Lugo to Friol

Lugo is 100 km from Santiago de Compostela which makes the city a popular starting place for people desiring the certificate at the end of their Camino. The trek today, as a result, was considerably busier with those just beginning and those continuing.

Lugo is a travel destination in its own right. Olga and I had spent an additional night in order to visit the Catedral de Santa María de Lugo in the heart of this walled city. Otherwise known as the Lugo Cathedral, it is a significant example of Romanesque, Gothic, Baroque, and Neoclassicist architecture, with its construction starting in the early 12th century.  I have always had difficulty distinguishing between the architectural differences, and most of the time it does not matter, from my perspective. You will find countless examples across Europe and if that is the only focus, one might become bored quickly. Ho hum, another Gothic or Boroque or Romanesque Cathedral.

We focus on the details, the paintings, the iconography, the statues, how they reflect the peculiarity of the region, the artist, the period. And if one element is noticed, we begin looking for the same in the next church or consider the differences. For example, on a chance visit to a church in Florence we discovered a crucifixion, sculpted by Michelangelo, with Jesus sans a loin cloth, completely naked, anatomically correct. We thought it would be the only such version until our visit to the museum of the Lugo Cathedral where a smaller but just as exposed Jesus was on display. Fascinating. Then there is the figure of a regal Mother Mary wearing the crown of a queen, holding a mature baby Jesus, also with a crown, who is placing his left hand on her unadorned left breast. And the title of this statue?  Our Lady of the Big Eyes. Intriguing. And there was much more which I would share here in pictures except there was a strict prohibition on the use of cameras. You will simply have to take me at my word.

These images were part of the swirling thoughts in my mind as I began the day’s walk just beyond the wall along a path lighted for the early morning pilgrims. Stillness was not going to be achieved today; moments of peacefulness were also rare with only a few short stretches without pilgrims. The one advantage of a Tortoise walker is the frequency of people passing, a quick Buenas Dias, or a Buen Camino, before they forge ahead. I think I am alone, plodding steady, rummaging through my brain, when the crunching sound of approaching steps get louder and moves on past. Buenos Dias. Buen Camino. At the first official resting spot, replete with several vending machines, I stopped to have breakfast and counted more pilgrims leaving and arriving than I had seen in the previous four stages combined.

The larger swarm of peregrinos also added to the increased number of English speaking participants, although judging by the languages spoken I believe the influx of Spaniards was largely responsible for the “crowded” paths. Among those English speakers was a couple, Maria and Geoff, from Northern England who we had encountered the night before in Lugo. They are avid walkers, in our age bracket I would guess, well practiced on the hilly terrain in their part of the UK. I have dubbed them the Grey Hares because they passed me on the road and quickly faded into the distant. I left at 8:00 am; they left at 9:00 am from the same hotel, and overtook me at 12:00 pm.

When I reached today’s destination after 22.1 km , Olga was waiting outside, smiling, arms wide open. She had already waved to the Grey Hares passing by earlier and had been engaged in conversations with an Australian woman, the owners, other visiting pilgrims, the local pets – generally just being Olga.

Tomorrow we carry on in the same manner. Olga wants to ensure her leg heals completely and not inflict any unnecessary further damage. She will proceed by taxi, me on foot, and together we will complete the hybrid Camino.