The Day After the Walk Before

Yesterday we got wet. It had to happen I guess having enjoyed unseasonably warm and bright weather;1 we were heading to Santiago, the city of rain. It rained from the moment we started out at about 0930 to when we arrived at the Cathedral at around 4.00 pm. It was 19 km to the city but we hadn't allowed for the extra long walk to the reach St James' rest place. We walked 22 kms; we arrived wet and weary but uplifted by our sense of achievement  - and the thought of a hot shower, dry clothes and a beer. 

Santiago is old and new, a mix of grey historic, catholic buildings and narrow, stone streets in the old city surrounded by white dwellings with orange roofs further out then industrial sites and modern arterial roads. The cathedral might have looked better in the sunshine but, somehow, the somber, misty dampness was appropriate both to our mood and our surrounds. We would recover quickly as we did each day after washing, resting, eating and drinking.

Some peregrinos had walked much further than us to reach the cathedral - some 750 to our 115 km but whatever their reason or ours we were all pilgrims together at the end we had satisfied our own personal aims.  

So we made it and we were happy.

The best and the worst of it

Best bit..... Quality time with favourite people

Funniest bit..... Seeing the man who thought he was a tram

Hardest bit.... The crusts of the bread

Worst bit...... Pain in my knee

Tastiest bit..... Santiago cake

Memorable bits..... Local gin, blessing by the priest on the side of the road, collecting the stamps in the passport

Most memorable bit.... The paths, tracks and roads - the way! 

Whoever invented GoreTex is a fibber!

I think I discovered a new phenomenon today. Trouser drag! Sadly the long expected but thus far avoided rain finally caught up with us overnight so this morning we reluctantly went for the 'designer plastic look' (see delightful photos below). Now the thing about waterproofs is that they lie! That's to say they pretend to stop you from getting wet but in fact not only do they gradually let water in by devious means but they also make you so hot that before long you're as soggy from the inside as you are from without. Secondly, wherever they end (jacket just below the waist, trousers round your boots) the water simply rolls off and sneakily seeps in, not content with making the wearer look a total numpty but defying all attempts on their part to stay dry. And another thing ... With the rain today came the wind and hence my scientific discovery. When you find yourself clad head to foot in fabric designed to keep the draughts out and roomy enough to go over your normal gear you realise that your surface area is significantly increased - see photo 2 as I demonstrate. And thus, in imitation of black and blue sails, every step required additional force to propel these weary pilgrims forward and thus, with leaden legs, soggy socks, walnut-wrinkled feet and STILL soaked to the skin .... we arrived! 

Somewhat disappointingly there was no fanfare, and not even a 'you made it' marker but we did it and have the certificate to prove it. Happy, weary and proud of our efforts you'll excuse me if I stop there. A celebratory meal and a glass or two beckon. 

Looking tired and still only just on the outskirts of the city

Trouser drag

Just a fraction of our stamped 'credential' to prove we walked all the way.

My Compostella

The End! 

Made it

We got to the end after a long slog through the rain. It rained incessantly from when we left the hotel in Rua at 9.00 through to when we got to Santiago de Compostella at 4.00ish. The last time I was that wet when fully clothed was when I did my life saving exams! 

But we made it in one piece with only a reasonable breakfast, a little soup at lunchtime, several coffees and a brandy to sustain us! Oh and a couple of bars and a drop or two of rescue remedy! 

Now the proud owners of our certificates we can rest on our laurels for a bit, safe in the knowledge that long distance walking isn't so hard after all! Who am I kidding! 

Everywhere is within walking distance if you have the time! 

Thank you David, Rachael and Stephen for coming with me. 

Day 6 - A Rua to Santiago

We have around 19 km left on the final stage of our walk to Santiago de Compostella. The fist part should be on paths and quiet roads but we anticipate walking alongside busier roads as we approach the capital of Galacia with a fair old climb up to Monte Gozo along the way. Rain is forecast.

My main memories from yesterday were the eucalyptus trees.

