Off Wandering, Again

Wandering Yet Again Tuesday, 20 March 2018 The journey begins Well I am off yet again.  This pilgrimage route is a different one, the Via Romea Germanica, and one I am really looking forward to.  It follows the journey made by Abbot Albert from Stade, around 40kms north east of Hamburg, to Rome.  Along the way I will be crossing several routes I have taken before, finally joining the Via Francigena for the last few days into Rome. In round figures I am anticipating walking in the vicinity of 2,300kms.  From my research I think the first week or two will be quite flat, gradually rising as I move through Bavaria and on into Austria.  In Italy the path is flat as I traverse the path around the River Po, before rising steeply to cross the Apennines.  From there, heading south through Tuscany, there are numerous hill

As promised, at the bottom of this post are the places I stayed at and for those who like this kind of information, the cost.  Note that the distances given are what I made on my "route tracker" app.  As this is not as accurate as the systems surveyors use there could be as much as 10% discrepancy.  Distances are from bed to bed too which may affect the final measurement, as does the way I walked to that bed - sometimes on a very circuitous route! Well, I have had three lovely days and four nights in Santiago de Compostela, one of my favourite cities.  When I left it after my first Camino in 2005 I remember standing in the beautiful Praza Obradoiro, looking at the Cathedral in the pink of a splendid sunrise, and thinking "well it's been great, but I'll never be back here again'.  Six visits later, it has lost none of its charm for me, and I have visited for longer, and more often than Sydney! Pilgrims contemplating their achievements in the square.

Leaving Ponte Ulla for the last days push to Santiago de Compostela began in fog and was quite cool.  I crossed back across the bridge to check out what I'd missed, in the dark, the night before.  Walking back to collect my pack the young bloke who passed me yesterday zoomed past again, presumably having stayed elsewhere last night.  Over breakfast I met an Italian woman and just as she was getting ready to depart who should come along but the "shopping trolley" pilgrim who, I was informed, was a 70 year old Italian, named Paolo.  That meant three pilgrims ahead of me, which soon became five, as around the corner I saw my dinner companions of the night before, Goedele and Peter, heading up the hill - a substantial increase in pilgrim traffic for my last day. One of the few pilgrims I have seen on this path crossing the bridge at Ponte Ulla. The little church in Ponte Ulla, with shells on the bells! Not only was there a stiff climb out of Ponte Ulla, but the

Today I head to Santiago de Compostela, he last day day of a very beautiful way.  The past two days have had a few little unexpected treats. Leaving Rodeiro, heading for Lalin, I decided I would go the shortest possible way, which was along the service road running parallel to the main road.  This, being Saturday, was not as noisy as it might have been and turned out to be an easy walk, a gentle uphill for about 7 - 8 kilometres, and an equally gentle down hill for the same distance into the town.  This meant I arrived at lunch time, with plenty of time for chores, a siesta, and a look around the town. The town Hall in Rodeiro On a roundabout in the centre of Rodeiro is a wheel - a wheel of the traditional 2 wheeled Galician cart.  Behind this, on the left is a lively little statue of two eldery folk in traditional dress. Walking this way also meant that, compared to other days when this wasn't possible, I could do a bar crawl!  There were a number of bars along the roa

The past two days have been wonderful.  The weather continues to be fine, sometimes hazy, but the sun always shining, and the scenery continues to delight.  The walking has been strenuous at times, but the sights more than make up for it.  Thankfully, the dogs have improved, or I should say, the control of them has.  The big, scary ones have all been either on a chain, or behind a high fence.  I left Monforte de Lemos in fog, but as the day progressed the sun burnt it off and it was a lovely day. I wasn't paying attention as I left Monforte de Lemos , and just missed injuring myself on this abnormally low slung overhang! Looking through the fog. I met this handsome pair at A Vide , on the way out of Monforte de Lemos. Chantada , my next stop after Monforte de Lemos, was a beautiful town.  The buildings were interesting and the people caring and helpful.  My guide notes said it had arcaded streets, and on chatting with the hotel receptionist I learnt that these &qu