And Finally... Ourense to Santiago!  My last 114.9km 

These boots were made for walking...

Well, here it is!  I can't believe after all these years and many journeys along different sections of the Camino, I am now on the final leg of this momentous journey.  I am both excited and sad to think it will soon be over, but on the whole, there is more excitement and a real sense of achievement.  I know that I will certainly plan another and my complete joy of long distance walks as well as pilgrimage has been inspired by my Levante experience.

Think I will be over my weight limit
if I include this one!  

After last year's disastrous start, where planes were late, we missed connections and ended up with only a few hours sleep before the first day walking, we decided that we would build in a day of resting and relaxing.  This would allow an extra day to arrive and relax a bit should something put a spanner in the works - but as it happened, all went well and we were able to have the most amazing, relaxing day back at the hot springs.  The one we visited last year seemed to be closed for refurbishment but we found another, Termas Outariz, which were even better!  Very Japanese Zen themed with lovely pools and jacuzzi type water jets... cold plunges and caves.

https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=es&u=https://www.termasourense.com/termas-outariz&prev=search

Ready to go!  My new shell and patch added

Arrival at Santiago airport - no other
sign needed!

I would thoroughly recommend visiting a hot spring in Ourense.  They are such good value for money and you can hire towels, flip flops and so on there.  We had a lovely little bite to eat afterwards overlooking the river with an ice cold beer and although our lovely rabbit asado takeaway was no longer in business in Allariz, we still had delicious food at our favourite restaurant in the area at the pulpería - Orixe.  I had Michael booked into the Eurostars Ourense for 4 nights (where we stayed before with amazing staff and comfortable rooms) and I was staying for 2 nights (day of arrival and the day off) before heading out to Sobriera.

At pulpería Orixe

We also decided to use our day off to stock up on some of our favourite Spanish goodies!  These are not just foodstuffs either.  One product is the "quitasgrasas" from Mercadona, their own brand of cleaning surfactant which is the best I have every used and smells divine.  I got three of these (we travelled with an empty hand luggage bag so that on our return we can put the goodies in the hold and laundry in the overhead locker)... and we bought various snacks for the coming days.  One has to have nibbles when walking the Camino - it gives one an appetite.

On our way to the termas

Mercadona again comes up trumps on the nibbles front - my favourite "muy crujientes" nuts and seeds in sweet and sour flavours and which had had a name change (around 8 packets at least!)... Ines Rosales aniseed flavour (crispy sweet tortillas), some dark chocolate mini type of toblerone sweets, but not sweet and not toblerone and something new... Spirulina and chia biscuits!  Wow, who'd have thought it?  I can't wait to go back and get more of these when we walk in Spain again!

Waiting at a coffee shop for a different
asador to get our dinner ready to take away

The beginning - of the end...

El Camino (Levante) Ourense to Sobreira (14.6 km) - Saturday 28th September, 2019.  
I left in the dark, I always forget that we are still an hour behind in the UK so 07.00 is dark there but 08.00 is dark here in Spain!  I had located our start arrow after the Roman Bridge during our day off.  Right at a petrol station and at the next shell be sure to make the right fork!!  I didn't.

I love this sign - it indicates
just how steep it is.  I sent it
to my friend Jayne

After roaming around and wandering about, up and down the road, feeling frustrated at not even being able to find the way only 2 minutes after starting, I eventually located the right way.  These things happen on the Camino and one expects it, but going wrong immediately at the start on the first day isn't funny.  You want to get going, you want to feel like you are on the way again!  I know one shouldn't feel it is a waste of time, but on this morning I felt like it was.

The steep climb - although
the photo doesn't quite do
it justice

The forked right hand road goes down a little and then up, up and more up.  This is a very, very steep climb!  Gosh, that's a start for a first day and without a huge amount of preparation - coming from Norfolk which is mostly flat!  I knew it was going to be a steep climb out of Ourense because I had not only done a lot of "down" at the end of my last section of the Camino, but the river Miño runs through the centre of the city.  On my last trip I had also faced a very, very steep climb, but that had been at the end of the day and after only a few hours of sleep.  I stopped to catch my breath regularly and admired the many different artistic markers for this part of the Camino.

Buen Camino in Galician - lots of Portugese
influence in the language here

It's just harder to get lost now - there are markers on almost every house and regularly along the route.  Having said that, I did manage to make some wrong turns at times (and even struggled to find the way on one occasion) - for the exact reason that there are so many markers!  Many different Camino start to converge in Galicia and so it is possible to accidentally end up walking "back" along one of those other routes!  Also there seem to be many alternative routes for horse riders, and so it is also possible to end up taking one of these and they aren't always as pretty and sadly, in a number of cases, seem to take road routes.

A welcome bench!

Later in this Camino I take a wrong route and I'm so glad I did - it was beautiful and I would have really missed out.  There are often alternative routes - due to local changes, for seasonal weather reasons and so on.  On the occasion of the beautiful route I don't quite know why it had been re-routed, but I was glad I found the original.  It is also the case that sometimes people seem to walk the cycle route - but I really do not enjoy the road walking and I have no idea why they would choose to walk on tar.

The little square with the morning bells ringing - a welcome
"flat" rest stop on the way up - you can see the curve of the
road on the left of the photo!

About half way up (having been passed by speedy cyclists going uphill), there was a lovely square and a bench.  I took the opportunity to stop and to rest on the bench - in honour of my friend Jayne Hunt who has a great knack of magicking up somewhere to sit at just the right moment.  I sent her a photo and thanks for the magic at this point!  Fortunately it was slightly misty and very cool, I wouldn't have enjoyed this first uphill slog in the heat.

