Finisterre

Up early to catch the local bus to Finisterre-too early for the hotel breakfast we were promised. The Spanish eat later.
The sun was shining but it was a cool wind as we walked up to the bus station on the outskirts of the old town. The trip took about two and a half hours on a modern double decker bus,much better than shank's poney. We crossed over the hills and through the forested areas before arriving at the coast. This stretch reminded me of home-unpopulated,rocky hills,pine clad hills  and rugged bays scattered with small coastal settlements.

There were some aqua culture sites in some of the bays and the fishing villages each housed a small fleet of fishing boats tied up to the jetty. Quite picturesque on a warm sunny day trip. There were some more upmarket resort towns too with sandy beaches and providing tempting options for a holiday break.

We arrived at Finisterre rather hoping for a breakfast but we were a bit late so coffee and a packed lunch were purchased and we made our way up to the lighthouse, a three km walk  but contrary to what we were told it was a doddle along a well formed road but we did find the 00 Camino  way marker. I hope Marcus finds it as it was a real disappointment for him not to find it in Santiago.

We explored the headland and appreciated the symbolic cross at the foot of the walkway, the bronze statue of the pilgrim's boot atop a rock and the blackened rocks with the remains of ashes from recent fires.

Some pilgrims were still burning their clothing on a heap amongst the rocks (another tradition). We ate our lunch on the headland over looking the Atlantic Ocean, a perfect day with little wind and about twenty five degrees so it was a magic place to visit and reflect on our own camino.

The Romans named the point as Finis terre or the' end of the world' as known by the Romans. There are other such places  in Europe as I found out later. The lighthouse is on the' Coast of Death' a notorious coastline responsible for many shipwrecks. In the middle of the bay there is an island called The Crab which was responsible for a large loss of life over time.
All too soon it was time to return to the village and catch the bus back to Santiago. Another adventure at an end.

Post Camino -recovery phase....

Staying in a lovely hotel for recovery phase 1. Have to say after meeting up and eating out with friends and fellow pilgrims we slept the sleep of the dead. Awoke to a lovely leisurely breakfast served in a sunny nook on the terrace and a day of light duties ahead of us.

First call was to find our new hotel and shift our gear and then onto attend the pilgrims mass at the catedral.
The botafumeiro will not swing today. Yesterday a peregrino paid five hundred euros for the ceremony but today no sign of any activity as we await the mass.The nuns are tending the flowers and the choir is rehearsing. The interior of the catedral is impressive,the high alter is a work of art and tradition has it that you climb up  the steps behind St James and hug the apostle before proceeding to the crypt and giving thanks before the casket containing the relics of the saint.
We are here to hear New Zealand read out in the pilgrim roll of honour.

We took an audio tour of the catedral after the ceremony.The catedral is Jacobean in design with  a baroque  alter design featuring St James protected by angels. The statue of St James on horseback  vanquishing the Moors  and saving Christendom is impressive. One has to respect the traditions and history of such a rich repository of devotion over centuries of worship by the faithful.
We missed out on much of this as we do not have the religious knowledge to understand all the imagery.

We were too late for the rooftop tour so we took a picnic to the park and enjoyed the sun for an hour or so before meeting up with the Portugues pilgrim group for drinks and a meal of meat! A great meal and good company in a very special place.Scott and Cha Cha,Ron and Vanessa,Mark,Oscar,Katrina,Christina and others whose names escape me spent a lovely evening together before going our separate ways. It seemed so sad to put our shared adventure to bed but the time had come and we dispersed later that night to our respective lives around the globe.

 

The highlight was the botafumeiro ceremony at the Wednesday mass. An awe inspiring  sight  I have to say. We were sitting just below the casket as it swung over our heads.

Saturday, 27 July 2013

The walk into Santiago

The final day and we were underway by eight  am,cool again with a strong breeze but good for walking in.

We had a lovely walkway past hamlets,stone walls and lanes tucked away from the mainstream traffic .Gardens.chooks and geese evident again today.
We are walking across a fairly elevated area in the hills,close to the communication towers,antennae, aerials,TV repeaters  etc and lightly populated hamlets.

Running streams alongside the track for part of the way,Rio Tinto was just a head water at this point of the walk but it had a little bridge so a photo opportunity.Shades of the little brick road!

