Day 1 Sarria – evening of Thursday 2^nd May 2013

From right to left – Phil, Joe, Josephine, Barry, Padraic and Brian

The decision by Aer Lingus to delay the flight by three hours meant that we landed at the later hour of 3.30pm local time. This prompted a decision to share a bus driven by the amiable Jose Luis. We shared the invitation of a lift to Rosemary and June who in turn offered a lift to another Irish couple.

We spent the first night at the unpretentious but pleasant Villa d’Oca (Villa de Sarria) pension (budget hotel) in the town.

Barry and I contemplate finishing the journey we had commenced in Pamplona in 2006 when the world was a different place and our knees and hips were younger. Some of our friends picked up their pilgrim passport in the modest Church which acts as the starting point for those walking to Santiago from Sarria which stands at km 115.

 

We stopped to say a little prayer and light a few candles before repairing to the pleasant and unpretentious restaurant ‘O Chanto’. After a sun drenched beer on the terrace overlooking the river we retreated indoors. The owner told us they had endured snow barely a week before our arrival. Napoleon was observant when he commented about preferring ‘lucky generals’ and how a pilgrim group makes progress on its stomach…  One of the highlights of our Camino trip were the little cafes along the route where we stopped for coffee and a chat with other pilgrims.