Santiago. Day?

Our albergue was next to a bar that did not close until at least 4:00 AM!  The noise had us all awake. Went for coffee, packed up and switched to a hotel. It is in a former hospitalero (pilgrim hostel) and monetary. Small monastic rooms, but there are sheets and towels!!!!  

Noon Mass for pilgrims was great even though I don't understand a luck of Spanish. My friend, Gerard, was able to participate so I had to break the rule and take photos. The incense burner (largest in the world) and swung. 

Walked around most of the afternoon and will meet up with friends for dinner. 

Tomorrow I will take the bus to within about 12km of Finisterre and walk the shore in. 

Photos from last night and today. 

Bagpipe player greeting pilgrims upon their arrival. 

Building across from cathedral. 

Mass

Swinging the butafumeria. 

My hotel. 

O Pedrouzo to Santiago de Compostella

WOW

Gerard and I left our albergue at 7:20, stopped for coffee, OJ, and a croissant and then headed out in the dark for Santiago. 18 or 20 km depending on the guide book or the markings. At one point we had 11 km to go for three, maybe four, kilometers!  When we stopped for a second cup of coffee, Carmen (who served us) assured us it was eleven. We think she was correct and the other markers incorrect. 

When we left the streets were dry and we could see a few stars; this was a welcome sight after the two previous days of rain. Some of my things still havent dried out. 

It seemed as though the closer to Santiago we were, the faster we walked. Gerard, who began his camino in Le Puy, France, has now walked 1522 km. it seemed as though it took a very very long time to get through the city to the cathedral. The closer we were, the more difficulty I had keeping up with him. He was a man on a mission. 

Yes, I did she'd some tears upon arriving at the cathedral square. We took pictures, absorbed the reality of it as much as we could (after all we've been arriving in new towns every day--could this really be the end?) and then set out for lunch. 

We found a nice spot outside and had Spanish omelettes (tortilla--egg and potato like a frittata), a glass of vino tinto and some water. It was then off to the pilgrim office for my Compostella. Gerard won't get his until tomorrow since tomorrow is a holy day. Something to do with St. Luke. And there was no line!  After shedding a few more tears of joy, I had my Compostella. 

I am now in a small albergue not too far from the cathedral. I've explored some, had a second lunch, booked a room at a real hotel for tomorrow night and will now rest. 

Tonight we are all meeting at the Parador. (an extremely upscale hotel) for a drink before dinner. 

Tomorrow is more exploring and the pilgrims' mass. Gerard is hoping he can partake in the mass--perhaps reading a prayer in English. We are all keeping our fingers crossed for him. We are also hoping they use the huge incense burner tomorrow. (The huge incense burner was made to cover the horrible stench of so many pilgrims in one place...not too many places for medieval pilgrims to bathe!). 

I am still working out what to do about Finisterre (the end of the world) and Muxia. A lot depends on the weather. I am also not sure I want to walk 90 km in three days. A bus most of the way to Finisterre and walking the last 10 km may be the answer. Then I can walk to Muxia before returning to Santiago and on to Madrid and home. 

Oh, and today I managed to get a new blister!  It must be the wet boots. Yuck. 

Done marker of some sort. 

Spider web coated with dew. 

Getting closer to the city. 

A wonderful little bridge over a stream that avoided the road. 

A marker in the ground in the cathedral square. 

Gerard and me very sweaty and very happy. 

The camino fashion queen. The knee braces will be chucked before heading home , I can assure you. 

The cathedral. 

Ribadiso to O Pedrouzo. Day 32

Another very rainy wet day. I left at about 7:3o in the dark and walked with Gerard, the Catholic priest I met a while back. We had some great conversations and were very glad to have each other's company. It made the walk in the rain pass by that much faster  

Stopped for coffee once and then just kept plugging along. At one point we gave up on our hoods. After all, how much wetter could we get between the rain and the sweat?  

Regardless of the rain it was a beautiful walk. No one would probably believe us , but we saw sun peeking through the heavy clouds--just for a moment red/orange showing itself to us. 

Walked through eucalyptus forest that smelled heavenly. Then arrived about 12:30.  After showering and handing over our laundry we had a delightful lunch of soup and salmon (Gerard had chicken ) followed by homemade yogurt with locAl honey on top. With vino tinto of course. 