I was very much looking forward to my morning cafe con leche muy caliente and it was delicious when it came.  Michael had found it in the bar near the hotel.  They were great, each morning filling the flask and providing a bocadillo which in this area apparently requires the second "l" to be pronounced.

The beautiful Camino markers of this region.. some artist designed.  Here we have three options, so no getting lost, you
can be sure you are heading in the right direction at this point!

My feet and my toes in particular were feeling quite bruised and sore.  I had trie to stop confusion from dance by using flat shoes in the week or so before walking, as in ballroom and Latin we are often on our toes, but my feet were still tender.  I had worn my big boots as I wasn't sure if it would be wet today or if I would need the grip, but tomorrow I will change back to my hiking shoes to have a break.  My boots are still quite new and don't need "walking in" for short hikes, but on longer 14km plus days they are still less forgiving.

Hórreo store with pumpkins below

As usual, those walking in reverse missed signs.  I actually really admire those who can do it the other way.  I can't say I would enjoy that challenge so much although having walked the Levante route I would have a better chance of retracing my steps because at least I know some landmarks.

I saw a few peregrinos on the road, it is sad to see them there when the walking trail is not only more beautiful but much more comfortable under foot.  I tried to attract their attention to indicate they should head towards me and get back on the way, but they were head down and trudging on and did not notice me.  I was so focused on my own Camino and at this point trying to get the attention of these other pilgrims, that I walked on past a lovely bar that Michael and I had intended to meet at.  It is in the town of Tamallancos.  We had completed forgotten to arrange the actual meeting and mark the spot - so M also headed on to the next meeting point, the Sobreira cross roads.


Before the bar there had been a lady walking (as many Spanish do) just to keep fit and get some exercise - she was an older lady, but still out and singing away between stops every so often to catch her breath.

View from my room - my socks
were drying on the windowsill!

Lovely room in Casa Mañoso

I was heading to Cea to meet Roberto at Casa Mañoso.  I would start again at Sobreira the next day, but stay the night in the casa - a beautiful old home.  Thank goodness for WhatsApp messages and for learning Spanish!  I had to arrange a time to go in as he had a family event and I was going to be there earlier than expected.  It was going to take him 20 minutes to get to the casa and M was going to have some time back at the Eurostars while I had a rest, washed clothes and showered.  Roberto was wonderful - friendly and welcoming and he gave me the double room at the rate of a single €35.00 rather €40.00 because there was only one other person staying that night.  I was very glad of the comfort - I needed a good night's sleep and although I don't mind the albergue experience, I do prefer the hostals on the whole.

There was a kettle for tea and coffee and a little mini help yourself breakfast area with milk in a fridge and a place to make toast etc.  This was their family home, with all the old furniture and history still within the building.  They live elsewhere but have made this available to peregrinos.  I had a very good sleep and had left my socks and a few other clothes that I had washed, drying on the windowsill overlooking a beautiful view into the countryside.  I had tucked them in tight as I didn't want them disappearing off into the orchard below!

Central Cea at night - the Plaza Mayor

I wandered out into the Plaza Mayor to wait for M and sat in the sunshine, the last afternoon rays being very welcome and soothing after the strenuous walk.  From there we headed out to "Bar Lua" and I thoroughly, thoroughly recommend it!  Wow, all home made and home grown - grilled peppers and one of the most delicious sweet tomato salads I have every eaten!  Wow, that alone would have satisfied me.  The local delicacy is Locón - which is only made with pork shoulder and it is a special asado of this area.  We were probably served "pan de Cea" with it - also an artisanal bread from this area and registered only to "Cea".  It is darker than most Spanish white bread - and is much more like a sourdough type.  Delicious.

Pan de Cea is a traditional type of bread made in the Municipality of San Cristovo de Cea, in the north-west of the Province of Ourense and it requires a certificate of origin to be authentic. It is made by kneading wheat flour, water, salt and masa madre, the previously fermented yeast dough, into an elastic and tough dough.

Pan de Cea is both a PGI - protected geographical indication which means that at least one of the stages of the production, preparation or processing must take place in the region.  Not surprisingly, I have only found it in Galicia. 

The bread dough is then left to ferment, or rest, for 45 to 60 minutes. The bread is then kneaded once more and baked in special, wood-burning granite ovens. These ovens are the characteristic feature of the production of this bread and are specially shaped to ensure uniform baking.

The origin of the town of San Cristóbal de Cea and its baking tradition is linked to the history of a Cistercian monastery, Santa María la Real de Oseira, famous for its octopus tradition. The monastery developed the techniques of baking and grinding, while the town of Cea supplied the bread. Due to its location at a crossroads, its fame led it to be known as the “town of good bread”. In particular, the passage of the Way to Santiago by the Silver Way on its branch through Sanabria contributed to this. The antiquity of the bread of Cea’s recipe is 700 years, but it has not lost any of its properties.

indicacion geografica protegida pan ...gastronomiadegalicia.com

As we walked in and around Cea we noticed many old and derelict "hornos" or ovens, used for baking the bread.  Some where preserved historical monuments and sadly we missed the statue of the lady kneading bread as we left the town.  However, I have found photos of the statue on Wikipedia and Wikilok - such a shame we missed her as it's a great statue and I love the paddle for reaching in and out of the oven!

This is in Silleda and there are lots of options
here, we had the most fantastic place with
the MOST delicious food! 

The next stage of my journey would be to the monastery of Oseira - I was really excited as I had been looking forward to a monastery or convent stay for the whole of my Camino, but so many are closed. It seems like the traditional place to stay and I couldn't end the Levante route without having stayed in one!  On my way to Cea I did find the following albergue info advertised - so for anyone looking, these might be of help to you.  There are so many more than in the guidebooks and there were more still being built along the route, so it will be well serviced and it won't require such long distances between stages.