Week 5 - Camino de Santiago

If you are new to this blog, please read Week 1 first.

Week 5 on the Camino de Santiago, Camino Francés

Day 29 - Tuesday, June 24, 2025

Ventas de Narón to Melide

The exciting part about this week is that this is THE WEEK! This is the week that I will reach Santiago de Compostela. I suppose it’s like anything, just when you feel like you finally got the routine down, it’s over. Then there is this odd sense of “What next?” All the first-time pilgrims talk about it. But let’s not get ahead of today. That is after all one of the Camino’s lessons … live in the moment. 

It is shortly before 6:00 am and I’m just getting on the trail. It’s a little later than I usually start but there is a calmness over me that has not been there before. It’s telling me to slow down, make these last few days last, savor each step of the path.

“Fear and Blame weigh (are heavy), go forward light.”
Seriously?!?! Of all mornings, this morning is when I see this. I’m telling you, el Camino has a special kind of energy … magic, if you will. The day after I purged it all in a random church in Portomarín and I awaken with a new calmness, this message reminds me to never pick up what was left behind,  “Avanzo liviana”.

Today will be a fair mix of hard surface and nature trails. 

“Become who you are.”

This is an old wash house. I first saw this in 1997 visiting the family village with my Madrid boyfriend. He explained that most of the villages had a wash area where the women of the village would wash their laundry, (and no doubt share the local gossip.) His village had restored the wash house to honor their heritage and it was part of a park. I have seen a hand full of them in Galicia, unfortunately, they have all been left to deteriorate like this one. I wonder how many pilgrims (non-Spaniards) pass by this and even know what it once was.

When William and I were in Madagascar, we saw the same type of building. The difference was that in Madagascar, the women still washed their clothes there … and several of them with a small child strapped to their back. 

There are lots of newbies on the trail. I can’t quite describe my feelings about them, with their brand new backpacks. None which are marred with the grime of being slung around for a month.  Their fresh legs give an almost annoying spring to their step. 

I don’t like myself for having negative feelings towards the minimalists (those that only complete the minimum 100 km), but as they crowd the path 3 or 4 persons across making it impossible to pass. Or the young ones blast their regatón from speakers hanging from their day bag. The women walking with full make-up and styled hair with their cute little workout clothes that make them seem like they are headed to Pilates class, not Santiago. Or worse yet, passing by a hotel in the morning seeing all of the hard cover SUITCASES (not backpacks) lined up waiting for the transport service to collect them and deliver them to a hotel further down the trail. 

I don’t know, it’s like I feel that they haven’t earned it. Their backpacks don’t smell like a junior high boys’ locker room. They don’t walk like a duck if they stay still too long in one place. Their shoes have not collected so much trail dust from across the peninsula that they forgot what color they were. And I am certain that if they showed off their feet, not only would all ten toe nails be intact, they would probably be pedicured and polished. 

There … I vented. 

But before you pass judgement on me, let me say that I have not spoken to another pilgrim that started weeks ago that doesn’t feel the same. It is not the same Camino experience. Gone is the quiet solitude of the trail and being able to be deep in reflection. 

I just recalculated tomorrow’s itinerary and I either screwed up my math a couple of nights ago when I was planning out these final days … or I had had one too many tinto de verano. I have a reservation tomorrow night in the village of Lavacolla, which the Camino app Gronze calculates at 42.3 km from where I am spending the night. That’s over 26 miles. That will make it my second longest day, with León in first place. What was I thinking. 

This is literally the day before I enter Santiago de Compostela. I guess I was thinking that I would go out with a bang! Go big or go home. And just to make the day even more memorable … 35% chance of rain. I you wondering why I just don’t change my plans and stop earlier? Even though the reservation is Lavacolla is able to be cancelled with no problem, the two nights that are already booked in Santiago are non-refundable. So it’s either suck it up or lose money. Suck it up it will be!

40,614 total steps recorded

19.5 miles hiked

8 hours on trail

Day 30 - Wednesday, June 25, 2025

Melide to Lavacolla

5:30 a.m. start - leaving Melide was only the second time that I felt uneasy on the trail. Instead of having pilgrims take the boring follow-the-highway out of town route, it took us through a wooden area on the outskirts of town. A man (not pilgrim) was on the trail holding a bottle of water. He was probably just on his way to work but that early in the morning, being a woman alone on a dark wooded trail having him talk to you … even just to wish you a “Buen Camino” is a little freaky. I quickened my pace and tried to stay very attentive to whether or not I heard footsteps behind me. I knew that there were two pilgrims ahead of me. All I needed to do was get close enough to them so that they served as a deterrent. I kept reciting the part of the Pilgrim’s Prayer “be their defense in dangers.” Of course, all ended well. I let my imagination get the best of me. It would be the last time I ever felt uncomfortable on the Camino. Something I have learned on this trip after talking to many females not from the United States, is that we American females have an ingrained fear of being attacked that other nationalities don’t. I do not consider myself a female that overreacts in these kinds of situations. As a matter of fact, I probably am on the opposite end of the spectrum and have put myself in unnecessary dangers too many times. That being said, my radar is always on, scanning for threats. My preference for the top bunk is another example of it. As an American female, it is considered prudent. I hate thinking that the country that I love, the greatest country in the modern world, is so dangerous compared to other first-world countries. Sad. 

