Another easy day. We cruised a few miles closer to the Big Climb up to O Cerbeiro. Once we reach it, we're in the Glaicia region of Spain.
The Big Climb consists of 3 flat miles then 4 miles to ascend almost 2,200 feet. We are having our bags transported there, not lugging them.
Today, Friday, we are hanging out in a B&B in tiny Vega de Valcarce. It's a short deviation from our plan due to lack of reservations. But this place is a small community that looks out for itself. During lunch at the local bar, a young family stepped in to show off their one-month-old baby. A group of pensioners began an intense card game, with the slightly younger generation circling the action. We wandered the town during siesta hours. Another town elder was tending to his huge, immaculate garden. He used one tool to weed and the other as a cane. Locals passed by and stopped to chat. At dinnertime that bar is the hangout for Caminers and locals. On the terrace were tables of Scotts, Irish, a lady from Korea and we Americans. Inside, the Vega-ns gathered. While we were at dinner, our host placed coffee, fresh bread and snacks in the kitchenette for us. We've been to a few towns that are like Venice: so picturesque, but locals are only around for the tourists. This is not one of those towns.
Using every word of Spanish Google Translate and I could muster, we managed to arrange for our heavy packs to be delivered to the next stop. It's funny how our Spanish hosts will speak more and faster when they realize we don't understand at all.
The Big Climb consists of 3 flat miles then 4 miles to ascend almost 2,200 feet. We are having our bags transported there, not lugging them.
Today, Friday, we are hanging out in a B&B in tiny Vega de Valcarce. It's a short deviation from our plan due to lack of reservations. But this place is a small community that looks out for itself. During lunch at the local bar, a young family stepped in to show off their one-month-old baby. A group of pensioners began an intense card game, with the slightly younger generation circling the action. We wandered the town during siesta hours. Another town elder was tending to his huge, immaculate garden. He used one tool to weed and the other as a cane. Locals passed by and stopped to chat. At dinnertime that bar is the hangout for Caminers and locals. On the terrace were tables of Scotts, Irish, a lady from Korea and we Americans. Inside, the Vega-ns gathered. While we were at dinner, our host placed coffee, fresh bread and snacks in the kitchenette for us. We've been to a few towns that are like Venice: so picturesque, but locals are only around for the tourists. This is not one of those towns.
Using every word of Spanish Google Translate and I could muster, we managed to arrange for our heavy packs to be delivered to the next stop. It's funny how our Spanish hosts will speak more and faster when they realize we don't understand at all.
