Life's a Stitch

September 28th: 23k

Started the day with the 1k walk into the cathedral. I wasn't expecting to be as emotional as last year, but I had my moment in the courtyard. Again it was a feeling of overwhelming gratitude: that we were able to see Santiago again, that this time was relatively pain free due to diagnosis and treatment of my foot problem (more on that later), and that we accomplished so much in just one year. To think we had a healthy year of retirement, and sold, sorted, packed and stored the contents of our house of 18 years, bought another one, and put everything in place to rebuild, it's no wonder I felt overwhelmed with thanks.

We headed to the Pilgrim's Office to see if we could say goodbye to Camino friends met along the way. Sure enough there was Moira, Julian, Harlan, Karen, and Jo, the Aussie/US contingent, the two in their civvies hardly recognizable. 

We had our goodbyes and headed to the Camino Finisterre/Muxia route to the Atlantic Coast.

This is tougher terrain hill-wise. First was a steady uphill climb out of Santiago. Remember those steep hills we encountered earlier on? Double those stats, halfway through today there was a 220 meter ascent over 2k. And it was a humid 27 Celsius.

On the way up an Irish woman who had a few years on us, passed us energetically leaving her three friends in the dust. A while later we found her sitting on a bench waiting for her friends. She had heard C give me the line the counsellors at camp sometimes used to tease the campers on uphill hikes, "there's ice cream at the top of the hill." She told him it wasn't nice to lie on the Camino.

Sure enough, when we reached the top there was a bar with ice cream. When we saw them approaching C surprised her with one. All had a good laugh.

Earlier we had seen a man lying on the ground in distress, shortly after Santiago. He asked if we had medical backgrounds. A German couple was able to communicate with him. His hiking companion, a former colleague, arrived after seeking help from a nearby house.

Turns out Paco is 82 and recently diagnosed with Alzheimer's. He insists his issues have to do with new medication, but his friend, Julian, told us he refuses to take breaks and collapses from exhaustion. That's a scary Camino for both of them.

Most of today was through idyllic quiet countryside, through several small villages. 

As we started late today, at 10:00, we arrived at our off-Camino destination just after 5:00, feeling on the droopy side. So it's rest time in our room in a renovated 1700's stone farmhouse. 

Why pilgrims don't lose weight. These are all in Santiago where most end their pilgrimage.

Churros con chocolate:

A three course meal for 9.5e plus the 8.5e bottle of Rioja. That is a whole pork shank in caramelized onions and an entire sole with homemade chips.

First course of tapas, free with a drink order where the wine costs 2e per glass and the pint slightly more than that:

Second course of tapa, free with the second round of drinks.

 This year, however, without the availability of pilgrim meals until halfway in, we had far fewer fries, and due to cooler weather, only shared two ice creams. But  all that delicious bread, not to mention post Camino eating without walking 20+k to burn off those calories.

One thing must be said and it applied to all three countries we visited this Camino trip: Portugal, Spain and France. The dedication of the proprietors of family owned cafe/bars, restaurants and pensions is admirable. 

You often find all members involved in the running of the place. Grandma in the kitchen, mom at the front desk, dad at the bar, kids doing homework at a table, sometimes helping out. Many places were open seven days a week. Makes you wonder when they get a break. Rarely did the quality suffer and pride of ownership was apparent, rooms were immaculate, no matter how basic the facility. 

September 27: Coastal route – 24.6k

Last night was pilgrim party night in Padron, first with drinks at a table of 7, two from Germany, the two of us, a Polish girl, a man from Spain and one from the Netherlands.  The Camino is all about the people.

Then we stopped for tapas dinner with another Australian couple and Joe and Patty, Cdn friends travelling together by car. They had many Camino questions. We arrived back at our hotel just before midnight. 

It was a long walk into Santiago, 24.6k, with a 260 meter steep and steady elevation gain on an exceptionally humid day with not quite enough sleep and almost enough water.

 I spent a couple of hours walking with Lizette, from Florida. She's a lawyer by education and practicing mediator, and with my background managing a community law office, we had a conversation comparing legal systems. 