It’s completely dark so I’m trying to get my camera to work using the light of my headlamp. You can barely see but I lived the care that this little house puts into trimming their trees and bushes. 

As much as I love walking this early, a negative is that images never quite give the full impact of what I am seeing. This was a quaint little village, still sleeping, but the charm of their houses was still apparent. This one used a grape vine to create a canopy over the front entrance.

I’m a fast learner, it only took one morning getting caught off guard by rain to learn to always check the weather app before going to bed or first thing in the morning. Even though it was not raining when I set out, I had gators on my shoes and my raincoat ready inside my day bag. Once the clouds opened up, it was only a matter of seconds and I was protected.
I cannot pretend that I did not get a cynical satisfaction watching the newbies scrambling in the rain. Many had no rain gear. I saw plastic shopping bags covering backpacks, raincoats but nothing for the backpack, cheap ponchos quickly bought at the souvenir shop that barely covered anything. I did catch myself being a bit snobby so I made a point to help several pilgrims along the way to get their gear on or cover them better, etc. Hopefully good works cancels out cynical thoughts. 

This is the plan! After Santiago I will continue to Finisterre (End of the World) and Muxía.

This is a eucalyptus forest. Sounds awesome, right? I imagine the amazing smell of walking through the trees. I will later learn the very sad and destructive truth about these groves.  Spoiler alert … they are not the aromatic variety of the species.

I have seen this shrub off and on. I love how the flowers look like grapes. 

I have shared other photos of the increíble craftsmanship that goes into so much of Spain’s architecture and infrastructure. Here, workers are installing more of the sidewalk. Why cannot we bring back more craftsmanship in the United States? Everything has to be fast and done cheap. Instead of repairing cobblestone streets we slather them with a layer of asphalt. It’s sad. 

“Fear less, live more.”

Where did everyone go?
Well, I left them all behind in the last larger town. It was a scheduled end point and all those big groups follow a preset schedule. It is almost 3:00 pm and most people have settled into their albergue and are enjoying their first tinto de verano. I still have about an hour on the trail. I am loving the quietness after a day of dodging groups on the trail. Added bonus: the rest of the trail is through a gorgeous forest … just me and the trees, and the birds … they are still singing. 

I suppose that I can stop taking photos of these cemeteries now. You get the idea. I still find it interesting though how so many of them surround the church. 

The church in Lavacolla. 

I am all checked in to my albergue. I am absolutely exhausted plus it’s after 4:00 pm so I chose to pay to have my clothes laundered and dried. If I splurge for a laundry machine, it’s usually only the wash and I still line dry. Some places do not have a dryer, only washing machine. Electricity is expensive in Spain and a dryer uses a lot of it. It costs usually 1-2€ more for the dryer than it does for the washing machine and that includes the detergent. But the air is cool and damp from the day’s rain plus it’s late. My clothes would never be dry by morning if I line dried. 

Tomorrow is the day! Santiago is a short 10 km away, probably three hours to get to the cathedral. WOW! Tomorrow is it. But as they say, the walking may be over but the pilgrimage is everyday for life … always pushing forward through the good and the bad, staying connected to God, always striving for a better version of you. Tomorrow is just the day that they hand me a certificate. The real journey has no end. 

OFFICIALLY MY LONGEST DISTANCE ON THE CAMINO! 

61,383 total steps recorded

29.5 miles hiked

10 hours on trail

Day 31 - Thursday, June 26, 2025

Lavacolla to Santiago de Compostela 

5:40 a.m., my last morning on the Camino.

I have walked the red line. I started in Saint-Jean-Pied-Port, France and walked over 500 miles across the Iberian Peninsula. I walked every step with my full backpack … no buses or taxis to skip over the less desirable sections, no transport company to bring my backpack to the next stop. I did it! I did it all! And I could literally cry right now. I don’t know if it’s from physical exhaustion, mental exhaustion, the emotion from it being over … all of the above. All I know is that it’s a powerful thing. I did it!

I’ve entered Santiago’s city limits and I like that the first statue that greets me is a Knight Templar.

