The Rest Day in Puebla de Sanabria.

The Sanabria Region, is characterised by its rivers, valleys, sierras and mountains, not forgetting its Parque Natural Del Lago De Sanabria”. How come I had never even heard of it, before? Proves again how rich Spain is , in its variety of regions and history. Only 25 km, from Braganza, in Northern Portugal and adjacent to Galicia, for where we are bound over the next two days. 

Its position high on a bend protected by the confluence of the rivers Tera and Castro, made Puebla de Sanabria a strategic site and the scene of a great many battles throughout history.

The town has been recognized as a Historic-Artistic Site. It still preserves most of the walls which once protected the city. Its magnificent castle dates from the second half of the 15th century and is the archetype of a medieval defensive structure; it stands at a height of 960 metres on a wide piece of flat land on top of a hill occupied by the town, it has a regular plan and in the centre it has an enormous keep, which is made up of several storeys and protected by a retractable bridge. Close by the castle is the parish church of Nuestra Señora del Azogue, from the late 12th century. Inside it contains a 13th-century font with figures carved on the front. The town also has a great many ancestral homes and mansions decorated with old coats of arms dotted among its narrow streets, such as the City Hall from the 15th century, which is located in the main square. In addition to having a beautiful historic quarter, this town also enjoys a privileged natural setting, since its township is located near the Lake Sanabria Nature Park. Its calm body of water covers 368 hectares and measures 55 metres in depth, making it the biggest glacial lake in Spain.

A tour of this medieval town was a must and it was onwards and upwards to the Castillo, where € 2.00 gained us entry into an a carefully constructed tour, with a sympathetic eye to detail, including audio-visual features and a proudly preserved latrine – apparently, a luxury at the time. The castle is in an impregnable position and the views do not disappoint, even on a cloudy day.

This is an area where the Iberian Wolf roams and ther e is a great deal,of info. about wildlife in the area .
Needless to say , the pelegrino features, too, along with a knight in arms on the watch.
For  whom the Bell Tolls ?

 Well it was time for coffee, in a boutique pousada called hotel and spa las treixas; even Pelegrinos need some TLC, at times.

The Town has many interesting, little corners and the balconies are strongly featured, along with local artefacts.

The convoy of 24 or more Pelegrinos we encountered earlier , has moved on and we only spied one, today. We have met a higher than usual number of Aussies, some Americans, French , Polish , Irish and Slovakians , not forgetting our German amigos and Stephen. Plan D,tomorrow,  weather permitting, is to walk to  Reqejo. Then a climb to the highest point on the entire Camino, Mt, Pardonelo ; we are due in Lubian , at Casa de Irene, tomorrow night. Entering then some of the most remote areas on the Camino. 

I share this beautiful quotation by Carlos Castaneda from The Teachings of Don Juan: A Yaqui Way of Knowledge. “For me there is only the traveling on paths that have heart, on any path that may have heart, and the only worthwhile challenge is to traverse its full length–and there I travel looking, looking breathlessly.” 

With the exception of the German guys and Stephen, I have not really mentioned our fellow travellers. With only two exceptions, they have all been a pleasure to met and eat  with along the Way. GSOH and a variety of stories, characterised them all, not to mention a gentle, self- deprecation. The only two exceptions , an Australian/ Kiwi couple, who were just a little competitive ; i.e. Getting somewhere first, be it a destination, albergue, or just the bar, seemed to be “raison d’etre”, and in the case of the male of the species, “smartarse” syndrome. But this Blog will finish with a quotation from Ireland.

According to John O’Donahue, an accomplished Irish poet, philosopher and Catholic priest, “…You are joined in an ancient and eternal union with humanity that cuts across all barriers of time, convention, philosophy and definition. When you are blessed with an anam cara, the Irish believe, you have arrived at that most sacred place: home.”