Cape Finisterre (End of the World)

After two days exploring Santiago, Bret and I took a bus to Finisterre, once believed to be the end of the world. It is another 100 klms past Santiago. It's a small fishing village and we stayed at a nice little place called hotel Lopez. The next day we walked the last three klms to the lighthouse and the sea. I had a small piece of BC jade that I had brought with me and I threw it into the Atlantic. There is a bronzed boot fastened onto the rock there in honour of the pilgrims and on a metal tower many pilgrims had left something of theirs to commemorate their walk, shoes, scarves, T-shirts, socks all kinds of things. There were also many places on the rocks where they had burned something in effigy. We even saw the blackened remains of a cell phone! It is quite the place!

Day 40 - Oct 30th -SANTIAGO !

We did it! We are in Santiago! Today's walk was 23.5 klms the last 5 of which were across the city to the cathedral where we registered and showed our pilgrims passports with stamps from every place we stayed and were given our Compostella, the certificate in Latin for completing the Camino! It was a great day with everyone in high spirits laughing and talking and congratulating each other. The day started foggy and ended in bright sunshine!

Day 39 - Arzua to Pedrouzo - Oct 29th

Well today way a culture shock! We walked 22 klms and mostly it was easy level walking. It began in heavy fog but that lifted after a few hours. What was so amazing was the people! They were everywhere. The Camino Norte finally merged with the much busier Camino Frances plus apparently over 40 Belgian students joined the Frances to walk the last 100 klms and we were part of a huge crowd. But we are now only 18.5 klms from Santiago!

Day 38 - Sobrado Dos Monxes to Arzua - oct 28th

Another long walk today, 23 1/2 klms and I got a brand new blister! I thought those were a thing of the past by now! It was supposed to rain all day but end up mostly just cloudy but we did get caught in two 20 minute heavy showers. Most of the day was through quiet empty peaceful countryside and then we hit Arzua! This is the place where the Camino Norte and the much more popular Camino Francais meet. On Sobrado Bret and I were the only pilgrims in a dorm that would hold 50 and today every where you looked you saw pilgrims and Albergue. We could hardly believe it I am definitely glad we spent most of our Camino on the less travelled northern route!

Day 37 - Miraz to Sobrado - Oct 27/13

They served breakfast at the Miraz albergue and I had bread & peanut butter!! There was also jams and muffins and a tube of something, Bret turned it over and we both let out yelps and jumped back. It was VEGEMITE ! The French woman Helen, and the Spanish guy Carlos decided to taste it and spent the next 5 minutes trying to get the taste out of their mouths while we laughed.
Long day today, 27.5 klms mostly along country roads and lanes until the last 8 along a hwy. it was overcast but didn't rain and we were pretty tired when we reached Sobrado, but we are now 62 klms from Santiago!
I am attaching a photo taken at breakfast initial (due to popular demand) Bret is sitting next to me and Helen ( from France) is across from me with Pedro the Spaniard beside her the two at the end were Spanish as well doing the Camino on bicycles I never got their names. Helen said they weren't real pilgrims anyway cause they weren't walking.

Day 35 - Baamonde to Miraz

Well today was a short day 16 klms but felt very long to me. I woke up this morning with a cough and the start of a cold. (All the walking in the rain and slogging through wet muddy lanes I guess) My head ached and we waited in Baamonde until the pharmacia opened and I could get some cold medicine. When we got to Miraz I fell into bed and slept for 3 hours! I feel much better now and just learned that the clocks get move ahead an hour tonight so I get even more sleep! I'm sure tomorrow will be a good day. By the way we are now in double digits! Santiago is 87 klms away!

Day 34 - Vilalba to Baamonde - oct 25th

Well we walked 23 klms today, much of it on muddy lanes where we had to negotiate our footing carefully BUT we are at the Albergue we have washed our socks and showered and although it started out overcast it never rained on us and the day ended in sunshine!

Day 33 Gontan to Vilalba

Well it rained steadily all day and even under my poncho it got pretty wet. On the bright side it was the flattest 20 klms since arriving in Spain and with no wind it wasn't cold. At one point we walked down a wooded lane where the trees had grown completely together above so we were in a green tunnel, I remember thinking how beautiful it would be in the sunshine! We past a nice house in the afternoon and I was taking a picture of it when the owner drove out and gave me a big smile and wave. When the house gates closed behind her I saw that there were two Camino Shells carved into it!

Day 32 - Oct 23/13 Mondonedo to Gontan

Well after a day of rest yesterday we felt ready for today's hike, or so we thought! Actually we did pretty well, we walked for about 5 1/2 hours and 18.3 klms and our feet were only complaining a little bit. However the weather was not kind, it drizzled on and off all day. You would get damp and chilled then the wind and a flash of sunlight would dry you off and then it would start raining again!
Oh well we are at the albergue and have had hot showers and are wearing dry clothes! All is good . . .