8:00 am and the official just arrived in front of the Cathedral photo op.

 

After the obligatory photo in front of the Cathedral, I head down a side street to the official Pilgrims’ Office, which does not open until 9:00 am. Despite being there an hour early, there is already a queue.

Unexpected problem … I must register using this QR system. If I don’t, no matter which place in line sits my backpack … I do not exist. My phone will not work. It scans the QR code, goes to the website then freezes. Over and over and over again. “The Camino will provide. The Camino will provide. The Camino will provide.” Hello nice German man with an Android phone, (the first person in line, I might add.) Why yes, I am having trouble. Thank you, you definitely can help me. It seems like my iPhone does not want me to get my Compostela. I am welcomed to use your Android? How Camino-nice of you! 

Yes! I am officially in queue thanks to my new German friend!

OK, it’s 9:00 am and the line is moving! 

The security guard scans my QR code and prints out my number … lucky number 7, and gives me some promotion for a restaurant … or so I thought.  

The anticipation is palatable. Everyday, waking up before sunrise, wrapping blistered feet, willing myself to just take another step, all the thoughts … geez, all the thoughts, the hand washing of clothes, the sleeping in bunk beds next to complete strangers that I don’t speak their language, showering in flip flops, wearing the same two sets of clothes for a month, sleeping in the next day’s clothes … it all boils down to this moment. Staring at a flat screen waiting for the number 7. Maybe people back home are right, maybe I am crazy. 

Dang straight I want it! I earned that sucker!

This is it! The one last stamp in my passport aka credencial. Once she presses down it is over!

Printed on the wall

And there it is … the coveted Compostela. I am in the official record book of the Roman Catholic Church and of Spain, along with millions of other pilgrims over the thousand plus years. 

By 9:30 the process was complete. It was time to put my backpack in day storage and buy some souvenirs! There was a Pilgrims’ Mass at 12:00 when it will be read that an American completed the Pilgrimage from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, along with all the other nationalities and starting points that registered that morning. Even though the mass starts at noon, if you want a seat in the pews you have to be there an hour earlier. 

So remember once the Pilgrims’ Office opened, the security guard only let a couple of people in at a time. When it was my turn, he handed me a certificate. I just thought that it was some promotional thing for a nearby restaurant. 

But then when the lady was processing me, she saw it in my hand and was super excited for me. I did not understand. She explained …. It was basically the Camino’s version of the Willy Wonka Golden Ticket.

The first ten pilgrims of the day are treated to a five star lunch at the restaurant of the Parador next to the Cathedral. A Parador is a government-owned uber-expensive hotel. They are historical buildings like castles, etc. that have been turned into hotels. I’ve never stayed in one but have always said that I would “someday”. 

This parador is over 500 years old and is considered one of the oldest hotels in the world. It was ordered constructed by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabel as a hospital to care for the pilgrims arriving to Santiago. The German guy next to me (the same one that lent me his phone) said that his guide book even talked about the “golden ticket” and how next to impossible it was to get one. I guess that starting to walk at 5:15 am has its rewards! 🙃

The lucky 10!

Outside of the restaurant

My lodging for the next two nights. A step up from a bunk bed and community showers!

I am about to take the longest hottest shower since Burgos, 19 days ago! 🚿

You can take the pilgrim out of the albergue but can’t take the albergue out of the pilgrim!

I don’t have a clear understanding of my emotions right now. There is definitely a fatigue that has arrested every part of my being, from the physical, to emotional, to the spiritual. I think that there is a legit adrenaline crash going on. I feel a bit like a zombie. I walk around the old city center not really knowing what I want to do. I went to mass. I checked out the cathedral, bought the souvenirs, explored the streets. I think that I just want to go back to my hotel for a siesta. Tomorrow is my scheduled “tourist day” in Santiago so I will do more then. 

Day 32 - Friday, June 27, 2025

Tourist Day in Santiago de Compostela 

For all the attention that Santiago de Compostela receives, in the realm of tourism, it does not have much to offer past the Cathedral. And even that somewhat pales in comparison to some of the others. Granted, the exterior is impressive. Unfortunately, 15 years ago they closed off the historical main entrance to the general public. Like so many other historical sites, it had fallen victim to over-tourism. I was here once in 1996 and again in 1997. In retrospect, I feel fortunate to have been able to experience the grand Pòrtico da Gloria and to have been able to place my hand on the famous column of Saint James. 