Ode to Amanda

Amanda is my buddy

Amanda is my friend

She's a motivating influence 

On whom I can depend

Amanda is my buddy

Amanda is my pal

She's positive and 'cup half full'

A most uplifting gal

Amanda is my buddy

Amanda is my mate

She's smart and kind and thoughtful

And we laugh a lot. It's great.

We think alike in many ways

Enjoy a gin or two

We share so many values

That we SHOULD be friends, it's true

BUT...

Though Amanda loves a new idea

Into which she catapults 

Amanda's not a 'finisher'

Her focus ain't results 

And that's where we two differ

(She knows this drives me round the bend)

But believe me she will finish THIS

If I must DRAG her to the end! 

Last but one

Last night we had supper in a warm and welcoming place run by a couple of ladies. Advertising outside promised a home made vegetarian meal. Venturing in we met Chris and Ollie from Ireland. Chris was doing the Camino because she wanted to join Ollie who had done two lots of it before and was on the last leg. Not sure what Ollie's motivation was! 

They didn't reckon the food was that great, but I thought it was simple and filling and rustic! 

Today we walked for a little way this morning with two couples who were travelling together. The Salvation Army was their common thread altho one pair were from Manchester and the other from the US. I walked alongside Margaret, married to Chick and they were the Brits. Margaret told me about a local charity close to her heart called Just Life. She and her husband are 66 and their friends Phil and Keitha are 72. Puts my 57 to shame! 

Struggled with my good knee today on the downward slopes but got here! 

Only 19kms to go and I am sure I will survive to tell the tale unlike some who have travelled before me! 

Lest I Forget

I've been trying to figure out why people would undertake this walk. For days I've been posing the question, to my companions, to complete strangers, to myself. In this day and age when religion is less prominent in the daily lives of far fewer people than of old I have been trying to figure out what drives people to walk towards Santiago in their thousands (10,000 predicted in October this year alone we are told). The answer is often similar and, barring subtle shades, comes down to 'because it's there'. Several people have told me they suddenly found they had time (through redundancy, retirement etc), others wanted the physical challenge, a few to celebrate beating an illness. Numerous people were inspired by the film, 'The Way': others cite the film but feel it has turned The Camino into nothing more than a tourist attraction (and to some extent they are right - but nevertheless you still have to make that commitment, in time and effort alone, and the local economy is hugely dependent on that same tourism so to my mind that's ok).

A considerable number of people I've talked to have grown 'connected' as they have walked, whether intentionally or not, with the millions who have trodden the same path before them. I guess I'm one of them. It's difficult not to. The rural villages remain largely untouched, the communal albergues are a reminder of a time when the norm was for the church or the hospitals to take pilgrims in and offer food, water and much needed care, and the support offered by one pilgrim to another en route is so freely given that you can't help feeling part of a 'brotherhood'. Even if the drivers are now different, even if the motivation is less to arrive at the cathedral in supplication, there's something about being part of The Camino community that makes this journey special.

The final category of pilgrim is the one walking in memory of someone they loved. One man told me that since his mother died a couple of years ago he 'hadn't felt right'. He couldn't articulate more than that but I knew what he meant. 

Today we passed a memorial to a man who died whilst walking his Way and another of a woman who passed away in her sleep having arrived in Santiago. These are the more visible tributes, along with the countless ribbons which adorn trees and the prayers wedged under stones, but I suspect the vast majority remain hidden in hearts and minds. 

I too have enjoyed the challenge but I'm not redundant, retired or recovering, and not recently bereaved either. So when I arrive in Santiago tomorrow what will I feel? Why did I walk? 

I'm not a big one for planning my distant future and my memory these days is pretty poor so neither looking forwards nor backwards is my forte. Instead I'm a 'here and now' person so I've decided I'll be celebrating just that. I'm here, fit and well, with a happy home, a job I enjoy, and with friends and family I love and who love me back. Lest I forget x

In memoriam

A 'memory' tree - looks tatty in the photo (looked a little tatty in real life too, but still moving)

The whole world 'woz 'ere' (that's the ceiling of a coffee shop - you should have seen the walls, the tables, the loo, the bar ....)

