Vilacha as Cortes
Vilachá as Cortes is a small village through which the Camino meanders just before reaching Portomarin. In the centre is the stone marking 91.5km to Santiago de Compostela. The Village consists of about 40 houses only half of which are occupied. Most of the dozen or so families are subsistence farmers and live close to the land. Most of the farming revolves around cattle so naturally when walking through the pilgrim can expect to encounter cows and of course cow poop.
Entering Vilacha
A derelict house
The pilgrim trail
The main dragOther than the two or three that have been modernised the buildings are all traditional Galician stone pitched buildings with stone roofs.
The People
The people of Vilachá are all very warm and friendly and are a close-knit community assisting each other in the daily chores of farming. Our youngest villager is only two years old and the oldest is on his way to 90. When it comes to harvest everyone pitches in to help plus some of the neighbouring villagers. No one need ever be short of company in this Vilachá as it is more like a family living in a very large home than a village with separate houses.
Working as a team
Thesario
Carmen
Juan with the bullThe immediate neighbours to Casa Banderas are Fernando and Isabel, their two children, Isabel's grandparents, and her mother. The family are very successful farmers and together with two other families in the village run a highly successful dairy heard. Marie Carmen is an excellent cook and a gardener par excellence, keeping us supplied with fresh produce. Opposite lives Fernando's grandfather who is a great carpenter and the village handyman. He has been a great help to us in the restoration process. To the left live Juan and Carmen with their son Ovideo and grandson Hugo. They too are dairy farmers and run a 30 strong heard.