This is the original front entrance. One had to climb the staircases to reach the two main doors. Just inside the doors is what is called the Portico of Glory. For over a thousand years, millions of pilgrims had knelt at the statue of Saint James just inside the doors, reaching up and placing their hand on the column at the base of the statue. This caused an impression of a hand to be worn into the stone. So like we humans like to do, people put importance to the worn impression and placing one’s hand in the imprint became its own tourist attraction. So much so that 15 years ago the decision was made to make the area off limits to the general public. A $20 guided tour will get you into the area but touching and all photography is forbidden. 

This is the current entrance into the Cathedral. You can see the people lined up waiting to get inside. 

I signed up for two guided tours 1. gives me access to the Pòrtico da Gloria and 2. gives access to the roof and one of the towers. Both tours also highlight various parts of the Cathedral’s museum, which provided some interesting items. 

This is the original stone choir. It was lost to history for hundreds of years because it was removed and buried during an early renovation. It was later discovered when they were making repairs. A stone choir was unique in Spain. Usually the choir seats are wooden like you’ve seen in photos of the other cathedrals. This is now in the museum, not the actual Cathedral. 

I love this new tidbit of trivia that I learned … have you ever wondered why so many old statues are discovered but their heads are missing? I actually had, but never lost sleep over it. I learned from my tour guide that statues of religious significance were considered to be not just a likeness of the person but to have a spiritual significance or connection. Therefore, when the statue needed to be “retired”, replaced, or just done away with for whatever reason, they had to have a ceremony similar to a funeral. The head was removed and shattered and then the rest of the statue buried. The decapitation was done out of the utmost respect not a form of violence or defamation. 

THIS!!! This brought me so much joy! The ORIGINAL not a facsimile which so many of the museums have … the actual CODEX CALIXTINUS! It was written in the 1100’s by, they think, a French monk. It was written in Latin and was the first written record of the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. It is nicknamed, “the first Camino guidebook”.

In this blog, I have shown you other examples of people being buried in the floor of the cathedrals and churches. A common place of several churches and cathedrals is in the cloister.

But this was a first for me. One of the higher up priests had recently died and was buried just a few days earlier in the cloister. I guess when they are centuries old is one thing … but my brain never really registered that it’s a custom that continues to this day. 

This is the original cape that was on the statue of Saint James that is behind the alter. Pilgrims for centuries and still continue to climb stairs behind the altar that places the pilgrim directly behind the statue of Saint James. The custom has always been to huh and kiss the statue and give Santiago thanks for your safe arrival. Holes were worn into the original cape from so many hugs and kisses. But the really funny part is that the cape is adorned with authentic precious stones. Several of the gems are missing because pilgrims would bite them off, and swollen them in order to steal them. I’m not going to claim to know what God’s thinking, but I’m kind of leaning towards stealing from Saint James’ statue probably negates your efforts on the pilgrimage … just saying.
BTW: the current cape is a replica and the stones are fake!

This is a really impressive piece of art because of the artist. The artist was the first female artist in Spain, Luisa Roldán. “Artist” was a title issued by the king. With the title, a person was able to earn commissions for their art. She was given the honor in 1692. This becomes even more impressive when you know that women in Spain could not even open their own bank account without either their husband’s or their father’s permission until 1975! 

Originally this window was on the exterior wall of the Cathedral. The Pórtico de Gloria was then built as a way to shore up that end of the building hence the window became an interior window. The fascinating architectural and mathematical achievement of the original structure was that they placed the window so precisely so that only once a year the sun shown through it and directly onto the alter. That day would be July 25, the Feast of Saint James. 

We were not allowed to take photos while in the Pórtico da Gloria, but I managed to sneak this one using my cell phone. I had to literally shoot it from the hip so it’s not very good. 

I got this image from the Internet to show the worn hand imprint.

The next tour is to the roof top and inside one of the towers. 

On our way up to the roof access we stopped to look down on the main nave of the Cathedral. 

This is that window through which the sun would perfectly light up the alter every July 25, on the Feast of Saint James. 

William has told me that his friends think that I am slightly nuts. I think that it has something to do with timing such as this. On break at his job, William decided to FaceTime me. In retelling the story later to his friends, I am sure that it probably went something like this: “Yea I FaceTimed my mom today. She was in the process of walking across the roof of a cathedral in Spain at the time.”

The Pilgrims’ Mass

The iconic image of Saint James as “Matamoros”, the Moor Slayer. Not quite the preaching of love and peace of Jesus.

The famous Botafumeiro … the largest incense burner of all Catholic Churches. It weighs over 116 pounds. They say that the reason it is so big was to cover the horrible body odors coming from the hundreds of pilgrims that would be packed into the church. 

Statue of Saint James behind the alter. There is a staircase behind it that pilgrims use to get behind the statue to hug and kiss it. You can see the hand of someone hugging it at this moment. 

Took this over my shoulder. At this point, we still had 45 minutes to wait before mass started. You can see the pews are already full.