 The views down the valleys were lovely and we enjoyed the rural paths leading through the trees down into the more populated places.
We had a  convivial coffee  at Alfonso and met up with our fellow pilgrims who were taking a break-the Dutch pair and the German group plus the German man pulling a trolley with all his gear aboard. Everyone was very cheerful today as the end was in sight and we arranged to meet up for a meal once we made Santiago.
Brad and I ate our lunch on the top of Monte Agro in a clearing amongst the trees. people stared at us not sure if they are used to picnicking pilgrims!

From here the day got much warmer and the road surfaces harder so by the time the city was in sight we were looking forward to getting our boots off and relaxing. It was a long slog up to the city.We could see the towers of the catedral but the time ticked slowly-mind over matter stuff the last hour or so but we arrived eventually into the Portugues way .There are four pathways into the city which lead up to the catedral-one for each of the ways.We entered through the south gate and we were taken by the sight of hundreds of people milling around the city streets.People everywhere and finding our way for the last wee way was difficult but suddenly there it was in front of us.AMAZING.....

Santiago de Compestelo-we made it!

Yes the pilgrimage is complete. Brad and I rolled up to the Dean's office at the Catedral in the early afternoon after a fairly hot and arduous trek into the city. We presented our Credencial del Peregrino for signing  by the Dean and after testifying we had walked the last 100 km it was received and our certificate was presented.  Our names are recorded in Latin on our certificates-something for the brag book!
Tomorrow New Zealand will be called in the roll of honour at the Pilgrim's mass which is part of the ritual of the event. Every country whose citizens have completed the pilgrimage the previous day are read out during the mass.
What a place. The catedral is so impressive,towering over the surrounding quintana,is the Entrance of Glory, a monument to St James created by Master Mateo- this is indeed  a moment to saviour. It takes your breath away the scale and beauty of the facade. When you walk so far you are thankful to arrive safe and in good spirits and to then to see the magnificence of the place you understand the  rest.

Padron

Padron was a fascinating town to visit,rich in historical interest it was also the site of an amazing market the day we arrived.
The tents and stalls of the market spread out and through the city centre ,alongside the Rio Sar and surrounding the statue  of Rosalia de Castro(1837-1885), a famous poetess,also celebrated by a museum in the town.
Historic buildings catch your eye-the Convento do  Carmen standing sentry over the river  on a rocky outcrop and the church of St James attract  pilgrims' interest. The church known as Igrexa de Santiago houses the  famous rock, O'Pedron which is said to be the mooring stone for the  boat carrying the remains of St James on his return to Spain for burial-the story  of which is depicted on a mural on the Fonte do Carme just across the river. The church was closed during our visit but a number of treasures related to St James and his life are housed there. St James is well known for his life  here, preaching the gospel  to the gallicians and vanquishing the Moors during deadly encounters with the enemy in Spain before his death in Palestine at the hand of the Roman Emperor.
Padron was part of the early seat of the bishops of Gallicia known as  Iria Flavia before it was shifted to Santiago de Compestela so it is a place of great significance to peregrinos on the pilgrimage.
We were lucky to arrive in sunshine and we enjoyed exploring the market. We watched the cooking of octopus and paella  with interest but as yet we were not quite ready to sample the boiled octopus; red, with tentacles  still attached. They sliced the carcass into sections,laid them on a wooden platter,dunked them  in oil and covered the whole dish with spices with toothpicks to eat it with. Next time maybe!

We bought some strawberries and sat in the sun under magnificent plane trees bordering the river enjoying the freedom of sandals and nothing to carry. People watching is a pleasant experience in such places.
Later that evening we went to a bar recommended for the padron peppers dish famous in the region-Pemento de Padron. One in thirty peppers is said to be chilli hot but we did not strike one in our meal,delicious  as it was and served with a tortilla and a slice of Santiago Tart- we had a local taste treat to complete the day's adventures.

Calais De Reis to Padron

Another cool day,windy but perfect for walking. Our breakfast was interesting-long flat bread loaves spread with a tomato paste,dried jamon and a cup of tea. Not up to our usual breakfasts but it was served with good humour and a smile-more than we got yesterday.
Our shortest day tramping so far(18.1km) according to the guide but it has not always followed to plan so we will see. We left before eight and made our way out of the town in high spirits-we were going to succeed,the end was in sight and we were walking well.

The walk was lovely. I really enjoyed this stretch of the trek. Much or the walk was through national park  with tree lined pathways and clear streams running alongside the track.We had some uphill sections to negotiate and test the calves but not a serious challenge to our fitness as we had built up our energy stores as the days passed... I think the highest point  for the day was  at Cortinas at 160 metres.

