Saturday, November 25, 2023

Muxia to Lires 11/25/23


What a beautiful day. It was clear but chilly. On the way to the trail, I watched seagulls perform in a dazzling air show worthy of the blue angels. They swooped and swerved, narrowly missing each other, screeching in delight. 

Dennis and I returned to the Santuario da Virxe da Barca to start today's walk. 


 Even though this marker says point zero, we had to walk almost back to our hotel to find the start of the trail.  That cost us about a mile and a half.  It was smooth sailing after that.


The area is famous for gooseneck barnacles. To the best of my recollection, I have never eaten a barnacle.  Are they actually edible?  I have been scratched up a few times by them while riding a wave too close to the pier in Florida.


This is a pretty prime piece of property for a soccer field.


Just like Willie Nelson, we were "on the road again." The first half of the day was uphill.  Pant-Pant.  Bah - humbug.  I don't care what anyone says; I would rather go downhill. 


We had a gorgeous section through a forest.


Someone, a farmer, I suppose, took a great deal of time and pride in making this gate, with the perfect angle cuts at the top of each board. Impressive.


OMG - a bar.  This and a house were the only things in  is tiny village.  Coca-Cola Zero!  Such a pleasant  surprise. 


Speaking of surprises.  We rounded the corner, and suddenly we were face to face with three goats.  They were as shocked as we were.

The front two seemed pretty friendly, but the third one jumped on the wall. He was bashful.

And bringing the rear was a very friendly one. And she clearly had been friendly with a ram.  I think she was ready to hatch a little kid any second.  We hurried by since neither of us knew how to deliver a goat baby. I was the baby coach (different kind of kid) for my California friend Cindy, but there were doctors and nurses there too.


And at 11.2 miles, we arrived at the As Eires Hotel in Lires on the Costa da Morte, population 141. If it looks familiar, it is! I stopped here for a Coke Zero on my long day to Muxia.  Last Thursday I walked from Finisterre to Muxia. Today, in reverse, Dennis and I walked the first half of the same trail, and tomorrow we will walk the second half. I have to say that it was much more pleasant knowing it is a short day and even better, today was the first day that I have felt 100%.  Now I am lean, mean and ready to roll.

I was hungry when we got to the hotel so Dennis and I ordered Croquettas. I love Croquettas. Croquettas are really creamy, seasoned mashed potatoes, rolled in coating and deep fried.  There were about 12 when we started and there were none when we left. These were incredible. And just to eat them as the Spaniards do, we had a little wine. We certainly didn't want to break any customs. 


We got to eat dinner at 7:00  Whoohoo! Dinner was at 8:30 in Muxia - way too late for hungry Pilgrims. For tonight's dinner, our first course was an ensalada mixta which had lettuce, tomatoes,white asparagus, incredible Spanish tuna, onions, olives, carrots, mushrooms and something crunchy.  We both voted this the best salad of the journey.  I know all you carnivores will disagree, but my favorite course is the salad course.   


They give us too much food here so I just got Galacian Soup which I love.  It tastes better than it looks.


Dennis went all carnivore and got the meat platter.  Although it is hard to see, he liked the sausage best.  He did not clean his plate which is highly unusual. His mother told him there were starving children in China.  I suggested to my Mom that we send it to them.  Truthfully, as a kid, I ate everything in sight and even as I child I never met a vegetable I didn't like.


Lastly, we couldn't resist the ice cream cake.  There is no cake in it so not sure why it is called that but it is scrumptous.

So another day, another kilometer.  Prayers for you all!



 

No comments:

Post a Comment