Later we met a group of women from Norway. I asked them about St. Olav's way, the Norwegian pilgrimage route. They said this one is more interesting as they live right on the St. Olav route.

We ended our day with Coupi (Choopy), the 10 year old Portuguese Water Dog and her owner, Janna, a Spanish teacher from the Czech Republic. No leash, she followed Janna's every step even on busy roads. This was Coupi's second pilgrimage, she was a young dog on the first one.

 

We spotted the spires of the cathedral from 6k away. We were soon to arrive at our first pilgrimage destination of this trip. Tomorrow we start the Camino Muxia.

 

September 26: 18k – Coastal Route

 A nice quiet room last night overlooking the town's Roman bridge. 

We were able to keep the window open for the cool breezes and had a badly needed good night's sleep.

 There was a cafe at the 5k point, where it felt like a Camino reunion. We didn't know how much of a reunion it would be. There were the Irish group, the Aussies with their American friends, the Swedes and more. 

 We shared our table with two men who arrived after we did. The man sitting next to me, his voice and story so familiar, we finally determined we had dinner with him last year on the first day of the Camino Frances. Imagine, we shared the first day of our first Camino together and a year later we will walk into Santiago on the same day. 

It was another day of forests, vineyards and cornfields. Chuck and the Swedes had to stand aside for the farm equipment.

 There was a magical moment when we approached an underpass and heard two angelic voices in harmony, the pilgrims just ahead of us.

We are now in the city of Padron, just 25k from Santiago. Padron is known for their roasted tiny green peppers. They look like tiny jalapeños, but only one in thirty are hot. The trouble is, you don't know who will get a hot one. Last year I did, and it was the hottest pepper I've eaten. I've had them twice this year and only had sweet ones, my preference.

 After a brief rest we explored the town, starting with their wide rambla. 

Then we visited the church that houses the rock to which St. James' (for whom the Camino de Santiago was named) boat was tied when he came to Padron to preach.

This was the spot, where the rail is looking out over the town, from which Santiago preached:

So, we arrive in Santiago tomorrow, but won't walk to the Cathedral until the following morning. We'll officially finish our Camino de Portugues and start our Camino de Muxia, the road to the ancient "end of the world," a short but tough Camino. The ability to secure accommodation will determine whether we walk the entire four days.

The animals of the Camino

The African Grey Parrot, loudly entertaining from across the street from our hotel in Oia, was just one of our animal encounters.

Anyone who has walked the Camino is familiar with the barking dogs. C says they think they are doing a good job scaring the pilgrim's off because that's what pilgrims do, they go on their way. The dog really has nothing to do with it, but they think they do, which perpetuates the barking behaviour. Today we met a very chill dog, he had it figured out. Why waste all that energy barking at the pilgrims when they'll be on their way anyway?

The cats are calm by nature. This one is for our last year's Camino mate, Denise:

But some are fast and sneaky:

This goat seemed friendly at first. Then he appeared to want to get too friendly with C, so we exited quickly. I told C the goat was attracted to the white beard.

Walking over the old one lane bridge out of Arcade yesterday, a distracted driver came awfully close to us. Looking into the river we saw what had her attention – a film shoot of a damsel riding her horse in and out of the water.

Today we spotted swans swimming in a creek.
 A common Camino photo is the caracol, the snail. I often feel like one of them:

September 25th: 22k – Coastal Route

A night without sleep is a scary prospect when faced with a 22k walk in the morning. The town was alive with partiers until 6:00 a.m. It was the crash of broken glass at 1:26a.m that was the worst. The staff at the restaurant below the hotel threw box after box of glass bottles into the recycling bins. The Hotel Ruas' comfy  memory foam mattresses were perfect for spending the night awake.

Today's walk started by crossing over Pontevedra's replica Roman bridge, still old, near the original foundations.

 We had 135 meters of elevation thankfully over a long period of time. We did a bit of uphill walking followed by an even portion. Repeat. The scenery was comprised of woods, cornfields and vineyards.

