Patsy was still sleeping, the last I checked at 10 am. I left at about 7 am and the old city of Santiago was still sleeping also. I had to walk out of the old city for a coffee. I think the regular price of a coffee in a bar is way less for the locals than for tourists. I got a grande and it was about 60 cents and I am used to paying more than a euro.
I got in early through the holy gate to the cathedral before the line was long. (Actually, I was able to just walk in at about 8 am to check out that part of the church). I hugged Saint James. The holy gate is only open during years when the day of Saint James (25 July) is on a Sunday. I think the next year is 2021. There is the expectation that this year will see record numbers of Pilgrims. The rush is expected in July and August, with the greatest crowd during the fiesta of Saint James.
We will take the bus to Finnister tomorrow morning and stay the night there to check it out.
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Friday, July 2, 2010
Compastella de Santiago, Spain
We walked up to the great cathedral here at about 1 pm today. It was nice and sad all at the same time. The cathedral itself is huge, with three separate plazas at the three main entrances. We will try to get into the cathedral either later this evening or tomorrow, as there was a huge crowd when we arrived, mostly not pilgrims.
We had rain for our last days walk, but it was warm enough so it was not a problem. The people in the Albergue got up before 5 am and it was almost completely cleared out by 7 am when we got up. They were well ahead of us so we had a quiet walk through wooded lanes. It was quite nice.
I will add pictures, probably when I get to Seth´s. We fly to Frankfort on Tuesday. We will spend a day here in Santiago and then take a bus to Finisterr and spend a night there.
We had rain for our last days walk, but it was warm enough so it was not a problem. The people in the Albergue got up before 5 am and it was almost completely cleared out by 7 am when we got up. They were well ahead of us so we had a quiet walk through wooded lanes. It was quite nice.
I will add pictures, probably when I get to Seth´s. We fly to Frankfort on Tuesday. We will spend a day here in Santiago and then take a bus to Finisterr and spend a night there.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Arco
We made it nicely to Arco, just 18 kilometers from Santiago. Patsy said she would take a rest day, but not with just one more day to walk. It should be an easy day tomorrow. We should get to Santiago by 12 or 1 pm and get our Certificate and see the cathedral. I think it depends on the weather what else we do. It may rain tomorrow and the next few days. Ryan air only flys from Santiago to Frankfort on Saturday and Tuesday, so we have to decide to leave just the day after we arrive or stay an extra day.
The last 100 kilometers certainly has had none of the interest the first 600 kilometers did. It is much more crowded with less comradary. We are still seeing people we have not met in a long time. (pardon the spelling but the blog tells me none of my words are spelled correctly in Spanish).
We have been accompanying a french woman and her donkey, Sherpa. He is quite the pet and, I think, a good companion. We have seen one other donkey and several dogs walking the Camino.
The last 100 kilometers certainly has had none of the interest the first 600 kilometers did. It is much more crowded with less comradary. We are still seeing people we have not met in a long time. (pardon the spelling but the blog tells me none of my words are spelled correctly in Spanish).
We have been accompanying a french woman and her donkey, Sherpa. He is quite the pet and, I think, a good companion. We have seen one other donkey and several dogs walking the Camino.
Azura
We are in a bar on the way to Arco. Tomorrow should be our lastday. We have 12 km today and another 20 tomorrow. We walked without the crowd yesterday, but they are back today. A steady stream of walkers and bikers.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Melide
Melide is famous for its Octopus. It is great! We spent a couple of hours in a Pulpeteria, probably one of the best in the world. The octopus was great. Served with a bottle of wine, bread, boiled potatoes with paprika and a wooden platter of octopus and toothpicks to eat it with. The octopus is served with plenty of olive oil and a lot of paprika.
There was a mix of locals and perigrinos. It is a fiesta day here, so most everything was closed. I am not sure if the locals are more in evidence at the pulperia, but I think not. The local panaderia (baker) was swamped with locals stocking up for fiesta.
The Camino is full of people. Mostly young people doing the last 100 km for their credential, but including the people we have seen before. We saw the Korean priest we met in Logrono, the guitar player from Texas and others. Vicky was in the Pulperia and she is from Conroe, not far from The Woodlands.