Day 31 - Oct 22nd - Mondonedo

Well I have been travelling with Bret from Kansas and Theresa from Berlin but Theresa is running out of time and has to finish her Camino by oct 29th when she heads back to Germany to celebrate her 30th birthday Nov 2nd.
Bret and I have decided to take a day off and stay in Mondonedo to explore the historic city and give our feet a rest. We both have very sore feet. We went exploring and the cathedral doors were open so we got a chance to wander inside . It was built in the 1400's and is quite impressive!

Day 30 - Oct 21st Lourenza to Mondonedo

A short day today as blisters still plague us and the rain is forecast for the late afternoon again. We walked along secondary roads up and out of Lourenza and then dirt and gravel roads and a fair bit of hills for 12 klms before coming down into Mondonedo and checking in at the police station and getting a key to the albergue.
It is a nice one, clean and well kept but the showers weren't very hot. Oh well you can't have it all

Day 29 - Oct 20

Long, long day! Didn't even realize it was Sunday until half way thru the day. We had planned on 22 klms but when we reached Gandan the albergue was closed! 8 klms later we reached Lourenza and stayed the night. There were a lot of hills today at times it seemed we were always going up! On the good die it was a nice temperature around 20 and it didn't rain on us! There is a beautiful church here I took pictures but they don't do it justice

Day 28 - la Caridad to Ribadeo

Oct 19th - Well I wasn't sure about today We followed country lanes and forest trails and my feet were hurting a lot. I stopped and treated a brand new blister and then felt much better. We got caught in a rain shower, it was heavy but lasted only 20 minutes and then the sun came out! We completed over 26 klms today and my feet are a little sore but proud of themselves too!

Day 27 - Luarca to La Caridad

Not a great day for me. My feet are not doing so great, I made it about 7 klms and was limping so badly that Bret and I waved down the bus and rode it 20 klms to the hostel. I have treated my feet and we will see how tomorrow goes!

Day 26 - Cadavedo to Luarca

The day had started great! The sun is shining and we have walked 5 klms already and have stopped for a coffee. More later. Well we made it to Luarca ! We are tired and are feet are sore. We got rooms at the same place as last time the hostel Aria

Day 25 - Soto de Luina to Cadavedo

Ok, we started today with high hopes. It was overcast but dry and we followed the highway because the woods path was still very wet. By the time we has gone 7 klms it started to rain and 40 minutes later we found a little hotel with a bar and a bartender who felt sorry for the two half drowned rats in his doorway . Theresa had outpaced Bret and I and was long gone! We dried out and has some lunch and then caught a bus 10 klms to Cadaverdo. tomorrow we walk 16 klms to Luarca.
My feet still hurt but a good nights sleep should do wonders and the sun will shine in the morning!

Day 24 San Estaban to Soto de Luina

Well it finally happened, RAIN ! It was raining fairly heavily when we woke up so we decided against walking along the ocean and followed the Camino path out of town and then up and down hills all day long. Most of the day we followed rutted wagon tracks and narrow single paths through the woods. I wore my cheap dollar store rain poncho and the nettles and thorns in the woods proceeded to punch many many little holes in it! When the rain tapered off late afternoon I threw it in a dumpster. My feet got wet and I have several new blisters because of it. We are in an Albergue that used to be an old school house, it's comfortable enough but has no washer or dryer so we have hung our wet clothes inside on the spare bunk beds and hope for the best. We have to find a Lavenderia tomorrow!

This place sleeps twenty and there are only six of us so there are quite a few spare bunk beds.

Tomorrow is definitely going to be better! However it may be a 10 - 12 kilometre day if my feet are still this sore in the morning!

Day 22 - 23 Luarca to Aviles to San Estaban

Well yesterday Kathy and I headed back. Me to Aviles to start walking again and Kathy to Bilbao and her flight home today :(
I miss her already it was great walking with her. I met up with Bret (from Kansas) and Theresa ( from Germany) and as the hostel in Aviles was closed we found shared accommodation at a "Pension" in Aviles at 15 Euros each, the Albergue (hostel) would have been 5.00 each.
We walked 26 klms today to San Estaban, a long walk but a nice one! Some fairly long hills leading out of the city but then mostly wooded lanes and rocky paths the rest of the day. We are a little tired now and my feet are sore but not too bad and the nice hot shower felt good!

Day 20 & 21 - Luarca

This two day break at the seaside town of Luarca has been wonderful. It's a pretty town that is surrounded by cliffs on 3 sides and the ocean on the 4th. The weather is cooler 14 to 20 degrees but sunny and we have taken several long relaxing walks. The harder walking ahead can wait awhile :-))

Day 19 - Kathy's last "walking"day

Kathy's last Camino day we left the hostel around 9:00 and walked thru some quiet streets and out of La Isla into countryside. We followed rutted tracks through farmers fields meadows and hillsides for 3 klms to Colunga. Then we followed an old hwy for about 10 klms to Castiello de Seloreo where we had a huge lunch then took a taxi and a bus and then a train to Oviedo! We are taking a two day break in the seaside town of Luarca. A place Kathy fell in love with on her last Camino. Then we will take a train back where I will continue walking and Kathy will take the long flight home from Bilbao to Madrid to London and finally Vancouver!