 

We stopped briefly for coffee near the beginning and had a picnic lunch in a park near the end. We continued the United Nations of the Camino walking with three Swedish men, a large group of Brazilians as well as brief encounters with two German women and a couple from Westport, CT. 

One of the Swedes told C that the difference between the Swedish and the Danes is that the Danish like to entertain while the Swedes stay to themselves. He was wondering what it was like in Canada.

Checking into our pension we found two simple pleasures that make a world of difference: a clothesline outside our window and a private bath with a little tub. 

September 24th: 19.6k 

The beach on the estuary was much calmer as we left this morning.

We passed a lavadero publico, the first time I've seen one being used. There are public areas meant for hand clothes washing. I'm surprised that municipalities maintain them given that washers are more commonly used at home or launderette. Even still, we've seen home versions of these.

It was a two hill day, both in the 150 meter range, preparing us for the 260 meter climb into Santiago. 

Leaving Arcade we crossed a bridge from 1795 built in the Roman style on ancient foundations.

 To avoid the road walking into Pontevedra we took the optional river walk, adding distance, but quite pleasant.

Met a couple from Dublin and watched as the Polish pilgrim bicycle team arrived. They started in Fatima.

We had some interesting encounters with animals, but I'll post about that separately.

 

September 23rd: 22.9k – Coastal Route, joining the Central Route

If you think about it, five hours of hiking just doesn't seem like much, but throw in some steep inclines and the corresponding downhills, I can't adequately describe how it feels. It's only for maybe 1-2k uphill, but it feels like your nose will scrape the ground in front of you. As C described it at the end of the day, "my dogs are barking. Although a pilgrimage is about the journey, by the end of the day it's definitely about the destination.

We had a quick breakfast at the edge of Vigos. C had some ordering issues and we ended up with protein overload. A two egg omelette with two large slices of ham and a substantial piece of cheese plus cafe con leche. It was a good thing because there were no places to stop for the following 15k. We balanced our breakfast with fruit for lunch, what we had in our packs plus a delicious fig from the tree on the side of the road.

The day itself started and ended with the most steep 185 meters I've ever experienced, leading to incredible views. 

Stopped for a photo with a big fish.

We walked for awhile with a Dutch woman who was on her fourth Camino. She said after her third she realized she was not yet done walking. That's how I felt last time. Chuck? Not really, but he came along to keep me company.

We added self inflicted kilometers on the end by booking a hostel a few k off the Camino. At least they were flat and breezy k and ended on an estuary with a beach and a pretty view. We walked in to find the Aussies and their travelmates from Nevada. Many pilgrims made for a fun dinner. 

September 22: Coastal route – 26.6k +\-

Pinned my wet socks to my pack to dry, packed the leftover cheese and prosciutto for lunch and we were back on our way, generally speaking.

Trouble is there were no arrows pointing to the beach way. At some point we ended up on the main coastal route ascending quickly to 185 meters. A little more work than anticipated, but worth the effort through tree tunnels over a Roman Road. Those Romans liked their roads at higher levels, not only because it was a shorter route, they could see marauders from a greater distance.

After our picnic lunch we decided to add on yet a few more k to walk along the beach as we'll be turning inland after today's stop in Vigo. Stopped at a bar for a beer, vino tinto and agua con gas. We were treated to delicious tapas of Russian bean salad, bread and tortilla (Spanish potato omelet). The TV was on (it is always on in the bars of Spain) so we watched Wheel of Fortune and Simpsons en Español. 

We were shocked at how quickly the beach changed into a tropical looking paradise. 

Feeling a bit wilted we took the short route into the city. Short, but all uphill, until we reached our little hotel in the middle of Bouzas, just outside of Vigo. The room is quite pleasant with a large balcony looking at treetops.

Ventured out for dinner and chose a burger place featuring "premium beef." Seriously, the MacDonald's we passed today probably had better beef. Disappointing, as the best burger we've ever had was on last year's Camino.

Tomorrow, route is supposed to be under 20k. We'll see if we can keep that number from growing as has become our custom.

 

Not with the trek, which is going amazingly well, but with wifi, which should work itself out soon as we change accommodation. Thanks to all for your encouraging emails, so appreciated.