Day 5 - Arzua to A Rua

We have been lucky with the weather so far but will need even more luck today.  Conditions are overcast with a 50% chance of getting wet sometime.

We have around 19 km (12 miles) to cover on natural pathways through the ubiquitous eucalyptus and other trees. A fairly flat stage with only 3 river valleys to cross. Buen Comino.......!

And from yesterday...

Spaniards shrink

I was in downtown Melide last night watching a señor disassemble an octopus with scissors (señor had the scissors, not the octopus) when I was approached by a señora in her twilight years. I thought she was in the distance but in fact she was standing right in front of me and was very small. It struck me that Spaniards shrink as they get older. Young Spaniards are normal size. All old Spaniards are tiny. There is no such thing as a tall old Spaniard. So they must shrink. And not by just a little - but by a lot. I think this happens for one of two reasons. Either they dehydrate and shrivel (like plums and prunes) because it is so hot here or their mass is disintegrated by sound waves because they are so noisy. I saw a demonstration of this on Star Trek once so I know it is possible. It is so important to travel and see these things first hand. Travel really broadens the mind. The Veterano Osborne Spanish brandy is very good value here.

Spent all day thinking this up.....

There once was a lady did The Way

With two blokes and her friend Rae

They walked and they talked

And they talked and they walked

And that's how she got through her day! 

I wonder (as I wander)...

It makes you think ... No, I mean it REALLY makes you think. You can't help it. Even when walking with friends, there are times when, either because our various paces fall out of synch, or one needs a fuel or water break or to catch a breath, or simply when the peace and quiet overtakes you and you walk alongside each other in silence, you find yourself wondering about all sorts of things. At first I thought it was just me but as time has gone on I've realised that many a conversation starts up with "I was thinking ..." or often, in my case certainly, "I wonder..."

Thanks to the joys of the Internet (which has become lovingly renamed The Wiffy)

[wifi] I've been able to satisfy many of those idle curiosities when the day's walking is over. Today I was wondering why there are so many eucalyptus trees in Galicia. I thought it was native to the antipodes. These huge trees line much of the footpath, soaring skyward straight as a die, their bark-stripped trunks pale and smooth and their grey-green leaves only starting many feet above our heads. It seems they were imported years ago and actively promoted by the paper industry in the 20thC. Now, magnificent as they are, I've learned that the forests are less easy to contain and, lacking much formal management, pose a serious fire risk. So now you know.

Ok, I've told you something you maybe didn't know before. So, in the spirit of tit for tat, can anyone answer me this? I've looked it up on The Wiffy but I'm still mystified. 

Why does our dirty washing take up more space than the clean did in our suitcase??? 

 Bursting out of their own skin!

Impossible to show the sheer size of these beauties

Splendid!

Noisy!

The day started incredibly noisily with a party going on into the small hours. 

Breakfast was in the bar next door to the hotel and the noise continued with the Spanish landlady yelling at the customers over the noise of the coffee machine, the orange juice machine and the sound of lots of spaniards jabbering away to each other. 

We chatted to Roberto and Louise from Sydney who were about to embark on their third day of walking. We met them later on at an oasis and Rachel asked Roberto why he was on the camino.  Answer, his mother died three years ago and he wanted to clear his head. 

Two single guys were also having breakfast - Ian an American who'd walked an incredible 750kms so far and an unnamed Dutchman who'd been inspired to walk after seeing a documentary on The Way and had had a bad year with work. 

It was a relief to leave the bar and start walking to get some peace and quiet!

Day 4 - Melida to Arzua

Another short 15 km stage to look forward to today. We cross several shallow river valleys so ups and downs might be the order of the day. Also there is a 50% chance we may need to get our waterproofs out. Having passed the half way point yesterday we are well on The Way to Santiago. 

And some pictures from yesterday....