Showing the support structure for the botafumeiro.

The full video is over 5 minutes and I can only upload 30 second clips to the blog. Here is a link to the full video. It went right over my head and at one point I had the sensation of being on a roller coaster. It was pretty intense. 

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/ovxwxewwx6aite9qz26vb/V-deo-6-27-25-20-26-18.mov?rlkey=iihr213qczaw0u9s02zhnatvs&st=4tzy7ze5&dl=0

Day 33 - Saturday, June 28, 2025

Santiago de Compostela to Negreira

This is my first day walking to Finisterre, aka Fisterra in Castellano. I couldn’t sleep at all last night. I finally told myself that if I was still awake at one I was going to get up and pack my backpack. I finally fell asleep after packing my backpack about 3:00 am. I woke up about 6:30 and just sort of slowly got myself ready and got on the actual trail close to 8:30. I’m not really late. I actually considered waiting around till 10:00 to get a stamp from the cathedral. I cannot believe I forgot to get my credential stamped at THE cathedral. But it’s supposed to be in the 90’s and that would’ve been a pretty hot day if I want to get all the way to the end point. 

I normally don’t carry a 1.5 liter bottle of liquid. The weight would be insane. It is left over from yesterday and is less than 1/4 full. 

Even though I started a few hours later than normal, I’m super chill. My walking pace is a respectable pace but not my normal brisk one. Even with it being later in the morning, I have the trail to myself except for a couple of bikes that passed me.

I bought these little pocket guides in the Cathedral’s bookstore. The green one is for during the Camino and the yellow one … it’s in the title. The idea of the green one is that you pick a random page to read and then think about it as you are walking.

Just because I reached Santiago, does not mean that my pilgrimage is over. I will still be walking for at least another week. So the green booklet is still very relevant … maybe even more so because I feel like my headspace is clearer now. I go to a random page … “What is the message?” is the title. The prompt at the end is: “Consider your Camino thus far. What do you think is the real message or lesson in what you have experienced?” 

Oh great, (insert eye roll). I really do not like these kind of reflection prompts. They are a very close second to the ice breaker activities that we have to do for PD days. Those have earned a clear first place on my detested list. (If any PD, AEA, or Admin happen to be reading this … please stop with the ice breakers. I beg you. At least for the next four years until after I retire.)

But in the spirit of the Camino and my new pilgrim’s way of thinking … I’ll play. So away I go, one step after another, having nothing to do but repeat the prompt over and over. Have you ever had a “thought” form in your heart and not your head? I probably have before but I was not as mindfully present as I was in this moment. I had been trying to THINK of the message or lesson. I had been creating a mental list of possibilities. But suddenly the message was spoken on my heart and then my head heard it from there: “You are enough. You have always been enough.”

That started an entire trip down memory lane all the way back to childhood. It all was so obvious. From childhood to as recent as the Camino, the feeling of not ever being good enough had consumed me. It had created my lack of self esteem, my envy, my perfectionism, my drive, my lack of gratitude, my determination, my obsessions, my expectations … it had created me. 

But there it was. Three little words after a month of walking and over 500 miles later … You are enough. That is what the Camino taught me. 

Most of the morning has been under the gorgeous tree canopies and running along small rivers. But occasionally it pops out and I have to walk on hard surfaces. (Yes, I intended to put my shadow in the photo.)

The government of Galicia is doing an amazing job of developing additional routes that offer something other than the destination of Santiago de Compostela. One (or three, depending how you break it down) is the Camino that brings you to the Atlantic coastline of Galicia. (Image copied from the Internet.)

Local folklore can tie Finisterre and Muxía to Saint James. So for the devout believer, to continue past Santiago de Compostela could be counted as part of the religious experience. For history buffs, these two places hold an interesting part of history. 

I already mentioned in an early post that Finisterre was considered the end of the world by pre-Roman cultures like the Celts and the Visigoths, then later by the pre-Christian Romans. The Christian connection is that Saint James was preaching in the area and ordered the destruction of the pagan temple that had been built to the Sun god. He then headed north to Muxía.

Even back then, news could travel quickly, especially if it was about some guy from the Middle East destroying the temple to one of the powerful important gods, the Sun god. (A side etymological note here: the reason why te English language has a day of the week “Sunday” is because of the cult of worshipping the Sun god. Even after the British kingdoms were Christianized, they never changed the name … other languages did.)

