How to stop walking and eat natas…

I am unpeeling my pilgrim life. Yesterday I gave up my walking sticks, I don’t need them and I have a great pair at home. Today I will leave behind my trusty but ancient Nalgeen water bottle. The walking has stopped but the journey has not.

Yesterday I said goodbye to Santiago… tapas and chorizo!

Meat lovers unite!

And hello to Porto where I am watching pilgrims start their long day of walking – I am envious. Goodbye blisters and achy hips.

A monk assists some pilgrims find their way

I never say goodbye to planning the next trip….

Porto sunset

Hardest goodbye of all, leaving a part of Mom at the Cape at Finisterre.

One of mom’s favorite shells, and black sand from my grandfather’s beach in Hawaii.

Camino Magic

My last day here started with a beautiful sunrise and my final short walk to the 0.0 km marker and the cape where I wanted to spend time with mom and leave a memory of her. I’m too emotional to write about that now – it was quiet and perfect.

Back to Camino miracles. Remember my first post from Porto and this picture?

After my emotional morning I decided to walk the long beach that is just east of Finisterre. I had passed it on my way in but was so focused on getting into town I didn’t stop to appreciate the view. It took an hour or more to walk around (what’s the rush?!)

When I get to the far end the view is too beautiful to not get a beer and enjoy the view. So I do.

I’m at a funky beach shack that is taking advantage of the parade of exhausted and thirsty pilgrims on their way to Finisterre. I look around and see a young guy with a huge pack and a familiar face. Could that be the anonymous praying man from Porto?

I pulled a “Toni” and approached him showing him the picture. “Do you speak English? Is this you?” It was!

He was as shocked as I was that our paths crossed (again) at this little place in the middle of nowhere. He is Matthias from the Black Forest area of Germany. We hugged and chatted and then down the beach he went.

We will share the bus back to Santiago tomorrow. He says “I will bring a bottle of wine!” I’m pretty sure I’m too old to swig wine on a bus ride in Europe but what the heck… Toni would do it wouldn’t she?

Last Day Walking

As I write this I sit in a restaurant in Finisterre with a view of the harbor and sea beyond. I can see the distance I have walked today. The windmills and hills I started the day with seem so far away.

So I order pasta!

It doesn’t hold a candle to Janice’s carbonara or Kathy’s pesto, but it tastes pretty darn good after a 22 mile day.

As I approached Finisterre I realized it was going to be another 6-7 kilometers to get out to the end of the world where I want to have a moment with mom. I have decided to stay two nights here which gives me that time.

I really enjoyed today’s walk. The dry landscape reminded me of adventures with my grandfather on our sailing trip in 1976. On a sunny day like today, Grandpa would make one of his famous bandanna hats to cover his bald head and he and I would go exploring in places like the Balearic Isles, Malta, Tunis, and the islands of Greece.

I have a few precious days left before I head back home. I miss my friends and their kids, I miss the “boys”, I miss my work friends who have been so supportive. I miss my washer and dryer.

Hips Don’t Lie

I’m off again and after a day off, my body is in rebellion. “WTF?” It seems to say.

Back of the cathedral in morning light

“We got you to the cathedral and we had a nice cry. Let’s call that the end ok?” But no I get up this morning, latch on the pack and head out. The toes are concerned… “we were good to you to Santiago, no guarantees now.”

Lungs and arms are on board “as long as there is no running!”

Legs and hips are the angriest. And hips don’t lie. Shakira Shakira.

As I head out this morning I realize, Santiago was for me… the walk to Finisterre is for Mom. Which makes sense since Finisterre has so much pagan and divine feminine history (wink wink Judy). The legs and hips get on board with this news.

Today is a different crowd of pilgrims, and the vibe is much more relaxed. No “rush” to Santiago. This walk feels like bonus time and the mood is different. I like it. A lot.

The path takes us up into some hill towns and then down across the Tambre River on the most beautiful ancient bridge.

And this area is the best biking area I have encountered yet, smooth country lanes with barely any traffic. Just as I am thinking this, three cyclists zoom by shouting “Buen Camino!”

I finish the day with the best deal on the planet, the pilgrim meal. For 10€ I get three courses including all the wine I can drink. Toni would love it.

Arriving in Santiago

Today started with lots of beauty and to my surprise… tranquilo. I started early (7:30) as I had made plans to meet Yumi and her husband at the cathedral in Santiago at 1:00. What was I thinking? 24 kilometers in less than 5 hours???

I made it in less than four arriving at the cathedral just as the noon bells were ringing. After 12 days of mostly rural walking I was confused by the numbers of people and the busy city streets. I walked around a bit and finally found my way to the front of the cathedral of Santiago.

And I cried…. which completely shocked me. I was tired as I had not stopped the entire day and it was a tough up and down day of hills, pavement, and little sustenance. Between exhaustion and finally stepping into this square after 25 years of dreaming about this walk… emotions took over.

I walked to the back of the square… put my pack down and sat and watched and cried. Those of you who have done the Camino know this moment… for all others I sincerely hope you get to experience this… it is AMAZING.

Yumi, her husband and I met, hugged, cried… and then went for the best three hour lunch!

Later I returned to the square and ran into some of the familiar faces from my Portuguese Camino. High fives and congrats. So many pilgrims are here. I am just one of so many.

