Day 17: Olveiroa to Finisterre, the End of the Earth

Olveiroa, the town where we finished up yesterday, is really tiny.  If you had a decent arm, you could throw a rock from one end to the other.  That said, it had three places to stay and three places to eat.  We had an awesome lunch at one place and a really nice room at another.  We also kept seeing young people walking back into town in bathing suits, so last night, we figured we'd investigate.

Boy, did that feel good!

There are crystal clear streams that run along two sides of the town, so we decided to see what our abused feet thought.  The water was cold, but awesome.

There were quite a few well renovated old homes in the town, and a number of the signature Galician corn cribs, called horreos.

Three horreos in one poor photograph.

What Olveiroa doesn't have is a single grocery store.  You have to drive to any of a number of neighboring towns.  How were we going have our six AM espresso shots?  (By now, you know how important those are...)  I asked the bartender in our hostel if they had coffee-to-go.  It's a fair question, because in most of Spain, the answer would be no.  That's not the cafe/bar culture.

I got lucky.  He sold us four small cafes con leche that we took up to our room as if they were gold.

The forecast for today was cold and foggy, so we decided not to start as early as we had for yesterday's heat.  We moved everything back a half hour--got up at 5:30 AM and got out the door by 6:15 AM.

The Camino leaving Olveiroa, beautifully illuminated.  Great little town.

 

It's a good thing that we didn't leave any earlier because that forecast was totally accurate.  The fog was so thick that our headlamps reflected back at us.  It was slow going.  You're going to see a lot of pictures of clouds and fog today.

7:00 AM The sunrise improves visibility.

Less than two kilometers out of town, we walked through the tiny hamlet of Logoso.  It has an albergue with a cafe that was open.  We saw one pilgrim awake, getting ready to leave.  Having just had all that espresso, we just kept walking.  There wouldn't be another town for 13 kilometers.  That's close to three hours.  For whatever reason, that town's named Hospital and it's close to where the road splits to go to either our destination, Finisterre, or tomorrow's destination, Muxia.

Tina filling some big shoes outside the still closed pilgrim office in Hospital.

I know it's just a sign, but you get excited when you see your destination in print. (Fisterra)

We walked for what seemed forever through paths through the woods.  Eventually two pairs of pilgrims and two individual pilgrims passed us.  These were serious hikers, starting early in the morning in the fog, walking faster than us, carrying all their gear.  We couldn't keep up.  Then we reached this:

Meet Vákner, a fifteen foot tall werewolf statue

Galician culture blends pagan stuff with Christian tradition.  They're big into witches, for example.  Today, I learned that they also believe that they have a werewolf roaming these woods named Vákner.  In 1491, Armenian bishop Martir came face to face with him while walking this Camino. (The local townspeople were amazed that he survived.)  Nice day to have all this fog...

It would be another hour before we reached civilization--someplace with Coca Cola and bathrooms.  Four hours.  That was in the dumpy harbortown of Cee.  It's next to a much more photogenic town named Corcubión.  We should have kept walking until there, but I was getting grumpy.  Who designs a Camino without proper rest areas??

 

The historic center of Corcubión

Funny story, approaching this first town, Cee, on a two kilometer down-sloping gravel track, we met a local person walking his dog (a sign that civilization was near).  He says to us in Spanish, "Too bad for the fog, the views from here of the sea and the Ria are amazing."  From this point on, we walked either within sight of the sea or would leave it only for brief periods.

A secluded beach only reachable by a path that connected to ours... not today.

The beach at Langosteira.  That's Finisterre in the distance, under the clouds.

We were approaching the town of Finisterre, a town who's name means "the end of the Earth" in Latin.  The Romans found this place, the westernmost point in Europe.  It put an end to their westward expansion.  The beautiful beaches are usually tucked into rocky fjords, called Rias.  The rocky coastline earned the name La Costa do Morte (The Death Coast) because of all the shipwrecks.

Finisterre was our first of three objectives today.  We arrived in under eight hours, walking about 31 kilometers.  The second objective was to get another certificate for this achievement, called a Fisterrana.  We picked those up at the tourist information office before even checking into our hotel.  The third objective was to walk to the lighthouse at the end of this peninsula, the real end of the earth.  We did that after lunch.

Kilometer Zero, Just before the Lighthouse

 

The lighthouse.  It draws a lot of tourists.

If you saw the movie The Way, this is where Tom (played by Martin Sheen) is supposed to spread the rest of his son Daniel's ashes into the sea.  It's really touching except I couldn't find the spot.  We think that Tina found it on the way back, closer to town.