Mystery Solved

I like a good mystery. I like a mystery even better when I've solved it. 

The area of Spain we are traversing is Galicia. There are two things which, according to a quick Google search, are typical of the area. I know that NOW. 

A few days ago it became apparent that you will find a small crucifix atop a tall pillar in pretty much every village, at significant junctions, and in squares across the territory. Not surprising perhaps in a staunchly Catholic country, and charming in their own way. Below is a classic example. 

The other typical Galician feature had me foxed for a while. As early as day one we spotted in a rural garden what looked like a shed on stilts. "Quaint", we remarked, and walked on. A few houses further along another similar structure came into view, this time with a similarly wooden frame but with holey brick walls. "Weird", we thought, and passed by. As the hours and miles rolled by we noticed more and more of these curious structures. Picture, if you will, a tiny 'house', long and narrow, on average around 2ft x 6ft, with a tiled roof, a miniature door, and air bricks for walls, 4ft up in the air, and EVERYWHERE! Not only that but the significant majority have a crucifix of their own on top. Guesses ranged from the serious to the silly: a kennel? a tool shed? a chicken coop? a mausoleum? somewhere to stick the kids when they're naughty? a gnome house??? Of course the holes were the key. Clearly something had to be stored in there that required air to circulate and just as we had decided they must be grain stores along came a helpful American pellegrina who confirmed they were for storing corn. Ah ha! Thought so! (chicken shed indeed, pah) But in fact that wasn't the end of it. Now we began to wonder how on earth the grain dried without falling through the holes. We decided it must be kept in sacks, the crosses being a symbol of thanks for a good harvest. We were nearly right. The matter was finally solved today by an unsuspecting farmer whose shed-maintenance skills left something to be desired. When our American friend said 'corn' she meant 'maize'. Mystery solved. 

PS I've subsequently found out these are called 'horreos'

PPS Stephen says "Next mystery. Why are the Spanish so b*****y noisy??" I'd better get back onto Google.

Curious, huh?

Ta da!

Food

When in Spain, eat like the Spanish! The food has been cheap, varied and plentiful. The pilgrims menu usually includes wine or water and has a choice of starters, mains and pud. First night I chose turnip tops, which were greens really in a melted cheese sauce piled into a pastry shell which was delicious, followed by two skewers of steak and veg, also very tasty. Two nights ago I chose a Waldorf salad which wasn't, so I swapped half way through with David who had a much tastier looking green beans and bacon starter. My main was called fish casserole, and was a big hunk of hake in a tomato sauce with a couple of clams and shrimps keeping it company. Pud was cold rice pudding, nice but I prefer it hot. 

Last night I started with a yummy pasta carbonara, then had salmon a la plache and chips followed by a slice of Santiago tart. 

Tonight is still a mystery but we are a place called Melide and apparently one of the best-known dishes served in Melide is its octopus. 

And I'm looking out for this stuff too. The first thing that visitors notice on reaching the town’s historic centre is its delicious smell. The traditional ovens in the centre of the town are filled each day with melindres (sugar-topped pastries), amendoados (almond cakes) and ricos, a butter-based pastry flavoured with aniseed made exclusively in the town.

Yum! 

PS.... We did do octopus and then pizza! 

The time is now ...

As you start each day on the Camino it is almost impossible to not reflect on the millions who have gone before over the centuries. On this well trodden route you continuously exchange pleasantries and stories with fellow travellers and then move on. There is something quite liberating about these fleeting encounters and it reminds me of some good advice I once received. Don't dwell on things that have happened - bad or good. 'The time is now and the place is here.' Dan Milman. The way of the peaceful warrior.

Day 3 - Palais de Rei to Melida

Having completed the 2 longest legs of our journey, today is one of the shortest. Melida is only 15 km and fairly flat. About half the path is through woodlands and most of the rest on quiet roads. But the route is getting more built up as we get nearer to Santiago.

'Walking, I am listening to a deeper way. Suddenly all my ancestors are behind me.'

Some photos from yesterday....