It was peaceful off road-quite soulful and no traffic noise to disturb your thoughts, the sunlight streamed through the large trees shading our path  as we travelled down towards the valley floor.
There were also  some lovely views over the valleys, the main river was the Ulla which we crossed just before the town of Padron.

 It was a Sunday so the roads were quiet-just as well as there were many times it would have been dangerous to negotiate the stone lined roads through the villages.
Locals spend the day quietly-church and family visiting seemed to be traditional pursuits.Not many cafes on this section so we had to plan ahead for our stops. Today we choose St Miguel, a charming village and hospitable cafe owners who made us welcome.We met up with some Dutch women here and spent an enjoyable time hearing about their experiences. One had a sister living in NZ and she had walked the French Way nine years ago so she was a seasoned pilgrim.

We also met many cyclists -very fit, handsome and  a sight for sore eyes as our companions attested to. "Buon Camino" was the greeting between fellow pilgrims and we heard this many times on our walk today.

We passed the statue of Santiago leaning on his staff which lead us into the town of Padron, famous on the pilgrimage because this was the site where St James was said to have begun his ministry  in Spain  and where St James's body was thought to have been brought up the river and his stone boat  tied to a mooring(now enclosed at  a church and  revered by pilgrims) on the Rio Sar. The church was closed so we could not check it out but we did climb around the other old and historic landmarks present in the town.
The market was in full force so we spent time exploring the stalls and admiring the cheese and jamon displays.

The market was all over by two pm and we set off to explore the town....

Tuesday, 23 July 2013

Pontevedra to Caldas de Reis

The day dawns clear and sunny-not a cloud in the sky. 'A blue sky day' as the weather man would say. The air temperature was cool -ten degrees and expected to rise to eighteen. Great walking conditions.
We left at eight, crossed the old bridge  and made our way past lots of rural landscapes where local people were at work on their gardens, some using pitch forks to turn the hay under the vines.

We are on our way to Caldas de Reis, a spa town of about fifteen thousand people and we estimate about six hours of walking ahead of us. The body is adjusting better as the days pass-no problems with stamina,feet or puff thanks to pilates, thurlos and training. My stick has been a godsend too and so pleased to have good boots,especially when you see other people struggling along the route with sore feet and blisters.
This is not a trek for the faint hearted. It is demanding and needs a degree of tenacity to get up each day and face hours of walking. The terrain is not difficult  but the surfaces are-cobblestones and paved roads are tough on the body but drugs and cold water have helped the knee and I know I am going to make it!

We are in much more isolated parts of the country now. National parks are to the right of us and lots of lovely landscapes to enjoy as we walk along.We can hear birds in the trees and the sound of water is refreshing.  Cyclists pass us and call out greetings. We also collect the occasional blessing from the faithful.
After walking for three hours we stop for a coffee and we were served by lovely friendly people-a change from the grumpy hotel staff.

Rain threatened several times along the way-on again off again with rain coats but by the cafe we were into warm and sunny. We bought some cherries from a roadside stall and sat in a vineyard and ate them with our lunch . Yummy!

About an hour later we came into Caldas de Reis and without too much fuss found our hotel and got settled in for the stay. The town had a faded feel to it - it suggested past grandeur but now rather laid back and little to disturb its citizens.We explored the old part of the town and the jardines (gardens) by the river. There was a classic old roman bridge and old paved walkways linking parts of the town to the river. The age of these places is always a fascination to me,life has gone on here in all its forms for generations of its citize

ns.

We found some fellow pilgrims at the cafe and enjoyed a sangria by the river before we explored the town and found the hot water well where it was tradition to wash ones feet. Brad managed to slip on the tiles and nearly ended her walk-Dr Selbie had to come to the rescue with her potions!

We signed up for a massage at the Devila Hotel and enjoyed watching the residents undergo all sorts of mysterious procedures related to taking the waters! Ours was straight forward but very soothing and kept the muscles from tightening up. There was a special part of the hotel dedicated to the pleasure of spa treatments-another world!
Our meal that night was disappointing-tapas in a noisy bar down by the river. We tried the local bread, a specialty known as maize bread-very heavy and lined the stomach more than we liked,we had choirzo too but it was gristly and tough so we were rather disappointed.The sardines and olives were palatable and the sangria made it edible. The best part was meeting up again with our American buddies,always a laugh and we passed the time with them for awhile before heading back to the hotel to prepare for the penultimate day.