The lighthouse walk added another six kilometers to the day's total.  My watch currently stands at over 57,000 steps.  No mas!

Tomorrow's our last day on this Camino.  We're walking to Muxia where the Virgin Mary is supposed to have appeared to Saint James (Santiago).  We'll get another certificate for finishing--in case you're wondering.  Tina will let you know how this ends.

Day 16 Negreira to Olveiroa. What a Walk!

 

Today’s walk was the longest of our 2024 Camino: 34 KM, plus elevation.  And it was hot.  The temperature was around 90 degrees when we finished.  We were exhausted. But it was worth it!

We left our hostel at 5:30 am, in the pitch black.  (Thank goodness for refrigerated lattes, which are a great option on a super-early morning!) Normally, when we leave very early, we’re the only pilgrims on The Way for a long time.  Not today!  No sooner had we joined the Camino than we saw 2 fellow travelers, with headlamps, walking in front of us.  Soon, we spied 2 additional people ahead in the distance.  Yes, there were six hearty souls starting this walk at 5:30 in the morning to beat the heat!  The views leaving town were spectacular.

Castle Walls in Negreira

 

As we reached the outskirts of town, we noticed the 2 groups of travelers ahead of us hesitating on choice of routes.  We double-checked our App and saw that we were a long block off the actual Camino.  A quick turn later we were back on the right road.  We didn’t see the other pilgrims again for hours.

Negreira in the Distance

 

The entire day was filled with wonderful terrain and views, from early-morning sunrise, to fields of wheat and corn, to eucalyptus groves, dairy cow farms, and the ubiquitous Horreos (Galician corn cribs, shown below with a cross and tower at either end).

 

Sunrise

Early Morning Views

 

 

Beautiful Paths

 

Lots of Corn

Galician Horreo with Cross and Post

We walked for 3 full hours, covering over 10 KM, before our coffee break in the town of Vilaseria.  There, we started to see more and more pilgrims joining the route. We also saw some of the wayward travelers from Negreira pass by the café. 

Our next break was at 11:30 because I needed to answer a client email and make adjustments to a contract.  I know, I know…this is the Camino.  You’re supposed to leave all your worries behind and be “in the moment”.  I can almost do that…

Tina NOT Acting Camino-like

 

One of the hardest parts of today’s walk was the trek to the top of Mount Aro, 1,850 feet, in the early afternoon heat with no shade.  It was brutal.  The views were worth the effort!

Paco in the Fields

 

Views from Mount Aro

We arrived in Olveiroa around 2:45 pm, after 9 hard hours of hiking.  We popped into the first café we found and enjoyed a lovely lunch.  Afterwards, well, you know the drill: showers, laundry, naps, blog.  And a cold afternoon treat.

 

Afternoon Treat: Bubbly Water and Gluten Free Beer!

 

Later this evening, we plan to check out the sights around town.  We've noticed lots of pilgrims heading down to the river in swimsuits.  Hmm.  That sounds enticing!

Tomorrow is another long day of hiking—34.7 Km—to the lighthouse in Finisterre, the end of the world.  I can’t wait to see it!  We leave super-early again.  Paco will let you know how it goes.

See you soon!

Day 15: Santiago to Negreira... heat wave

Last night in Santiago was magical.

First let's talk about the weather.  I checked my phone. Google said it was 64° F. Tina said "no way the temperature dropped 30 degrees in 2 hours". She was right. It was 64 in Santiago,  Chile in the Southern Hemisphere.  Here, it was in the 80's.

The daytime crowds had thinned out and we could hear music.  There was a huge sound stage set up in the Praza de Quintana,  behind the Cathedral.

 

 

Two women were playing violin and accordion. Their music drew on traditional Galician themes, and the crowd was breaking into traditional line dances. It reminded us of Rodrigo and Gabriela.  Apparently,  they were the warm-up band for someone more famous coming later.

We continued walking, and saw musicians walking in medieval garb towards the main square,  the Praza de Obradoiro.

 

 

We strolled around and headed there before turning in.  A traditional university minstrel group, called a "Tuna" was entertaining the crowd. Kind of magical. 

Last view before heading inside. Pretty magical.

Today's forecast was again for temperatures in the 90's with high humidity, not typical for Galicia. Our hotel had a sumptuous breakfast buffet starting at 7 AM.  What would you do?  Leave at 6 AM to avoid the heat or leave after the breakfast that you'd already paid for.  I chose breakfast.  Let's just say that Tina says that was a mistake...

 

7:30 AM  The road out of Santiago heading West quickly left the city.  Apparently, there's much more development on the other side that we walked in on.  We passed both beautiful homes and abandoned tanneries along the river.  We walked through mountain trails.  We were definitely back on the Camino. 

