Camino, Day 29 - Gaelic spells and rituals
It was a fantastic experience.
After a whole day of walking from Portomarin (31 km) we arrived in the little Albergue Casa Domingo in San Xulian do Camino. That Albergue had space only for 14 pilgrims, so us 4 and three cool American friends made the half of the guests. Myself and Benjamin (one of the Americans) sat down @ the bar and had a conversation with the Hospitalero (an owner of the Albergue and barman). During that conversation we were able to taste a lot of Gaelic traditional things. A grapa like alcohol, bread with hammon and local cider, the atmosphere @ the bar was great and we ewnjoyed every minute of it. We were able to book ourself for a dinner which happened to be outstanding, roasted chickens, meat balls, cooked veg, potatoes... three kinds of soups. But the most amazing was what happened afterwards...
The hospitalero was so happy with our group that he brought up to the middle of the dinning room hot stimming couldron wit strong alcohol and put there some lemon, some orange peel, lots of sugar and a handfull of coffee beans. He said he doesn´t do that to often but the spirit was so good that night that he was willing to give it a try.
Than he closed all the windows and shut the shutters. Turned off the light and disapeared. Celtic music filled the air and ´spells´ in a language of this region filled the room. Than a Hospitalero arrived, but it wasn´t a hospitalero anymore. He was dressed like a Wizzard, with high spiky hat on his head. He lit the alcohol and the whole couldron was covered with blue flame.
Than he began the ritual, stirring the flaming alcohol he was saying blessings towards the house, the pilgrims and he was casting out the bad spirits. Every time he was trying to cast out the bad spirits he´d pour a flaming alcohol on the floor towards us...
The whole ritual was about 15 minutes long, than our host tried out the alcohol and gave us a signal to pass our ´coppas´to him.
He poured flaming spirit to the cups and asked each of us to extinguish it.
The evening was powerfull, the alcohol was strong and veryone in the room was happy...
We went to our beds with a feeling that we witnessed an amazing custom that is know only in this region of Spain, in Galicia.
Bless you all,
Buen Camino
After a whole day of walking from Portomarin (31 km) we arrived in the little Albergue Casa Domingo in San Xulian do Camino. That Albergue had space only for 14 pilgrims, so us 4 and three cool American friends made the half of the guests. Myself and Benjamin (one of the Americans) sat down @ the bar and had a conversation with the Hospitalero (an owner of the Albergue and barman). During that conversation we were able to taste a lot of Gaelic traditional things. A grapa like alcohol, bread with hammon and local cider, the atmosphere @ the bar was great and we ewnjoyed every minute of it. We were able to book ourself for a dinner which happened to be outstanding, roasted chickens, meat balls, cooked veg, potatoes... three kinds of soups. But the most amazing was what happened afterwards...
The hospitalero was so happy with our group that he brought up to the middle of the dinning room hot stimming couldron wit strong alcohol and put there some lemon, some orange peel, lots of sugar and a handfull of coffee beans. He said he doesn´t do that to often but the spirit was so good that night that he was willing to give it a try.
Than he closed all the windows and shut the shutters. Turned off the light and disapeared. Celtic music filled the air and ´spells´ in a language of this region filled the room. Than a Hospitalero arrived, but it wasn´t a hospitalero anymore. He was dressed like a Wizzard, with high spiky hat on his head. He lit the alcohol and the whole couldron was covered with blue flame.
Than he began the ritual, stirring the flaming alcohol he was saying blessings towards the house, the pilgrims and he was casting out the bad spirits. Every time he was trying to cast out the bad spirits he´d pour a flaming alcohol on the floor towards us...
The whole ritual was about 15 minutes long, than our host tried out the alcohol and gave us a signal to pass our ´coppas´to him.
He poured flaming spirit to the cups and asked each of us to extinguish it.
The evening was powerfull, the alcohol was strong and veryone in the room was happy...
We went to our beds with a feeling that we witnessed an amazing custom that is know only in this region of Spain, in Galicia.
Bless you all,
Buen Camino
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