Looking forward to arriving in Santiago tomorrow. Gerard had now walked 1500 k!  We have 18 to go. Amazing 

Palas de Re to Ribadiso. Day 32

Rainy rainy day today so no photos. Regardless, it was a beautiful walk. We had coffee and toast and OJ before leaving tow and then stopped after about 5 k for another cup of coffee. 

The trail was quite crowded , which makes me claustrophobic , so I barreled on without Sarah and Michele. 

Highlights of the day:

A woman selling fruit under a tarp on the side of her barn on the ways. That was one good apple!

The flowers-- purple heather and small yellow flowers on bright green prickly stems mixed together. Wonderfully vibrant colors. 

Old brisges that are shaped as an angle not a curve. 

Cows grazing in their fields. 

A most wonderful omelette on the freshest bread that a woman made in her kitchen that is attached to the bar they run. 

Finally arriving here and having a hot shower, lentile soup and a glass of vino tinto followed by a nice cream on a stick while our clothes are being washed and dried. 

The only downside of this stretch of the camino is that when I do find an open church, it is noisy with pilgrims getting their credentials stamped. Not conducive to quiet time. 

At the point in the camino we are supposed to have at least two stamps per day to show that we walked the entire final 100k to Santiago. 

Oh, and LL Bean is going to hear from me!  My super duper Gore-text rain jacket does not keep me dry. I thought maybe it was just a fluke back on the meseta, but my shirt was soaked and the tissues in my zippered pocket were drenched as though I had dropped them in a sink full of water. Very disappointing to say the least. 

Keep your fingers crossed for better weather tomorrow. Right now all our boots are stuffed with newspaper to dry out for tomorrow. The gore-tex in those didn't work so well either. 

Two more days (40k) until Santiago. 

Buen camino. 

Portomarin to Palas de Rei. Day 31

Okay, I will admit that I am finally tired of walking, walking, walking. I'm debating on whether to walk the 90 km to Finisterre or taking the bus part way and then walking. That would give me an extra day in Santiago and time to relax in Finisterre. Then I could walk to Muxia before bussing back to Santiago, meet up with friends and then on to Madrid and home. HOME!!  

As much as my legs are stronger they, or my knees or my feet, will keep me up at night with aches and pains. How on Earth the pilgrims of ancient times pulled this off is beyond me. Many didn't make it or if they did they didn't return home. Their faith must have been so very strong to commit to this journey in the name of God. 

Even more interesting are the stories of those who committed their lives to helping pilgrims. These people are honored all along the camino and some have towns named after them. 

Today I am in a relatively large town--population 1,300. Many are larger, but many are much smaller. Raban has a population of 73!  El Acebo of 37. Ruitelan 23. 

I left quite early today-6:40. Gary was up drinking tea but the others were still asleep. I had quite a peaceful walk. Of course it was dark until about 8:00. I stopped for breakfast, stopped for coffee, and stopped for OJ to use the restroom and find out where this albergue is. I was the first to artive at the albergue so I am showered and my washing is done. I've had a salad and am waiting for Sarah, Michele, Cindy, and Gary to arrive. 

CNN today said the word of the day is hope. I was listening to music during the last 8 k and there was a song that said when we walk with hope we don't walk alone. Interesting thought. 

Here are photos from today's walk. 

Statue in Portomarin. 

Another grain storage. 

More great scenery once the fog lifted. 

I liked this wall. 

Sculpture 

Have no idea what this is. 

Great birthday dinner with my Camino friends. We will all walk into Santiago together in three days. Wow. 

Sarria to Portomarin. Day 30

Another great day of walking. The weather is less settled in this part if Spain, but it didn't rain so I count myself lucky. Great scenery again. Haverhill, however , has nothing on the hills here. Up and up and up we go then down a bit and then up and then down again. 

We walked through farm after farm today. It must be fertilizing time because there were lots if ripe smells. These farmers sure work hard-and not just the men. 

Okay, I know a photo of a slug is pretty strange, but these are not New England slugs. Haven't seen any since the Pyrenees. Must be a mountain thing. 

Interesting architecture. 

The 100 km mark!!  Getting closer all the time. 

Ayup, an ostrich. Go figure. 

Finally figured out that these odd structures were (are?) used to store grain. They are on every farm. 

Walking over the river into Portomarin. You can see the old bridge down below. I would have preferred that bridge. The one we crossed was so high that I didn't like it and I'm not afraid of heights. 

And then.....  We had to climb these steps into the city. These were followed by many hills. Haverhill hasn't seen hills like this part of Spain has.