 

The sun rising, the cathedral in the distance... my phone sucks as a camera

 

Compared to previous days, there were almost no other people on the road.  The first group we passed was a group of five middle aged women clowning it up taking a selfie.  We could have written them off as lightweights, but they were wearing heavy full-sized packs. It dawned on us that at the end of this trek is the town of Muxia, and tradition holds that all Galicians must go there once before they die.  Well, bring it on.

 

Needless to say, the ladies never caught up to us.

 

9:15 AM. We are overtaken by a more serious Pilgrim. I am not competitive.

 

Our plan for the day wasn't complicated.  Since we'd be getting a late start, the only break on this mere 22 kilometer walk was going to be a soda break at the half-way point, a town called Agua Pesada ("Heavy Water". Sounds like WWII).

 

We got there at ten AM. There was maybe one other pilgrim in the bar, and the rest were locals.

 

The drinks came with free tapas of ensalada russa, potato and tuna salad.

Funny thing.  As we sat for a half hour in this roadside cafe/bar, lots of pilgrims showed up.  First by the ones and twos.  Some walked right by, like a group of six young Spaniards.  Others stopped in the bar, like a group of ten Irish men and women wearing day packs.  I don't think we were the latest to get started out this morning.

 

After our rest break came a sustained 250 meter climb.  Does that sound like a lot to you?  Well, it's between 75 and 80 stories.  Let's be polite. It sucked.  It seemed to go on forever.  How did we ever climb four times as much last week?  Oh, it's not the heat, it's the humidity...

Fortunately, there were rest areas.  Some modern, and some not.

 

This part of the day was really hard.  It was past eleven AM, and the heat and humidity were taking their toll.  Can you say grumpy?  Then, approaching midday, we walked into perhaps the most beautiful town on this entire trek, Ponte de Maceira.

 

The bridge was built between the 13th and 14th centuries

 

There's this beautiful, narrow stone bridge with five arches crossing a river.  There's a medieval town on the other side with a castle (or something really grand) and a chapel.  There are rapids, old mills, and people swimming.

 

Can't we just stay here?  PLEASE?????

 

That was Noon, and the answer was no.  We had to keep walking to get to our destination and maybe feel like what it would be like to have a shower.  We were so sweaty. This wasn't fun.

 

Let me digress,  I think that part of what makes the Camino so special--and addictive--beyond the spiritual benefits, is the fact that the conditions on the walk can be so wonderful.  As we've mentioned, the temperatures can be blissfully cool for summertime.  (Yes, there are hot parts on the French Route, but there's no humidity.)  There are no poisonous plants.  There are very, very few places with biting insects.  There aren't any animals trying to kill you.  There's no crime.  This is planet Earth at its best.

 

Yeah, but today was kinda sucky in terms of creature comforts.

The heat was wearing on the other pilgrims.  You could see it.  If there was a bar, they would stop hiking.  If there was a bench, they would take a break.  Miserable as we were, slow as we were, we were making good time--and passing people.  (I am not competitive.)

Before 1 PM we showed up at our hostel in Negreira.  Our room wasn't ready... no, that's not accurate.  The hostel wasn't ready to accept guests.  We had some cold sparkling water in their cafeteria and waited outside.  We watched pilgrims stumbling by off the trail.

The statue at the center of town

When the Irish people started showing up, I made a dash for the desk and was the first to get a room.  Showers, here we come!

While we were waiting, Tina found out on her phone that there was a Michelin rated restaurant in this postage stamp of a town, and we made a reservation.  Wow, what a surprise.  I know we started late, and I know that the walk wasn't fun, but it sure felt good to be showered and having an amazing meal on the road!

 

Then after lunch, we figured out that the hostel has a swimming pool.  Bonus!

Tomorrow, we're hiking 34 kilometers, and the forecast is for more of the same heat and humidity.  Our plan is to start earlier than usual and forego the free breakfast.  (Fine.)  We've bought refrigerated coffee drinks and fruit, and I'm recharging my headlamp.  When we're done, we'll be two thirds of the way to Finisterre.  Tina will tell you how it turns out.

 

 

Day 14: Celebrating in Santiago

 

It’s Day 14 of our Camino adventure: Sunday, our day of rest and celebration.  We’re in Santiago de Compostella, relishing the end of this phase of our journey, and celebrating our wedding anniversary which was technically last Friday.

When we arrived yesterday, we were struck by the number of unfamiliar faces among the pilgrims arriving in the city.  We walked the French Route of the Camino in 2019. That’s by far the most popular route—more than 50% of pilgrims journey that way.  You get to know your fellow peregrinos by sight and by name.  Walking into the Cathedral Plaza, you’re greeted by all your fellow walkers.  It’s a wonderful experience.

