Sunset rituals at the lighthouse, the end of Cape Fisterra. Finisterre today Our certificate of making it to Fisterra–the Fisterrana. Sofia’s muscles Married life…hanging clothes. Lunch at Don Percebe–grilled peppers, shrimp w spicy garlic sauce, San Martiño (translation?) Gallego style with potatoes, flan with coffee and walnuts, espresso & herb digestif liqueur. Read more →
Our daily walk is done. The daily pull of our bodies toward a far-away end is complete. No more waking before dawn to smear lotion on our sore calves. No more wrapping my Achilles for the day. No more layering of two pairs of socks. No more Hoka One Ones (our space shoes). No more same outfit day in and… Read more →
Feeling incredulous. We walked the last of our 400km to the end of the earth today. We won’t be waking up and walking anymore. How to process it all?? Fisterra <> Muxía The first views of the ocean below, to a city called Cee. Cee, around a small bay. Our decadent 2 hour… Read more →
Today, I finally felt like we were real pilgrims. What pulls us forward through the misting rain for hours? The Camino has tested us. After a final 3km past Oliveiroa, crossing a beautiful mountain river valley, we arrived at O Logoso / Pensión A Pedra soaked. I don’t know what I expected, but another gross menu peregrino as our only… Read more →
We walked for ten miles (15 km) in the rain today. Not a downpour, but a constant mist (heavier in the mountains), as if the air itself were made of water. The first few miles were nifty. By the fifth, we were over it. Around the eighth, we felt like badasses. By the tenth, we were drenched and incredulous. All… Read more →
When you see the sign of your destination and you know you’re done walking for the day. It’s the best. Only 14 miles, but it felt like 20 in the heat. Read more →
The road to Finisterre is so different from the Camino Frances. No bars every 2km to quench your thirst and coffee / food addiction, and so few pilgrims. Just arrows on walls and pavement, saying turn left here on this deserted curving road. Just ascents, and descents, and forest path and road. Pharmacy in Negreira Read more →
As almost all of the pilgrims we met completed their journey on El Camino (if it’s ever completed) in Santiago, Sammy and I prepared to walk on to the sea, the end of the earth, Fisterra, or Finisterre (called by both names here). As we left the comforts of city life and the familiar hustle and bustle and crowds of… Read more →
Today’s journey took us a short way through eucalyptus groves from Santiago to Aguapesada, 10km away to a B&B splurge where we have our own room. 88km to Finisterre! We laughed today that walking 8 miles was a “short” easy day. Dinner at Casa Riamonte, halfway to Negreira. Staying here meant we could spend most of the day… Read more →
“I am not a body I am free” Yesterday our bodies arrived to the Cathedral in Santiago — the final destination for most pilgrims. As I gazed up at the ornate stone designs of the St James Cathedral, I had a moment of awe. More than anything though, the moment of arrival felt surreal. And, this is not our end… Read more →
We have arrived! Our sweet Camino family waited for us slowpokes at the top of the hill Monte Gozo for the final 4k descent into Santiago, walking it together. Martha, who has been walking from St Jean at the border with France, was definitely processing the end of this major journey. Marga, who has walked the Camino in full… Read more →
Today was hard. Emotionally. I threw my walking sticks to the ground and then my backpack and sat in the gravel and said I’m done with this. We are just walking every day, why? This is our honeymoon? We had reserved beds at a private albergue in Ribadiso so we started late (9:20am) & took 2 hours for lunch in… Read more →
The yellow arrows have been a constant presence on the Camino. In a random ghost town at 6am, the arrow pointing to the left may be the only indication that you are still walking on the road to Santiago. Sometimes the arrows are faint, blending into the yellow moss on the trees. Sometimes (lately, since Sarria), they are officially… Read more →
Today we saw two calves, born just minutes before we walked up, with their umbilical cords attached and the placenta fresh and steaming, in the drizzling rain. We walked through quiet mossy fairy forests. We found new friends, Martha from Atlanta, Marga from Barcelona, Sergio from Lecce. We are staying in the cutest country albergue off the beaten path–no more… Read more →
One of the cool things about Camino has been washing our clothes by hand…every single day. A lot of places now have washing machines and dryers, but spending €4.50 per day to wash our clothes when we can do it for free seems silly! After a long day of walking, arriving to an albergue means a lot of chores. First,… Read more →
I haven’t mentioned this, but my Achilles’ tendon has been sore and inflamed since Day Two (it’s Sofia writing now, on Day Twelve of El Camino). At first, as I inquired with other pilgrims about aches and pains, I was assured that my body was simply adjusting to walking so much with so much weight on my back — and… Read more →
The clouds today were incredible! All day they graced the blue skies above us. We walked from Sarria to Portomarin–the first part of the journey within the minimum 100k that are required to get the Compstela in Santiago. It was very noticeable that many people began their journey in Sarria today. Fresh faced, many carrying day packs and ostensibly having… Read more →
Today we walked from Triacastela to Sarria. There are two ways to Sarria–the road and the mountain. Of course, as always, we chose the mountain. It was so beautiful!! Tyran from Australia, who walked the Camino and loved this Donativo so much he came back to stay here for a few weeks. He has been helping build… Read more →
On our second day of walking, I began to move rocks. Little stones on our path would call to me like magnets wanting to be inside my pockets…to be moved down the Camino in some way. I collect stones at home and put them on my altar (so does Sammy). Sometimes I carry them with me in a pouch throughout… Read more →
We find ourselves in socks and sandals. #mountains #marriage #onemonthanniversary Read more →
O’Cebreiro was so built up as the hardest hill. But it was nothing compared to the day we walked up to Pradela, 2 days earlier, which resulted in an injury and rest day!! (See day 8.) Today was harder, with ups and downs and then a long long down to Triacastela. Downhill is definitely harder on the body and joints… Read more →
The first day we slept in a convent, we became pilgrims on El Camino — even if we didn’t yet know what that meant (and perhaps we are still reaching towards understanding). As such, we were given passports that would allow us to sleep for 5 euros each night in albergues, which is a word that really means refuge or… Read more →
We made it to Galicia!! We had Caldo Gallego (greens n potato soup) and Churrasco de Ternera (beef ribs) and actually were some of the first to make it to the albergue in O’Cebreiro! With an incredible view. Yum. Read more →
Today we climbed a mountain, literally. About a kilometer up the road, as we looked down upon lush, verdant hillsides, Sammy’s lower back/hip began to pinch — a lot. Probably sciatica. The great slow down of our already slow pace began. I found my stride yesterday. All the sudden, as I came upon the footsteps of a pilgrim walking in… Read more →
Today we walked from Molinaseca to Villafranca del Bierzo. It was a long day, but since there were not so many hills we decided to do it. Whew! My feet have never been so tired!! After a 2 hour stop in Ponferrada for a Farmacia to get anti-inflammatory cream, the bank, and our usual second breakfast, we took the road… Read more →