Now in Muxía, Saint James is having a really hard time converting any of the pagans. Not only were they holding hard to their pagan beliefs, they were pissed off about Finisterre. So James is hanging out on the coast of Muxía, super discouraged when Mary, mother of Jesus, teleports herself from Israel to appear before James on the boat made of stone. She tells him to gird up his big boy tunic and get to preaching. So he does. An alter that becomes a church is built in the spot where James was when Mary appeared. And the huge rocks on the beach are credited as being the remains of her boat. Now, before the American cynic takes over in your head, I have a slightly weird geological fact. Those huge rocks are an anomaly. They do not geologically fit the area. There is no scientific explanation for how they got there. 

Sorry, I got off on a tangent (welcome to how my students feel on a regular basis!) The topic was how well the Galician government has developed this route. They have built WONDERFUL public albergues along the route that cost just 10€. You can stay only one night and you have to be a pilgrim. The facilities are modern and top notch, except for one that is located in original stone buildings of the village. But even that has its charm. The wifi is free and once you register, it connects in whichever albergue you are. For less than $12 you get a place to sleep, shower, use the Internet, prepare your food, etc. Albergues are one of the key reasons why pilgrims are able to afford to go on pilgrimage.  

Day 34 - Sunday, June 29, 2025

Negreira to Olveiroa

Voice memo from the trail: 

This is the second day of Camino to Finisterre. I am hurting. I’m tired. I’m really sluggish. My legs feel heavy. I have pain in my lower left leg on inside calf back calf and my butt on the left side. My backpack feels super heavy like it’s just pulling back on my shoulders. I think I have the weight distributed differently. I changed to putting the clothes at the bottom, trying to push things into every corner of the bottom. Clothes mold better down. But that puts heavier things on top and it’s not working. So when I stop, I’m gonna empty it and put the weightier Ziploc bags at the bottom and see if that helps. I started pretty much at 5:30. It’s  going on 7:20 am and I haven’t seen a single place open to stop. There’s actually only been one place that’s even existed and it was closed. I’m  not casually strolling along like I was yesterday. Today is different. I just don’t have it in me, I have no energy. I said before my legs feel just super heavy and to make this day all the better it’s the longest 33 something kilometers, and it’s supposed to be the hottest of the days getting up to 95. The temps are supposed to start climbing at 10 and climb quickly … 95 by 3 o’clock so either I stop before the end stage or I push through in the heat. When I have the opportunity I will stop and get some breakfast in me. Hopefully that will give my body a shot of energy. Keep me going.

Getting started shortly before 5:30 am

This is the only sign I have seen that calls this route “Camino de Fisterra.” Most of them just consider it an extension of the Camino de Santiago and use that signage.

I am drenched as if I have been hiking for hours in 90° heat. But it’s from walking through the infamous morning mist and fog of Galicia.

.

The sunrise through the Galician mist.

Another historical laundry washing area on the edge of a village. I think that it is so sad that the villages are letting these pieces of history just deteriorate away. I suppose that they don’t see anything special about them. I see a reference to a custom long gone and that vanish from history one day. Can you image the hub of activity this place used to be? The women of the village coming together to get their chores done but also to fellowship. How many pieces of advice, recipes, homeopathic remedies, etc. were passed among the ladies of the village?!

The morning started out with trails passing under the iconic tree canopies of the Galician forests, many flanked with the moss-covered old world stone walls.

Unfortunately, after the first four hours, the rest of the day was mostly all hard surface. For me, the most uncomfortable part of walking on the hard surfaces is that the bottoms of my feet start to feel like they are burning. The heat from the road radiates through my shoes. The skin literally feels like it’s being burned. 

I am obsessed with this plant. I think that it’s obviously a succulent of some variety (but I will submit to my mother and sister who have the green thumbs of the family). 

Northern Spain is a haven for succulents. The siempre vivos of the Pyrenees are some of my favorite plants. Succulents thrive both domestically and in the wild. 

I have not passed through a Galician village yet that someone did not have this potted. 

This is a large lake that was visible from the top of this hill. One of the pleasant parts of walking like this, is you never know what is around the next bend, at the top of the next hill, or just over the horizon. 

I loved the color and textures of this image. These are life’s little gems that you can only enjoy when you slow life down. It’s easy when you are walking 7+ hours a day out in the middle of no where. The skill will be how to foster the same thing in regular day to day life. 

The rural areas of Spain are different that those of the USA. Our farmers live out in the country, their house, the barns, the livestock … all are out in the middle of the country. In Spain, you rarely see a farm house in the middle of nowhere. They all live in the village, including the animals. The barns are mostly on the edges of the village, but not always. I walked past this pen of chickens on my way to the restaurant. The villages smell like a barn yard. I know that some “city people” complain about the smell and the noise when they visit for a weekend of “rural tourism”. I have seen signs in some villages telling them that they are in the country. The smells and sounds are a part of it. If you don’t like it, go back to the city. That made me laugh.