The Library Wall in Caldas de Reis...

Tuy to Redondela-Day 1 of the Spanish section of the camino....

What a lovely sight when I drew the curtains this morning-a clear sunny sky to tempt us on our way Cool as it turned out when we ventured out but at least the sun shone and promised a better day ahead.
We started our day with our usual hearty breakfast of cheese,meat,eggs and a variety of breads and cakes to select from,made our lunches and got ready to leave.Boots on and packs organised we made ready to begin the next stage of the camino.

It is a little different today as our schedule advised we would be collected from our hotel by taxi and driven through the outskirts of Tuy to Porrino where we would be left to walk the rest of the way. A treat to be driven past all the industrial wasteland and into more rural spaces.
We left at 9.15am and arrived at 3.00pm at our hotel. Antolins was about three kilometres past Redondela  which was not clear from our notes. We had anticipated arriving at our destination much earlier in the day than we did but then we were closer for the following day's walk to Pontravida.

The walk today was a lovely one, through forested hill walks and up over the pass at Mos before dropping down into the river valley, passed lots of little villages with their cobbled streets and onto the coastal town of Redondela.Through the mist shrouding the bay I could make out a very modern and impressive bridge spanning the bay.

The area seems a little more prosperous here. People still have their gardens full of produce but there are more flowers in planters and lots of citrus and kiwi fruit amongst the usual grape canopies and plantings of corn and potato. Locals are hard at work weeding and tending the poultry or cutting great stacks of firewood. Must be cold in the winter by the size of the wood heaps.
Little shrines and statues are frequent along the way. The shrines are beautifully tended with fresh flowers and candles. The villages all have a prominent church, a cross and usually a particular saint who is venerated in the area by a shrine or church.

The miles seem to slide by once you get started on the day's walk but as the time goes along and  the cobblestones appear, your body starts a refrain of sore muscles begging for a stop to rest up: toes start to  cramp up and  the knees begin to protest but on you go- mind over matter. Brad is soldiering on-she seems undaunted by the task.Harden up!
We walked into the town albergue and bought our scallop shells so we looked the real peregrine and then we headed off to find our hotel. I was looking forward to staying here as we were right on the coast beside a seaside area which was a place to swim and I imagined us out in the sun swimming across to the little sanctuary island opposite to Antolins.

 Well guess what, the weather had other ideas! It was raining as we arrived and we were cold and had no inclination to explore further than our room.Hard to believe we are in Spain in June and wrapped in a blanket to keep warm.
The hotel was comfortable and we were delighted to meet our American pilgrims in the dining room so had a lively meal together and caught up on their trials and tribulations-sore feet and awful blisters.
Outside my window is a NZ cabbage tree flowering beautifully.A welcome sight to a kiwi.

Wednesday, 3 July 2013

A Rest Day In Tuy-much needed and appreciated....

We awoke in a very comfortable hotel with the unfortunate name, realising we did not have to spring out of bed,don our walking gear and head away, instead we could have a leisurely breakfast and make decisions about how to spend our day.Bliss!
The skies are foreboding-heavy black clouds and a cool temperature. Back into the warmer gear-so pleased we had the gear we did as most days I have worn my icebreaker at least in the evenings. We decided to explore Valenca first, a fortress town on the other side of the Minho River.We traversed it on our way here yesterday and decided it was worth another look so we set off mid-morning to explore-on foot of course! Shank's pony is not getting a break for awhile yet.

The path led over the bridge and up the old fortress entrance into the town via the battlements-over the border and back into Portugal for lunch,so easy in a modern era, fraught in medieval times I imagine.It is hard not to think of what life might have delivered its residents in past generations.This city reeks of historical events and conflicts played out on the borders of these two old settlements.
I liked Portugal and I am sorry to leave, people are friendly and courteous and there is a great spirit of goodwill here, albeit they are in the tourist trade but they do it well.

We spent the morning looking around the town, exploring the lookouts from the stone rampants and secret lookouts, took lots of photos and explored the shopping.Lovely linen took my eye and the pottery reminds me of Eugenia's home.The bed covers were very desirable, just as well I would have no room to carry them home.

