Refugio “Ave Fénix” y
el dueño Jesus Jato
Iglesia de San
Francisco: Tradition
says it was founded
by San Francisco
himself in 1214 on
his pilgrimage to
Compostela. The
current 15th century
Gothic church
retains a few 13th
century
Romanesque
elements.
17th century
Baroque retablo
More impressive
is the 15th century
Mudéjar-style
ceiling…
Iglesia de
Santiago:
founded in 1186
Puerta del
Perdón
Pilgrims too sick
to continue could
enter the church
through this door,
take communion,
and receive
pardon for their
sins.
The Celtic heritage
in Galicia can be
appreciated in
certain
archeological sites
called castros;
ancient, fortified
settlements of
circular houses.
They are similar to
the circular houses
found in Ireland
today.
O Cebreiro
1293 meters above
sea level
Palloza: A low, oval stone house, reminiscent
of Celtic architecture
Pallozas tend to have two rooms…
One for humans…
one for animals.
The pass of San Roque 1270 meters
Town of Liñares: named for the flax fields that
supplied linen for the looms.
Horreo: A type
of granary
common in this
area
Recipe for Queimada
Ingredients: Aguardiente, fine white sugar, lemon peel and
some coffee beans
Preparation: Pour the aguardiente and sugar (120 grams
for every liter of aguardiente) into an earthenware
container, add the lemon peel and coffee grains and stir. In
a ladle set light to a small amount of sugar/aguardiente
mixture. Move the ladle closer to the earthenware container
very slowly until the flame jumps from one to the other. Stir
until the sugar has dissolved. Put some sugar in the same
ladle, place it above the queimada and move it around until
it becomes syrup. Pour the syrup on the flames and then
stir the mixture until the flames acquire a bluish color.
A Galician “Queimada”
The Spell
Owls, barn owls, toads and witches.
Evil demons and devils, spirits of the snowy plains.
Crows, salamanders and sorceresses, the spells of
the quack doctors.
Rotten, hole-ridden canes, worm holes and lairs of
vermin.
Fire of the souls in torment, the evil eye, black
spells, the smell of the dead, thunder and lightning.
Dog's bark, portents of death; satyr's snout and
rabbits foot.
The sinful tongue of the harridan wife of an old
man.
Hell of Satan and Beelzebub, the fire of burning
corpses, the mutilated bodies of the wretched, farts
from hellish arses, the roar of the raging sea.
Barren womb of the single mother, the meowing of
cats on heat, mangy and filthy hair of the illbegotten goat.
With this ladle I will raise the flames of this hell-like
fire, and the witches will flee on their broomsticks,
to bathe on the fat-pebbled beach.
Hear, hear! The howls of those who burn in the
aguardiente and thereby purify themselves. And
when this brew runs down our throats, we will be
free of all the sins of our soul and of all witchcraft.
Forces of air, earth, sea and fire, I make this call to
you: if it be true that you have more power then
man, here and now, make the spirits of the friends
who have departed share this queimada with us.
Portomarín
Outside the
refugio
Palas do Rei
Ubiquitous
eucalyptus
Waiting in
line to get
in to a
refugio
Pulpería
Ezequiel
- Melide
Monument at Monte de Gozo