My lodging for the night in Olveiroa. This is the only public albergue that was not a modern building with modern services. But the old stone buildings fit the small village where it was located. 

I arrived at 2:00 pm which to me, I was an hour late. Most of the albergues open the “first-come-first-bed” registration at 1:00 p.m.

I was quite shocked to find this albergue running on the honor-system. Just grab the bedding set from the basket and pick a bed. The doors to the entire complex were open. The person in charge would be there at 7:30 pm to register you and take your 10€.

The stone building maintain a very cool temperature despite the heat.

Day 35 - Monday, June 30, 2025

Olveiroa to Finisterre (Fisterra)

What a monumental week Week 5 has been. Not only did I arrive at Santiago de Compostela, I will end Week 5 by arriving at Finisterre … the end of the world.

Let’s get started with the day!

Good misty morning from the windy hills of Galicia.

This reminded me of when I first moved to Tabor in 2000. It was before the housing development on Hwy 275. You traveled the nine miles from Hwy 34 to Tabor passing only a few farm houses and rows and rows of fields. In the summer, a couple of farmers would set up a table off the highway in a lane with sweet corn and a jar. It was the honor system. Iowa Honest. Iowa Kind. Iowa Proud. Unfortunately, just 25 years later and something like that is nearly unheard of. Sad.

There were three different stands each two or three kilometers apart. A little box for the cash. Considering the hundreds of people that pass by on a daily basis, it does my heart good to know that people still believe in and respect an honor code.

I read it but I did not want to believe it. I was not ready to stop and get something to drink so I just kept going. Let’s just say that they warned me. By the time I came across the next opportunity to stop, rest, and get something to drink, I was on my last legs. 

This point is called the bifurcation, it’s about 38 miles from Santiago de Compostela. This is where you decide whether to go to Finisterre or Muxía.

Finisterre 1st

Muxía 2nd … of course, I will not return to this point before going to Muxía. I will go directly north from Finisterre. 

Do you see it? This had me laughing out loud and talking out loud to the hedge. The perfectly manicured hedge followed the curve of the highway for at least 100 yards or so. Perfectly manicured except for this one branch that just was not going to conform. I feel you, branch! When the world tells you to fall in line, you do you!

Uff! Remember when that signed warned me that they were the last chance for any services for 15 km? This is the image that they need to add to the signage for the visual-learners like myself! Just one step, then another. One step, then another. 

The first sign of civilization was a woman in an orange safety vest at an intersection some yards ahead of me. I’m confused. What road construction requiring traffic control would be happening out in the middle of no where. As you probably suspect, it was not road construction. She was a volunteer encouraging pilgrims to visit a little church that was located a few 100 feet off the trail. I understand why she needed to encourage us. For one, it was not directly next to the trail and tired pilgrims do not go looking for more distance to walk. Secondly, it was an ugly, uninviting building from the trail because you could only see the backside of it. 

I was exhausted so ugly or not, it was an opportunity to sit for a while and literally “take a load off.”

Backside of the church, the only thing visible from the trail. Can you even determine that it is a church?

If we are being honest, the front side did t get much prettier. But at least it can sort of be identified as a church. 

It turns out that this church is a part of a larger church in Finisterre that offers a Pilgrims’ Mass every evening. What a smart marketing plan! They get the attention of the pilgrims in an area where there are no other distractions or options and provide them the information.  

Nice touch! A little sweet energy set up next to the credencial stamp and other information. 

Not totally sure if this water is potable so I did not take the chance. It usually is and when it is not there is a sign posted. Something told me to play it safe. I did, however, love the shell design of the fountain.

There it is!!! Emerging from the forest, I
I get my first glimpse of the Atlantic coastline of Galicia. And that town down below is the first chance I have at any services. 

Random shrine along the trail.

I am now in the process of a very long and steep descent to sea level and into the city of Corcubión where the scheduled itinerary has me spending the night and going to Finisterre tomorrow. Once again, I am running into a scheduling and personality conflict. I am getting into Corcubión about 11:30 am. My plan was to stay at an albergue that is 1 km past Corcubión in the country. Check out the description: “No organized groups, no pilgrims with support car or backpack transports. There are no blankets. It is in the old school, with no services around. Views of Cape Fisterra. Community dinner and breakfast. Fee is donation based. Operated by volunteers of Galician Association of Friends of the Camino.” You know that makes you want to stay there, right?!?!?

But I am getting ahead of myself. I have not gotten to the city yet so no need to start planning yet.

The cemeteries are always on the edge of the communities. Since I was descending from the cliffs, I was able to see it from a bird’s eye view. I don’t mean to seem obsessed with them. It’s just such a different way of practicing the custom of burial compared to the United States. 