Tomorrow I leave Yumi, George, Nancy, Fred, Peter, Laura and so many others who I have met on my way to Santiago. And start another walk – to the end of the world… Finisterre.

Familiar faces

Some pilgrims I have immediately connected with and we end up sharing dinner or a beer. Other pilgrims I recognize but we have not connected. We continue to see each other every day as we are on the same path to Santiago. We nod in recognition, or just state “you again…”

Not after tomorrow. Most pilgrims end in Santiago and go home or onwards but not on foot. I suspect the walk to Finistere will be a totally different experience. Especially without the pull to Santiago and the km countdown on the many small pillars that mark the way.

Today the path was again delightful. Wooded and rural with vineyards, sheep, and many small gardens. There are many pilgrims now and sometimes tranquilo is hard to find.

I passed through Padron today, which is a significant place as this is where most say St. James landed ashore and began to preach. Others say this is where his dead body washed ashore. Despite that history the cathedral honoring St. James was placed in what is now Santiago de Compostela, which is only 22 km away!

Tilting at windmills

That put Bob Marley in my head for miles…

The windmills above Santiago came into view today high up on a hill, so large even Don Quixote would not attack them. Only two days until arrival in Santiago, but I am continuing my walk to Finisterre and then Muxia so Santiago is not the finish for me.

Today’s walk was beautiful, and tranquilo! Leaving Pilgrim Square in Pontevedra was beautiful with the morning light hitting the Chapel of the Pilgrims just right. Note that the front is curved, this is because the base footprint of the church is in the shape of a scallop shell.

Santiago was apparent all along today’s walk mostly at these roadside crosses that are hundreds of years old.

Just before Caldas de Reis, two mountain bikes came up from behind and lo and behold it was Peter and Laura from a couple of days ago. We had a brief chat and photo opp and off they went. I hope they come up to visit me in Oregon as they promised.

Caldas de Reis is a small, friendly town – nice place for a pilgrim to rest. I will enjoy it as much as possible, tomorrow is a new day and a new town.

Tranquilo

Roman bridge in Arcade

Today a nice Camino moment happened – walking through the forest between Redondela and Pontevedre. There was a man with a table in the middle of nowhere selling leather bracelets. I may have been his first pilgrim of the day as it was early.

He spoke to me in Spanish and a few English words thrown in for my benefit. We were able to convey to each other that there were not that many peregrinos on the Camino this morning.

“Bueno, es tranquilo,” he said.

The rest of my walk to Pontevedra I reflected on this. I think it is the best word for my experience on the Camino….

Less than 100km to go

Last night I had dinner with Peter and Laura from Ireland but are now living in the Bay Area. They are biking the Camino. We met two women from South Africa who were walking with their mom who looked to be in her early 70’s. Amazing the people who do this walk.

Traditional preparation of pulpo (octopus) in Galicia

The rain in Spain….

Galicia is famous for it’s wet weather but today’s rain was brief and made everything glow. But don’t think everything on this Camino is glowing… the blister on my right foot was very rebellious today… so I killed it.

If it comes back to life tomorrow I am in deep trouble.

The day started in Tui (pronounced like Father Tuohey) with beautiful skies and a reunion with Yumi and her husband. This is her fourth Camino and she runs the Camino association in Japan. They are delightful.

I am regretting not spending more time in Tui and Valenca (Portugal city on the other side of the river from Tui). Maybe next time. Since it was my last night with Fred, Nancy and George we spent the evening eating tapas including barnacles which tasted like the sea. And lots of wine of course. My Camino will not be the same without them and I am grateful our paths crossed.

Today was a shorter walk which was good for blister killing. Ending in Porriño where there is a rally car race tomorrow. Such an odd juxtaposition to my slow crawl to Santiago.

Camino Family

I left you with a miracle view in a hillside town in Portugal and now I am in Spain. We are in Spain. I have been kindly “adopted” into the Camino family of Fred, Nancy and George! Three days ago strangers at a small hotel in Portugal now Camino family and we are in Spain.

The last three days have been spectacular walking. Mostly on paths or quiet country roads. Past beautiful gardens, vineyards, sheep pastures, chickens, churches and small red roofed villages on the side of a hill, bells ringing to remind me just how goddam romantic this all is.

But it’s been the people of the Camino that have been so wonderful. My horrid comments from the last entry about suitcases… they belong to Pam and her husband from Australia who are traveling for three months. Doh!

I have met a few Aussies… great people who have traveled so much. Japanese, English, Slovakian, German, many Québécois which makes me think of Sr. Lynda and my Providence friends.

Northern Portugal is gorgeous. Pictures will say it better so I include those here.

Z

Today as I walked alone across the Minho River bridge from Portugal to Spain, from Natas to Jamon, I became sad… to see and experience a place footstep by footstep, in a country with such kind people… I just don’t know what Spain will hold.

This is the most transient life I have ever experienced. Every night I arrive in a town, unpack my few things, shower, clean, organize, explore. And then the next morning I am gone again. What is not transient are the friends I have made on the way. Fred, Nancy and George are staying here in Tui, Spain an extra day so after dinner tonight we will part ways.

This is the magic of the Camino. That and the blisters!