Stories thru Image & Word

Mile 466.4: Negreira

October 31, 2017

Today my right knee almost gave out…Ouch!

We began the day seeing the two ladies from Brazil at breakfast. When I asked the daughter if she wanted to walk with us her eyes went wide in shock…she is such an expressive and joyful soul. The whole room lights up with her. I have met so many people that I wish I could get to know better. El Camino brings such wonderful souls to us to meet…souls that represent the people we meet in our life and sometimes can develop a lasting friendship with.

We headed west out of Santiago. The markings are not as well defined when leaving the city of St. James. We followed large boot markings thinking that they were for the way out…turns out they were leading us to an elementary school. Oh well. Finally we saw more of the yellow arrows and shells that lead us out of the city into a rural setting. We walked through valleys with beautiful residential homes on large lots and farms. El Camino is made up of asphalt streets and wooded trails. We met a man along one of the trails walking his two dogs. We talked a bit with him. Later we met a man pushing a wheel barrel with logs. He was clearing out the old wood from his land.

We met few pilgrims: a German who began his walk in Germany and told me to throw my trekking poles away; a young couple; a couple of ladies from Germany; a young lady from Quebec who began in France where friends live. (We had crossed paths with her for two days before we arrived to Santiago.)

My right knee was feeling weak and I was having problems walking so I was taking longer than usual. We were running behind and this was a long day. When we stopped for lunch the idea of taking a taxi just didn’t feel right…I was there to walk. I am better going up than down so after lunch I was able to go at a better pace. As we began to descend the lady from Quebec joined us and we were having a nice conversation when my left knee jerked…and it hurt. This was something new and it worried me. My husband and I stopped at a bus stop and the lady continued on. I did some Reiki on it and the rest of the day I just took my time and was careful with it.

I am glad that I did not decide to take a cab to our next stop. The walk was beautiful and we went through a small village, Ponte Maceira, with a beautiful bridge. Most of the day we passed through beautiful areas.

Tomorrow a storm is approaching…

A Note: The bar where we had lunch had an arbor over the front porch that covered it with leaves and fruit from grape, kiwi, and chayote vines. We had seen the kiwi mixed with grapes in another patio that day but the chayote surprised us. This is a fruit that is found in Central America. So we asked the young man about it. He said that they also were not familiar with it and actually didn’t like it because it is too sweet for them. We asked him what they called it. “Patata de aire,” was his answer. (Air potatoe.) He asked me how I prepared it and I explained my favorite dish: Picadilla de Chayote (it’s boiled, pealed and chopped small with bell peppers and corn added and then sautéed in butter with herbs added).

El Camino can be rough on the body.

 

Mile 479.3: Santa Marina

 November 1, 2017

We are walking through the Wild Galecia.

Knee bothered me a bit…but was able to work with it. The trail was basically the same with forest and asphalt. Passed through different small towns. Stopped in bus stops and picnic areas to eat and rest. Not many other pilgrims…two young men from Belgium and Sweden (he has been walking for 4 months for over 2000 km), a woman, a couple and a man headed for Santiago.

We had a choice of trails and picked the “easier” one. It began well…flat. I then saw a man coming from around a corner of the trail where we were headed. He was going the opposite way to Santiago. He looked worn out. Then I turned the corner…¡Dios Mio! The road went down a bit and then there was a high incline up. This was just the beginning of how this “easier” road went for several kilometers…like a roller coaster. Actually it looked worst than it was but it was a long trek.

We could hear guns going off and saw a hunter with his dog looking for birds; two others had 4 dogs and were hunting rabbits.

It only drizzled a bit today. We enjoyed our time and the beautiful countryside. In one pasture we saw the native long horned cows again. There were calves playing with their mothers.

When we got to our next hotel the two young men were there having a beer outside. They were worried because there were no more beds at the albergue. We told them that we had a reservation and were staying in the casa rural next door. I thought that was sweet that they were concerned.

We ended the day at mass in a little church across from the Albergue/Casa Rural: Casa Pepa. We were the only pilgrims. The church was full of ladies and 4 men (counting my husband) and one little girl. It was a mass for All Saints Day. The cemetery was full of flowers and candles. The priest said that everyone is a pilgrim. I love the smaller churches they are so beautiful in their simplicity. This one had a beautiful carved alter painted in gold. The wall behind the saints was decorated with hand painted flowers. The alter had two containers with flowers growing out of them. The containers were paint cans…love it!

When we got to the part of mass where we shake hands and tell people to “Peace be with you” one man would not shake his hand with us and a lady behind us was not pleased with us either. The rest were kind and smiled. For a few we intruded for most we were welcome. It was a good mass.

We ended the night at dinner with the other pilgrims, many that we had met on the road and the lady from Quebec. We all have been on the road for a long time and the atmosphere is different…deeper. The couple that we eat with was not doing well in their relationship. They have dated for a couple of years so decided to walk El Camino. They are finding that their relationship is growing and doing better. They were surprised that my husband and I have been married for 35 years. I really liked them…I hope they find the love and happiness for a good, strong and lasting relationship.