Now I am in the city and the first café I find open, I strip off the packs and order an Acuarius … then off to a very very needed bathroom visit!

There was a Spanish couple on a weekend getaway on the terraza (outdoor sidewalk seating area) and I had a lovely little break talking with them. The husband had done a portion of the Camino years before so we swapped stories. (He also agreed with me that post-Sarria is a nightmare. I felt vindicated.) I was definitely in no rush to get anywhere and I loved being able to practice my Spanish with native Spaniards. 

Below are a few photos from my walk through the city of Corcubión. I took the little longer route that followed the coastline. It’s a quiet little seaside city and I can tell why a couple from an inland  city would choose it as a weekend getaway.

How fitting to find a shrine dedicated to praying for the fishermen and sailors. Although not surprising, I still find it quaint. 

Here I am alongside the albergue where I had planned to stay. It’s 1:00 pm and it does not open until 4:00. As advertised, there is nothing around. So do I sit here for three hours with my cellphone almost dead, or do I keep walking and see what is available in the next couple of villages. Finisterre is still 8 miles away. That’s another 3 hours on fresh legs. Mine are far from fresh. Let’s see what albergues are in the next villages.

Now this is serious dedication to your culture and heritage. These tiles were de oration on someone’s house. The first one is of the Apostle James preaching in Galicia and this one illustrates the Camino routes just in the community of Galicia.

The next village popped up sooner than expected. The only albergue did not open for another hour. Here’s where the schedule and my personality battle it out. Another person would say, “Oh, one hour, let me sit in the shade and read a book.” Here’s mine, “One hour! Are you kidding me. How many km could I cover in an hour?!!. I’m not just going to sit here doing nothing when I could be checking off km.” …. And so the dice is thrown for the next village.

Where there was nothing. …. Village after that, nothing. Well, looks like Finisterre here I come.

My first sight of Finisterre after the beautiful wooden trail. That distance is still over an hour away.

Geez, did I just get teleported to the Caribbean? These beaches and water are gorgeous. I can guarantee though that the Atlantic waters will not be the same temperature as the Caribbean. 

Finisterre turns out to be quite the happening resort town. If anyone is looking for an alternative to the over-touristed hot spots, you really should check out Finisterre, Galicia, Spain. Fly into Portugal and head north. You could get two great destinations out of one trip.

After being impressed with the seaside beauty, my mind went to the time. I would be arriving at the public albergue around 4:00 pm which is a few hours past the “guaranteed to get a bed” time. Finisterre has a lot of people, so I’m a little concerned. At the same time, most of them strike me as the beach resort going kind and not the share the showers with complete strangers pilgrim-kind. I think I’ll be ok. If not, maybe I’ll have to pretend to be a beach-goer for the night. Nah! I’m too cheap. 

Check in complete. No problem. Since it is so late in the day plus the air is damp with the breeze off the ocean, there is no way I can handwashing my clothes. I found a laundromat and washed AND DRIED my clothes … now it’s time to head to the cape, the lighthouse, and the sunset at the end of the world!

I wonder where that one church is that has the Pilgrims’ Mass every night? It’s been since I arrived in Santiago that I’ve been to a church service. And let’s be honest, that felt more like a spectacle than a service. …. I left that paper that the volunteer gave me in my big backpack at the albergue. Oh well … I’m off to the cape.

As I am following the signs to the cape, I see an old church along the way. I have time to kill, I will check it out … hold on, she looks familiar. Can you believe it was the same volunteer from earlier in the day, it was the church that I had thought about attending, AND the service was just about to start. OK, God, no need to also send down an Archangel … I’m going in.

It was a really nice service, the priest was very personable and reminded me of the priest at Denison’s church. Afterwards he asked all of the pilgrims to come down and form a circle. He walked around, laid hands on each person’s head and said a prayer for each one. Then asked to take a photo with everyone. It was nice. Special.

Now it’s off to the cape. 

It’s still over a mile and a half to walk to the cape. Once I get there, these waymarkers that I have been following for four days will be marked as zero. Sounds kind of silly, but when they have been literally your guide and at times  provide you needed motivation, it becomes an emotional thing.

I don’t think that I have related more to a pilgrim statue on this trip! The pilgrim is going face first into the wind. You will see in the upcoming photos as to why I related so closely with it.

There it is … way marker 0,000! All those km counting down, I did it!
(I am about being blown into the ocean)

That is the lighthouse behind me. It’s not the quintessential lighthouse … this one literally looks like a house.

Is that a halo over me? Has the pilgrimage paid off big time?!?! Ha! I wish … just the sun starting g to set at the end of the world.

And that’s a wrap!

Happy end of the day and Happy end to Week 5 from the End of the World.