The character of the Camino is much different the last 100 km. Many more people and not the same camradarie that we have seen before. But it is well supported by the Spanish.
We are about 50 km from Santiago, which we plan to do in three easy days. We did our last long day yesterday, with about 16 miles of walking. The weather is generally cool, but it heats up later in the day. The people on a schedule are walking a great distance these days, but we are ahead of schedule so we are taking it easy. Eating lots of octopus in Melide.
There was a mix of locals and perigrinos. It is a fiesta day here, so most everything was closed. I am not sure if the locals are more in evidence at the pulperia, but I think not. The local panaderia (baker) was swamped with locals stocking up for fiesta.
The Camino is full of people. Mostly young people doing the last 100 km for their credential, but including the people we have seen before. We saw the Korean priest we met in Logrono, the guitar player from Texas and others. Vicky was in the Pulperia and she is from Conroe, not far from The Woodlands.
The character of the Camino is much different the last 100 km. Many more people and not the same camradarie that we have seen before. But it is well supported by the Spanish.
We are about 50 km from Santiago, which we plan to do in three easy days. We did our last long day yesterday, with about 16 miles of walking. The weather is generally cool, but it heats up later in the day. The people on a schedule are walking a great distance these days, but we are ahead of schedule so we are taking it easy. Eating lots of octopus in Melide.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Portomorin
We are about 90 km from Santiago. Patsy is doing much better. The weather has been hot later in the day, but otherwise very nice.
We were in Sarria yesterday and it was in the middle of the annual festival. All the perigrinos (pilgrims) are in bed by the time the festivals are winding up, but it was still nice. Also, Sarria is the last place to start the Camino and get a certificate from the cathedral in Sangiago, so a lot more pilgrims are on the way. It was sort of amazing how many people were walking today. It could be that since today was Sunday, many of the people were just walking today, but I think we will see them tomorrow also. Many of the new walkers are teen agers. With the change in walkers, the Camino has a much different character here.
Galecia is hilly and the Camino has been mostly through small farms. Many are dairy farms with the famous ¨Rubio Galigo¨ cattle. Rubio in this case means Blonde. The route is up and down small hills and along paths with stone walls on both sides. In some cases, it was like walking in a tunnel, the walls were so high. There were a fair number of bars along the way. We stop about 10 am to get a drink and rest a bit, then we stop about noon for a bocadillo(sandwich). Then it is a few more hours to get to the town.
Portomarin was along the river here, but the town was moved up the hill in the 1950s when the river was dammed. Now there is a nice lake. The town is supposed to have a population of 2000, but it has at least 15 and perhaps 20 bar restaurants. It also has about 5 albergue for the pilgrims. The town is actually nice enough, even if it is not old.
Tomorrow is Palais de Rae, about 24 kilometers away, our last long day. The day after we go to Melide, a short day of about 10 miles and the day after to Azura, another 10 mile day and then two 12 mile days to Santiago.
We plan to take a bus to Finnistera from Santiago, just to see it. Some people walk the 90 some kilometers but we want to take the time with Seth and family.
We are still seeing many of the same people along the way. Very many do about the same distance as we do. It is always nice to recognize people you know among the other pilgrims.
I noticed in the shower today that my legs look different. I would not have thought that walking would require much change in my muscles from cycling, but they are distinctly different. I am sure I am not losing any weight. It might be I am eating a lot or that I have a few beers and a half bottle of wine every day.
We were in Sarria yesterday and it was in the middle of the annual festival. All the perigrinos (pilgrims) are in bed by the time the festivals are winding up, but it was still nice. Also, Sarria is the last place to start the Camino and get a certificate from the cathedral in Sangiago, so a lot more pilgrims are on the way. It was sort of amazing how many people were walking today. It could be that since today was Sunday, many of the people were just walking today, but I think we will see them tomorrow also. Many of the new walkers are teen agers. With the change in walkers, the Camino has a much different character here.