El Camino can help one appreciate what is in front of them.

 

Mile 487.9: Olveiroa

November 2, 2017

Today we entered a town of stone hórreos.

It was raining when we woke up. The couple that we met the night before left early so we will not see them again.  Most of the pilgrims at breakfast did not want to go out in the rain.  I go by the saying that there is no bad weather, just inadequate clothes.  So I put on my vest and then my rain coat.  I placed my Bolivian wool cap on that has ear flaps and keeps my ears toasty, placed the hood from my raincoat over that and last my rain hat.  As I walked I felt like I was in a portable tent.

An older man that we had met in the alburgue walked with us for a while. We enjoyed the beautiful scenery but it was difficult to photograph. Finally the rain stopped about an hour after leaving for the road.   We just enjoyed the rest of the day and my knee  behaved.

There are lots of large dairy farms and hórreos made of stone instead of wood slats or red brick.   We saw our first stone hórreo in Negreira in front of the hotel. Later a lady who worked at the hotel Pension As Pias in Olveiroa told my husband that the bigger the hórreo the richer the owner. Her grandfather had built two but her uncle years later took one down and her aunt had a fit. They are used to store corn for the cows and potatoes for the people.*

We ended the day with a wonderful dinner. The two young man that I had met the day before were there enjoying their meal too. They were staying at the albergue that we had passed earlier when walking through the town. We had seen a young woman who looked really tired and desperate on the main road earlier.  My husband told her that there was an alberge down the side street. She looked so relieved. We asked about her. She was able to get a room.

It rained all night and we heard some thunder. Tomorrow we will see the Atlantic Ocean.

El Camino is good…wet or dry.

* After we were thru with our walk we stayed in Santiago for a week and spent a day at the Museo Galego. There I learned that the corn stored in the hórreos were for the pigs and chickens. It is also ground for bread. The story told to me of feeding cows corn didn’t make sense. Cows don’t naturally eat corn and it upsets their stomachs. I know corn-fed beef is a “thing” in the U.S. but it is bad for the animals and not good for consumption grass-fed beef is so much healthier for all concerned. (Knowledge learned from homeschooling my daughter thru High School)

 

Mile 499.5: Cée

November 3, 2017

Today I found out that my pack is a cat magnet.

In the morning it was still cloudy but blue sky was peaking through. The walk was up over a mountain and very nice. We saw few pilgrims. We stopped at the only bar for a drink and to get something to eat. There were three kittens: two black ones and a tiger striped one. They sat under the table as we eat and played with our boots then one went to my pack and played with the straps, the other two joined it. It was fun to watch them play.

The road was rocky in some places but most of it was wet sand and dirt and felt nice. We passed a small chapel called Nosa Señora das Neves (Our Lady of the Snow). There is a journal outside for people to make comments. The young woman from Quebec had left one in French. I left one too.

Finally we saw the ocean it was far away and matched the cloudy sky. We walked along a hilltop with large rocks forming islands in the grass and took a break on one. As we were descending we met up with a lady from Australia wearing a nice blue felt hat. She was coming to terms with her problems on El Camino and her friends and family are praying for her.

As we were walking a man was approaching us; it was Erik. Even the lady from Australia knew him. He didn’t recognize us at first and than he recognized me. He had gone to Muxía first and was headed back to Santiago. He was happy because his son couldn’t book an early flight for him so now he could spend more time there before going home. He had also found the boat that he wanted through the web for his next adventure. I am glad that we met up with him again. I had been thinking of him that day.

As we were descending down to the coast towards Cée (say) we saw a man with three dogs…one was a pit bull. He told us that to own one he couldn’t have a police record and had to register the dog with the police. He got down on one knee and had the dog lick his ear to show us that it was gentle.

The lady from Australia wanted to walk alone so she slowed down to get some distance between us but we were seeing beautiful views of the ocean so she asked if I could take a photo of her, then we parted.

Dinner at the hotel began at 8 and we were hungry at 5. We cleaned up and decided to find a bar for a drink and tapas but it was raining hard so we went to the cafeteria/bar at the hotel that was only serving drinks. The man tending the bar turned out to be the owner, Pepe. We talked to him and asked if he had anything to eat…chips or something. He offered to make us dinner early, he loves to cook and made us a wonderful dish of tapas de seta (mushroom), scrambled eggs with setas, and fish. He showed us how to cut the fish to remove most of the bones. He then brought out a plate full of the biggest muscles that we have ever seen and my husband enjoyed them. Finally Pepe brought out an apple tarta. It was flaky and good. He was so fun to be with and so happy to cook for us.

El Camino brings happy people together.

 

Mile 507.4: Finisterre

November 4, 2017

We didn’t get to see the sunset but the moon was full and bright.