Pilgrims' Supper

So far we have enjoyed taking advantage of the pilgrims' supper served along The Way in hotels, auberges, restaurants and cafes. In the hotels this has cost about 13 euros a head but is cheaper down town. It comprises a fairly simple 3 course menu with around 5 choices for each course. Often a drink - beer, wine or water - as well as plenty of bread are included. 

Last night, for example, in the local cafe our dinner came to 12 euros each and included a large G&T, 2 beers and a bottle of house red! My 3 courses were pasta bolognaise, beef and chips and Santiago cake. Stephen has managed to find vegetarian options.

We are eating well! Buen provecho!

Love .... and Free Hugs

When we arrived at today's hotel we were greeted with a perfectly tailored welcome speech. The English may have been a little broken ('tho infinitely better than our Spanish) but the content spot on. Clearly mindful of the needs of weary walkers, the reception staff focused on the immediate and the necessary but delivered with such empathy and charm, not to mention smiles, that I was almost ready to offer a grateful embrace. After 24Km just point me in the direction of a hot shower followed by a decent meal and that's pretty much me sorted, thank you. 

Today's expression of sympathetic understanding came at the end of a day that had me thinking about love. There's so much of it on this walk. From time to time farmers and homeowners leave a pile of apples or a plate of biscuits on a rickety old table outside their house with an honesty box and a sign wishing well to weary pellegrinos. Occasionally you might spot a pair of sandals or boots by the side of the road. Our guide book both offers 'advice' and explains: "if you have no further need, consider others and leave unwanted items behind".  See what I mean? Love is all around. 

We have often found, in the UK, that there's a certain camaraderie amongst walkers. Here it extends deeper. No matter if you started 600 miles ago or just in Sarria as we did, everyone takes the time to wish each other 'Buen Camino' (have a good walk) knowing that it's a journey of long days of toil for everyone and of more than just miles for many. As you progress you're often passed by others whose pace is quicker, only to pass them later as they stop to rest, and so-on throughout the day. These recurringly familiar faces become less and less like strangers. The smiles get wider with recognition and if you later encounter them in the same accommodation it's almost like meeting up with friends. Of course our own companions started out as friends but it occurs to me that a shared experience such as this creates a bond that will endure a lifetime. Thank you Amanda, David and Stephen, naturally, for the memories we are creating together. 

The icing on the cake today was a sign, spotted outside a fairly humble 'casa'. So very thoughtful ....

(No, these were not mine)

Ok, this wasn't a road-side offering, it was part of breakfast, but it's still lovely. A Santiago Tart. 

Follow the Way

Having spent 2 days on The Way I have to admit it would be difficult to get lost. Apart from the number of fellow pilgrims the signage is great. Here are examples....

It's the people!

Early on today we walked alongside a group of five from south California. Two couples and a single man. Three of them were priests and the single man wasn't really single. He had left his wife behind, too fat apparently to tackle the walk. 

The two Venezuelans who could be father and son passed us at speed (as they did yesterday) and we kept company with another American guy who had been walking for several weeks for a short time. . 

So far we've exchanged pleasantries or a little conversation with Americans, Australians, a Dane, South African, and a lone Brit. People tell us there aren't many people from the UK on The Camino. We've overheard lots of Spanish of course and the occasional French and German. People are incredibly friendly and say hi, hola or buen camino whenever they catch up with and pass others on the path.  It creates a wonderful feeling of community and whilst there are lots of people, it is by no means busy. 

Day 2 - Portomarin - Palais de Rei

Refreshed after a good night's sleep we have the longest stage of the walk to look forward to. It's 24.8 km (15.4 mi) and climbing around 450 m (1400 ft). The highest point will be Sierre Ligonde at 720 m (2362 ft). A day of varied terrain steadily climbing to the high point, then up and down to the finish. Get through today and it will be down hill all the way (well almost!) for the last 42 miles to Santiago de Compostella. Onwards and upwards then team!

Pictures from yesterday

100 km to go