Quiroga 30 September 2023

 Fifteen miles today to Quiroga, some in the mountains and some along the Rio Sil.

Walking into the province of Lugo

Bacon and eggs, I like the Spanish bacon, it is thin and tasty without too much fat

Melón for dessert 

Chicken noodle soup first

A Rua de Valdedorras 29 September 2023

 It was a relatively easy 13 miles today- not much elevation change following the

View from my pension balcony

The pension 

Ended the meal with a café solo

Tasty pork ribs

Caldo Gallego, I make this and mine is better with more beans, fresh kale, and no paprika 

Rio Sil

Mid morning stop in O Barco de Valdedorras for café con leche and tortilla 

Kathy said to watch for the new moon and here it is on the start of my walk.

Rio Sil downstream to A Rua de Valdedorras. No albergue here, but a very nice pension for only 22 € for pilgrims. Following a good menu del dià and stocking up on groceries for the weekend, I'm resting for tomorrow's longer walk with high temperature's predicted to reach 93 F.

Sobradelo 28 September 2023

 Seventeen miles today to Sobradelo and very much in the mountains. First off was a steep climb to Las Medulas, where the ancient Romans operated a large open pit gold mine, then after a steep decline to Puente Dominguez de las Flores, it was uphill through the river valley to Sobradelo.

Bare peaks of Las Medulas 

Downhill to Puente Dominguez de Flores 

Uphill to Sobradelo, the factory along the river is processing slate for roof tiles and siding 

Melon con jamon

Albondigas con arroz a 

View from the albergue balcony 

Borrenes 27 September 2023

 Thirteen miles from Ponferrada to Borrenes, but one 3 mile stretch was a tiring thousand foot elevation gain, so it was a five hour walk. No albergue here, so I have the luxury of a hotel room for the second night in a row. And there is a bar and restaurant in the hotel, too. This area is a part of the well known Bierzo wine growing region with many vineyards in the lower elevations.

Start of the Camino Invierno in Ponferrada 

Castillo Cornatel at the top of the mountain 

The castle from a different direction 

Embutidos: sheep cheese, two kinds of ham and pepperoni style sausage 

Flan de queso 

View of the town square from my room (it's a very small town)

Ponferrada 26 September 2023

 Transition day today to a new Camino. I walked to the Ourense bus station this morning for the two hour ride to Ponferrada. Tomorrow I will start walking the Camino Invierno. The ride today passed some of that walk which I mostly through the sometimes narrow canyon of the Rio Sil. There are hundreds of pilgrims here in Ponferrada as it is on the popular Camino Frances. Hopefully very few of them will divert to the Invierno. I took the luxury of a private room in  a pending as I did not feel like staying in the 200 bed albergue that I was at in 2009.

Ourense

Mino River in Ourense

Foggy road ahead

Pasta for lunch

Bacalou (cod) with peppers, paprika, and egg

Ponferrada 

Ourense 25 September 2023

Ourense today, 15 miles, the biggest city in this part of Spain. As with all big cities, there was a long slog through the industrial part, before getting into the heart of the old city. The albergue is two blocks from the cathedral. Tomorrow, I leave the Camino Sanabres, taking a bus to Ponferrada to start on the Camino de Invierno.

Farmer yard art, simple lines to convey a pilgrim on his way.

A bar stop enroute, café con leche and Spanish tortilla 

My midday meal, Raxo with potatoes 
 

Xunqueria de Ambia 24 September 2023

 Not because it is Sunday, but due to my long walk yesterday, I only walked nine miles today to Xunqueria de Ambia, arriving about 11 am to a closed albergue. Left backpack and had a café con leche at the local bar and visited the Romanesque Church. The albergue was unlocked when I returned. On my first Camino in 2009, the Xunta de Galicia albergues were dirty, crowded, and to be avoided if possible.Over the years, constant upgrading has now left most of them being the most spacious and comfortable albergues on the Camino.

A horreo, a Galician granary. The pillars and flat slabs are designed to keep vermin out. Ear corn is hung inside to dry and the sides are slatted to let the air move through.

,