Ordes

It’s been a very bleak day with fog, cold and rain featuring in most of it.

Bar’s day started with some Churras scattered with sugar and cafe con leche and freshly squeezed orange juice – delicious! Churras are cooked like doughnuts and have a similar texture but look completely different.

There was a certain sense of reluctance and procrastination amongst the group with leaving our warm and dry breakfast room this morning.

Our generous and kind hosts at last nights hotel/pension. For last nights banquet we paid the princely sum of just €10!!

One of the alberge’s along todays way – they generally offer dormitory style accommodation to pilgrims and if located in an isolated area, offer a simple meal at a price too. This was a relatively new one. We did not stay here with dorm accommodation but settled for a hotel/pension for a treat instead.

Here is the typical cross to be found along the way.

An art installation depicting man’s agricultural development through the ages from the days of grinding stones to mechanisation and tractors.

St. James, the patron saint of The Pilgrim’s Way, with his scallop shells.

After a long morning walk in the constant rain, the much awaited bar appeared at long last. It was time for more cafe con leches! Always served with a small cake – this time it was a magdeleina. How welcome it would be if cafes adopted this practice at home.

Another local custom is to add brandy or cognac to your coffee. The bottle is left on the bar for patrons to add as they wish. Absolutely essential for wet, cold and weary pilgrims at any hour of the day and locals too!

After coffee and foot inspections it was time to get out in the rain again.

This spectacularly beautiful rhodendendrum seems to be loving todays constant rain. Without much sun the flowers were not burnt but just perfect.

A late lunch at our Ordes hotel’s restaurant provided us with a local specialty – an earthy cabbage soup made with cabbage, of course, as well as potatoes, white beans and onions flavoured with a stock from a ham bone. All very easy to replicate at home. This was enjoyed with a glass of fullbodied Galacain red wine. All that was a recipe for an afternoon Spanish siesta – and in keeping with local custom that’s exactly what happened. The town doesn’t come alive till 530pm but stays open till 8 after which dinner is served till 11pm. It’s a very different culture and custom where no-one eats or retires early.

It takes a bit of getting used to.

Pre-dinner drinks at The Nogalla Hotel.