Galecia is hilly and the Camino has been mostly through small farms. Many are dairy farms with the famous ¨Rubio Galigo¨ cattle. Rubio in this case means Blonde. The route is up and down small hills and along paths with stone walls on both sides. In some cases, it was like walking in a tunnel, the walls were so high. There were a fair number of bars along the way. We stop about 10 am to get a drink and rest a bit, then we stop about noon for a bocadillo(sandwich). Then it is a few more hours to get to the town.
Portomarin was along the river here, but the town was moved up the hill in the 1950s when the river was dammed. Now there is a nice lake. The town is supposed to have a population of 2000, but it has at least 15 and perhaps 20 bar restaurants. It also has about 5 albergue for the pilgrims. The town is actually nice enough, even if it is not old.
Tomorrow is Palais de Rae, about 24 kilometers away, our last long day. The day after we go to Melide, a short day of about 10 miles and the day after to Azura, another 10 mile day and then two 12 mile days to Santiago.
We plan to take a bus to Finnistera from Santiago, just to see it. Some people walk the 90 some kilometers but we want to take the time with Seth and family.
We are still seeing many of the same people along the way. Very many do about the same distance as we do. It is always nice to recognize people you know among the other pilgrims.
I noticed in the shower today that my legs look different. I would not have thought that walking would require much change in my muscles from cycling, but they are distinctly different. I am sure I am not losing any weight. It might be I am eating a lot or that I have a few beers and a half bottle of wine every day.
Friday, June 25, 2010
O Cebriero and Triacastela, Spain
Patsy is done with her antibiotics, hopefully she will feel a bit better from now on. They made her nauseus and susceptible to sunburn.
We are in Triacastela, about 130 km from Compestala de Santiago. Almost at the end now. We crossed the last of the mountains today and yesterday. We were lucky to get beautiful weather both days. I got some great photos. Actually, the day before Patsy insisted that we do the scenic route out of Ponferrada. I think we climbed as high that day as the great mountain at O´Cebriero yesterday. Both days were great but Patsy was burned out by the time we got the necessary mountain, so we only did 10 km yesterday and spent the night in O´Cebriero. It was nice, though. It rained during the night and there were a few clouds still around in the morning, but it is hot now.
We are feeling the end of our Camino and I am not sure what I think about that. I am really into the walking each day. A Dutch woman I spoke to yesterday came from La Puey in France and she was saying the number of people on the Camino is in stark contrast with the French part of the Camino, and she was feeling the stress. It really makes me want to hike the Vezelay or La Puey routes!
We have been travelling though small dairy farm country. The villages in Spain are just making it, many of them. I am sure many young people move out to the big cities. I suspect the business from the Camino is all that keeps some of them alive. O Cebriero has a population of 50, all doing tourist business. There is a highway through there and at least 3 tour buses were parked there at one time. It is about as high as as major highways in Spain go I think.
We are in Triacastela, about 130 km from Compestala de Santiago. Almost at the end now. We crossed the last of the mountains today and yesterday. We were lucky to get beautiful weather both days. I got some great photos. Actually, the day before Patsy insisted that we do the scenic route out of Ponferrada. I think we climbed as high that day as the great mountain at O´Cebriero yesterday. Both days were great but Patsy was burned out by the time we got the necessary mountain, so we only did 10 km yesterday and spent the night in O´Cebriero. It was nice, though. It rained during the night and there were a few clouds still around in the morning, but it is hot now.
We are feeling the end of our Camino and I am not sure what I think about that. I am really into the walking each day. A Dutch woman I spoke to yesterday came from La Puey in France and she was saying the number of people on the Camino is in stark contrast with the French part of the Camino, and she was feeling the stress. It really makes me want to hike the Vezelay or La Puey routes!
We have been travelling though small dairy farm country. The villages in Spain are just making it, many of them. I am sure many young people move out to the big cities. I suspect the business from the Camino is all that keeps some of them alive. O Cebriero has a population of 50, all doing tourist business. There is a highway through there and at least 3 tour buses were parked there at one time. It is about as high as as major highways in Spain go I think.
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