comfortable bathroom with a nice hot shower.

We had a group meeting outside at sunset and toasted the end of our first day with glasses of cold Galician white wine. Dinner was in a dining room that felt like something out of the middle ages...if not for the western wall of full glass to watch the sunset. We had lentil soup, lightly fried hake fillets with lemon, fries, salad with perfectly ripe tomatoes, with fruit and ice cream for dessert. I was a little worried about being able to stay up for the late Spanish dinner, but since we're not starting so early each morning, it's fine. Plus, since we're so far west, it's still light out until around 9.

Some of us sampled the three liqueurs they brought out after dinner: one was coffee-flavored, one herb-infused, and one pure lighter fluid. Wooh! I woke up for several hours in the middle of the night, and I'm not sure if it was the wine, the tiny bit of liqueur I sampled, or just the fact that I am so excited to be here.

Lunch in Lovely Lugo

Entertaining myself trying to stay up until it's dark outside! Almost 9 and still light out there. I'm sure I'll enjoy it later in the week, but boo for now!

I flew from Madrid to Santiago and was then supposed to take a bus to Lugo. However, I didn't check the bus schedule before I booked my flights, and my 1 p.m. arrival was a near miss for the 12:55 p.m. bus. The next bus wasn't until 4. I've been nursing a cold all week, and the idea of sitting at the airport for three hours...and then riding a bus for two and getting to Lugo at 6 p.m. made me want to cry. I was so exhausted, and even though I knew I wouldn't let myself nap, I knew I'd feel much better knowing I was settled into the hotel. So, I coughed up entirely too much cash to take a cab! The guy drove like a race car driver, and I think it was barely over an hour. Score.

Once in Lugo, I headed out to explore. According to Wikipedia (is there any other source?), Lugo is the only city in the world to be surrounded by intact Roman walls. I walked the entire perimeter (about 2k) and enjoyed the variety of views. Some of the hillside spots looking into the countryside were gorgeous -- I can't wait to see more on my walks.

I'm dying to know more about the story behind Lugo...it's an ancient city that's obviously had lots of ups and downs. There is a striking contrast between impeccably restored historic building and dilapidated, graffiti-covered ones. (Not unlike Rio...or, quite frankly, Quincy!) I'm really curious what people do for work here and how they've experienced Spain's recession.

Anyway, I treated myself to a late lunch knowing it would likely be my only meal of the day. I HAD to try the famous pulpo gallego, tender octopus with smoky paprika (or at least that's what this rendition was...not sure if "gallego" refers to the preparation or the way they tenderize it...or maybe their octopii are just more tender?). I also got mejillones, a vocabulary word that escaped me, but the waitress promised they were popular. Mussels with tomato sauce. So good!! And, I had two delicious pieces of country bread rubbed with ripe tomato and garlic, and topped with anchovies. Yum!

Lugo seems to be quite a hotspot for weddings...I saw three!

Tomorrow morning I meet my fellow walkers at 10 a.m. This hotel has wi-fi, which may not be the case everywhere we stop. I'm trying to avoid roaming charges on my phone, so I'm sticking to free access. So, hopefully there will be lots of pics along the way, but here are a few from the first day!

¡Buenos Dias, España!

Landed in Madrid at about 10 a.m. local time. So crazy to think I haven't been here since 1997, when I spent a semester in Madrid. I'm thinking this photo was when we were flying over Extremadura?

Did not sleep much at all on the plane, and Barajas baggage claim threw me for a loop...my bag was checked through to Santiago. Don't you always have to claim it when you enter the country? Guess not!

VW + Tacos = Tacombi

(Photo from New York Times)
I went to the coolest place for dinner last night! Thanks to my friend Christine for turning me on to
Tacombi at Fonda Nolita. As the New York Times wrote, it "doesn’t feel like a restaurant as much as an art installation, a gallery with a taqueria set up in the middle of a concrete garage just off Houston Street.

"The experience is supposed to evoke beachside eating in the Yúcatan — until recently, the van was parked in Playa del Carmen, a balmy resort town south of Cancún — and it’s more evocative than gimmicky. Lights are strung up as if you’re sitting outside, and potted plants give some tropical greenery to the former garage. But scan the footwear in the room, and there’s no doubt that you’re in one of New York’s more fashionable neighborhoods."

My friend Lila met me there. She's an artist and writer and fellow Charlotte transplant. I had three tacos: roasted pork, barbecued beef and crispy fish. Lila had a veggie taco and a cup of savory, cheesy roasted corn.  It was crowded, but we managed to get seats at the bar.


(Photos from Yelp)
These photos don't really show you what it looks like packed with people, but I wanted to give you a flavor for the atmosphere, which was as cool as the food...

They also serve breakfast tacos, and they have an assortment of fun beverages, from sangria to agua fresca. I will be back!

Another walking weekend!

Saturday: walked from my place along Battery Park and across Brooklyn Bridge. About 9 miles...as I was eating a caprese sandwich to refuel, Adam texted to see if I wanted to join him for the Botanical Gardens. We killed 45 minutes at the Oyster Bar until our train left.

The gardens were great! We got in free since my company is a corporate sponsor. There is a special Monet exhibit this summer. I took a picture on the bride for my mom, who has taken several of her school groups to the real gardens at Giverny.

Today I met my new friend Katie in Columbus Circle at 9, and we walked in Central Park for almost 3 hours. We had a great mezze spread at an Israeli Druze restaurant I'd scouted out on Columbus Avenue. I needed an hour of napping to recover from the walk...and pitcher of sangria!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SUNDAY FUNDAY!!

 

 

 

Urban hiking

Now that I've signed up for a 113K walk on the Camino de Santiago in September, I've got to get ready! I dusted off my hiking boots on Saturday morning and met Travis at the Met for members' house at the Prada/Schiaparelli exhibit. Then we checked out the "Clouds" installation on the roof. 

After a LARGE brunch (we split our traditional Sarabeth's spread: a ham, potato, gruyere and leek omelette and lemon ricotta pancakes...a little savory...a little sweet...heaven!), I headed into Central Park and spent about three hours treking around. Toward the end of the walk, I downloaded a pedometer app and realized I was walking about 3 miles an hour.

Today I set a goal of 12 miles. I went to Prospect Park in Brooklyn. They have a great (in theory) system where they've created color-coded trails throughout the park. So, I was able to follow all of the trails (more or less...the marking seemed a bit confusing to moi). I walked close to 11 miles by the time I exited. I was pooped! But the park is really diverse and delightful (other than what may be the scummiest ponds I've ever encountered).

I took the 2-3 subway to Fulton St. to check out the New Amsterdam Market near the South Street Seaport. It was focused more on prepared foods than I'd hoped, so I ended up getting a fish sandwich (and a large beer!) at a restaurant with lots of sidewalk tables. I can't believe I haven't been to this area on a weekend before (I explored it a bit when I was briefly working on Wall Street)...it's really great, and I will definitely be back!

In the meantime, I've got four more weekends of "training" until I head to Spain. I was pleased at how well my shoes and socks did. No blisters, and I'm not as tired today. (Last night I was in bed by dark! I think that may be a theme in Spain as well...)