Skip to main content

Samos

Samos is the home of the sixth-century Monastery of San Xulián de Samos - he's San Julian in Spanish, but the Galician spelling seems to be the standard here!   I'm staying at the Monastery's 'external' hostel - so not in the monastery, but across the road!
Today's walk was really very solitary, and not too long (about 16.5km); which gave me the time and space to appreciate the beauty, despite the occasional showers.   
I left at 8; no need to hurry - and everyone else where I was staying was having breakfast before leaving, so I saw no-one else until I reached Triacastela, 7km on and about 550m below where I'd started.  One of the villages on the way down has an 800 year old chestnut tree!
Triacastela was quite busy; I had a leisurely breakfast (and solved the Guardian Monday cryptic in 20 minutes!) and went on.   As I was just about to leave the town Steven (the one from Macau, not the one from London) dashed out from a hostel to say hello; he was taking the direct route to Sarria, though, so we went separate ways.
And again into a solitary walk.  I saw no-one else for another 8km.   More small villages, and a walk strangely like being in the Peak District.  Very green!
And just a couple of kilometres before Samos I met Lorraine from Florida, and walked slowly with her the rest of the way - she's 75 and moving slowly.
The monastery is certainly impressive; they do tours and I'm going to go for one at 4:30.  Then the plan is dinner at 6 with Patrick, who's staying in the same place, and possibly Denise who is staying next door; an unexpected pleasure seeing her again - then there's a Mass at 7:30.   

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

My Camino

 Starting in late August 2025, I'm going to be walking the  Camino Francés from St-Jean-Pied-de-Port in France to Santiago de Compostella in Spain - a total of around about 480 miles.  This is a simple blog really just to let people know that I'm still here and where I'm up to, but I may add some thoughts and reactions as I go along.   I'll aim to update at last the location daily, but of course it depends on having a connection!
1 comment
Read more

At St-Jean-Pied-de-Port

Up betimes, to quote Pepys, and an early breakfast before a flight at 7:45.   Landed in Biarritz where there was  heavy rain but it stopped while I was waiting for the bus to the station.  Here I met t wo Canadian ladies, both heading for the Camino, though they had started in different parts of Canada and only met in the airport in Paris.   We got the train together, and  I arrrived at St-Jean-Pied-de-Port 24 hours after leaving home, more or less to the minute. Which was too early to book in to my accommodation, so I went to the Pilgrim Park office and am now equipped with my Pilgrim Passport and a shell.    Lunch at one of the many small eating places - where a German pilgrim joined me for a chat and a beer - then booked in.  There's dinner for those staying here later.    Now I'll go and get some Euros, and explore the village a little.
1 comment
Read more

First steps

So, I'm on my way - even if not all that excitingly yet!   The first overnight stop is in the delights of a Stansted Airport hotel, since my flight is rather early tomorrow morning.  I'd add a picture, but there's not much to see; I'm on the wrong side of the hotel for aircraft! But I have walked today, albeit only from home to the station.  There was something significant about starting out on foot, carrying the pack, even when it was in the familiar streets around where I live; past the Church where I attended Mass earlier this morning; past the tram stop and the pub... And the pack was heavier than it will be - I'm wearing conventional clothing rather than walking gear for travelling to France, and a change of clothing for when I reach Santiago and want to feel more civilised again.  I'm going to entrust all that lot to the 'Donkey Express' which will take stuff from one end of the Camino to the other.  Perhaps there's something significant in tha...
Post a Comment
Read more