The Camino del Norte, the route we chose this year, is the most difficult route (due to length and elevations). Only 6% of pilgrims choose this path.  Hence, you meet very few travelers along the way, and you’re unlikely to run into them in Santiago amid the rush of humanity that you encounter at the Cathedral.

The Cathedral in the Afternoon Sun

 

St James Atop of the Cathedral

As we strolled passed the Cathedral Saturday evening, we heard voices calling out, “Hey Paco and Tina!”  It was the 2 Spanish girls we walked with during the past few days.  They had planned to stay in Arca/O Pedrouzo Saturday evening when they passed us having lunch in A Brea.  Unfortunately, they couldn’t find a room in town.  All the albergues and hostels were full.  They had to backtrack to a preceding town where they snagged the last remaining campsite for the night.  They made it into town Saturday morning, and were headed to the bus station for their overnight return to Madrid.  It was so much fun to see them and re-connect.  We plan to share stories over a glass of wine in Madrid when we return next week.

We continued into town for a light snack at a very popular (and very hard to access) dive-bar/restaurant, O Gato Negro (The Black Cat).  Even if you kind of know where it is, it’s nearly impossible to find. It's only open four hours a day.  But it’s always crazy-crowded.  Check out this unassuming doorway.

The Most Obscure Entrance to a Popular Bar

We got one of the last tables in the bar, near a fan (bonus!) and enjoyed pimientos de Padron (seared Padron peppers), Pulpo a Feira (Galician Octopus) and Navajas (Razor Clams.)  I’d never been to this place, although Paco’s visited once before. It’s quite an experience of Spanish food, culture, and community.  A great way to spend an early evening.

Galician Octopus

We had breakfast at our hotel on Sunday morning, then went to run some errands.  Walking past the Cathedral, we noticed three fellow pilgrims, backpacks in tow, standing in the Plaza.  They were some of the group with whom we shared a snack break a few days back.  They had just arrived in town this morning. We took a photo of the group in front of the Cathedral and shared hugs and congratulations.

Then we headed to the Cathedral for the 9:30 am Pilgrim’s Mass.  There are many Pilgrim’s Masses every day, but especially on Sunday. Today was no exception. We got there very early and had wonderful seats. I even had time to light some candles before Mass started.  The service was packed.  There were 12 priests celebrating Mass. Many had led tour groups on the Camino and were there with their teams.  It was a beautiful service.

Lighting Candles

 

But the biggest surprise of all came at the very end: they raised and swung the Botafumeiro, a very large censer that envelopes the entire Cathedral with incense.  In ancient times, pilgrims were housed in the alcoves of the Cathedral. The Botafumeiro was filled with incense (and cannabis) to cleanse the air—and calm down the anxious pilgrims.  Today, it’s only used on special occasions and holidays. This is only the second time we’ve experienced it.  Here’s a video of the event.  It’s even better in person.

The Botafumeiro on Sunday 

Walking out of church after Mass, we ran into our Camino friend Carlos from Sevilla.  He had just arrived last night, attended Mass this morning, and was on his way to catch his flight home.  We exchanged hugs, contact information and best wishes.  How lucky to have run into him like this!

Santiago is a joyful cacophony of ancient sights and sounds: streetscapes, plazas, pilgrims, and the never-ending strains of the Gaitero (bagpiper).

 

Santiago Streetscape

Santiago Views

 

Ancient Plaza

 

Every hour, more and more pilgrims—alone and in groups—pour into the plaza.  Many arrive in matching T-shirts, chanting, singing, and dancing. The joy and excitement are infectious.

We made our way to the tourist office to collect information about the final part of our journey: the trek to Finisterre (end of the world) and Muxia.  It’s about a 120 km walk that we plan to cover in the upcoming 4 days. We’ve never done this walk before, so we’re very excited about the upcoming adventure!

Paco arranged a wonderful lunch reservation for us at a top restaurant in town where we enjoyed an incredible tasting menu.  It was just the right touch to celebrate the end of this part of our journey, and the start of another adventure just around the corner.

Open Kitchen at Casa Marcelo

 

It's been a magical day in Santiago.  We met so many of our Camino friends, enjoyed warm and sunny weather, relaxed, and thoroughly appreciated the specialness of this place and this moment.

Tomorrow, we walk again.  The first stage is the shortest, only 22 Km. It's supposed to be hot and sunny again (highs in the 90's), so we plan on a 7:30 am start to beat the heat.

Paco will take it from here tomorrow.