We ate in one of the cafes and talked to some Americans visiting for the day who were wondering if they grew the cotton in Portugal for the linen goods!They were keen to know about the Fatima route so we talked about the blue arrows running opposite to the camino and passed some time with them before heading back to Tuy.
The trip has been noteworthy for these random encounters we have had with people we may never meet again,yet friendly and interesting insights into other cultures.We also met another American sitting on the steps leading from the town, she was overcome with painful swollen feet and blisters and not in good shape so we spent some time talking with her and giving directions to a sports shop where she might be able to get better footwear. Poor thing, we have been lucky on the foot aspect of the walk. No blisters to date.

Back to the hotel for a siesta-everything shuts down for some hours over the afternoon so we joined the habit. Later we went out and explored Tuy,visiting the Catedral. We got our compestella stamped and then paid to climb the tower to see the view from the cloister walk, walked in the gardens and had a brief encounter with the treasures of the sacred order.

The catedral dates back to the 11th-12th century beginning as a gothic design but altered and is now a prime example of a romanesque design with an impressive facade and great acoustics.We heard some organ music played while in the body of the church.Spine tingling.

The antiquity of the place is what captures me. The old stone lanes,shutters on windows,metal frames and iron bars guarding entrances to homes and apartments-little evidence of life existing behind the walls as they are so well guarded and silenced by the materials used to safeguard the town.About 15,000 people live here most in the newer part I expect.
We had all our warm gear on tonight to venture out for a meal as it is very cool and the rain has chilled the air.We ate at a Gallician cafe -a delicious type of pork and chick pea stew which I tried making for Lou once I got back to London. The whole meal included coffee and wine and bread for  five euros!
So nice to amble back to our hotel after a low key day. Tomorrow we are off again on the first leg of the Spanish side of the camino.

Monday, 1 July 2013

Rubiaes to Tuy-day 6 and we are going to make it!

Well , my friends would you believe it, we drew the curtains to find the rain had ceased and the valley was shrouded in light mist but the skies were clear so thoughts of a taxi ride faded away and we loaded up with the days requirements for a walk to Spain.

Breakfast was a more restrained offering than we had been used to but Brad  managed a bucket of hot milk and coffee! I think the hostess was fazed by the size of her mug. I shared some as the tea was awful.

We headed off just after 7.30pm for the last leg into Tuy.We cross from Portugal into Spain today and we can look forward to a rest day tomorrow.Yeah!

Mostly downhill for the early part of the day through the forest of eucalyptus,pines and cork trees and fairly muddy pathways. The creeks and rivers were high  so good to have our boots to cope with the conditions. Brad shed her Tevas for this stretch in favour of boots. I found my boots best for me all the way.It was nice to change into sandals at the end of the day
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Most of the day was through rural landscapes,small villages and cultivated small holdings.Still few animals to be seen but we did see some sheep with a couple of lambs.They only have sheep here for making cheese.

We walked on parts of the old roman road to Santiago,had a few cobblestones sections to endure and more asphalt as we drew nearer to civilization. It is sobering to think of the hundreds of pilgrims who have passed this way since the middle ages-their journey would be so much more demanding than today's pilgrim.We were passed by many cyclists doing their own camino and the greetings were in many languages-"buon camino" sounded to many dialects and languages but the intent was the same. You can also do it on horseback but we did not see anyone doing so.

We ate our apple and had a rest by the Romana da Pedreira bridge and  later had a coffee where the trail crossed the motorway at N-13.From then on it was cobblestones all the way until we arrived in Valenca for lunch to replenish our energies for the final push into Tuy(Tui).Eating here is very cheap so not losing weight as imagined!

We climbed up through the old walled fortress city of Valenca and came out the old way through ancient steps leading through the battlements carved from rock and down to the bridge which led us into Tuy.In times past pilgrims were ferried over the Minho River-it is a big river so there were probably a few mishaps over the years so thank goodness for a bridge now.

Our final stage took us across the border into Spain-no fanfare or checks on passports today just a sign to say you had shifted into another time zone. The fortifications of past ages were redundant in 2013 but tourists love the sights of the two towns and there is a vigorous tourist trade here between the two places.We will explore Valenca tomorrow.

We found our hotel easily today-Hotel Colon-whoever thought of that!After six and a half hours walking you just want to get those boots off and have a cup of tea with the feet up before heading out to explore the town.The catedral here is an impressive symbol of religious importance to the pilgrims and we were able to explore the interior chambers and the gardens later that evening. We climbed up to the highest point overlooking the city and enjoyed a people watching break in the plaza outside.
A good day out....