The morning was clear and bright with blue sky and clouds. Pepe made us toastatas (toast) and sang to us. He is happy preparing even the simple foods. So we left Cee to the next town that is on the other side of the beach and met the lady from Australia. We walked a bit together then parted. We wanted to see more of the town before leaving.

There is artwork of statues and murals in a park. People kept telling us that we needed to go another way for El Camino but we told them that we wanted to see the town first.   Later a lady leaving her house also told that we were going the wrong way so we told her that we were headed to the church. She told us which street to take…the one with the stairs…and kept an eye on us to make sure that we didn’t miss it.  When we got to the church we met another lady who lives across the plaza from the church and she told us about the church’s saint who sits and writes.

We left through a stony alleyway bordered by stonewalls that went up and up and up to an asphalt road that also went up and up and up. I heard some noise behind me and saw four men walking their bikes out of the stony alleyway. Two were able to get on their bikes and work their way up the road. The other two kept on walking. As they passed us they told me that this was for younger people. I told them that if there was an up there would be a down.

We walked over streets and roads that went behind homes. Some of the streets were quite busy with traffic so we had to be careful. When walking on a street pilgrims walk on the left side facing the cars coming but sometimes there are blind curves so we cross to the other side. We had to do this several times and the cars were fast, the drivers are not so concerned about the few pilgrims that they see here.

We stopped for lunch at a little bar along the beach and the lady made us calmari (squid). It was one of the best. She breaded it herself and fried it so well. We eat it with a mixed salad. Then it was time to go over the last hill and there was Finisterre (Fisterra in Galego): The End of the World.

We met up with the lady from Australia again and we talked awhile as we walked. I took some more photos of her and we parted. The walk along the shore was flat and curved. It was also hard since it was made up of stone slabs. We could see the lighthouse in the distance.  As we were walking on a side trail a pheasant crossed our path.  It was a pleasant surprise.

Before looking for our hotel we went to the alberge where we could get our certification. Then we walked back up and up and up to our hotel, which is made of stone and beautiful. Later we went out for dinner. I brought my trekking poles to help me with the hills. My knee is doing much better but I will take no chances.

Dinner was good. I had my favorite: octopus with shrimp and a salad of tomatoes and cheese. We had white wine with it and asked for the cork. My husband told the waiter that I was making a cork jacket to wear when I jumped into the sea at the End of the World. I told him that I needed a lot more than what I had. He came back with a red cork with paw prints on it for me.   So now I have a special cork.

We did not get to see the sunset today, as is the tradition…it was too cloudy. As we walked home from dinner, though, the clouds parted and we saw two stars and a bright full moon. The sun setting represents the end of an old era for the pilgrim. The full moon though coming out from behind clouds has more meaning to me.

Tomorrow we walk to the lighthouse and the End of the World.

El Camino has its own tradition to share.

 

Mile 515.4: El Cabo Finisterre

November 5, 2017

Today I followed the path of the Ancients.

The coast line that we have been following for a couple of days is known as Costa da Morte (Coast of the Dead) because of the shipwrecks. It’s a beautiful area with sandy beaches and rugged cliffs. We followed El Camino today to the End of the World where there is a lighthouse. Once it was thought that this was the furthest point of land on this coastline. People have found something special here way before the Romans or Christians arrived.

First we went to the lighthouse. The trail here runs beside the winding road by the cliff. We walked up and up and up. There is a statue of a pilgrim along the way. This is where I began walking on the street facing traffic. The trail is narrow and there are bushes along the side but they only hide the sharp drop down. As I walked along the road with other pilgrims a car stopped beside us. I saw him driving up and down the road several times but paid him no mind. I was told later that he had stopped to watch the backend of the women and myself that were walking…pervert.

Once we reached the lighthouse we went to the side of it. There are stairs that go down to the rocks and shore where there are several points of interest for pilgrims.  As I was descending the stairs something made me stop and I ended up not going down to the point. My husband later told me that it was rather touristy. I know there’s “points of interest” down there but something wasn’t right. This was not were I belonged.

We had a nice lunch at the hotel there.  We got into a conversation with some Spaniards. We talked about our time on El Camino and one asked me if it had been a good trip. I told him that not all was good but then again…yes, it was good because El Camino is life.

After lunch we headed up to the Monte Facho where there are three outcrops of rocks that were sacred to the Ancient people that lived here. We stood by these ancient stones and looked out upon the Atlantic Ocean. It was rugged and beautiful. I placed my palms on one of the rocks and sent Reiki energy to it. Then I felt heat come back to me like a liquid glove covering my hands. There is so much energy here.

We then continued to the other side of the mountain where there is an old hermitage of Saint Guillerme. There is a large rock there and what is left of the walls of the chapel and living space. There is an alter in the chapel with a slab of stone by it with an indentation where people can lay on it. The slab predates the Christian era and it was thought that to lie on it one would become fertile. Across the bay from this site is Monte Pindo. This was a sacred mountain for the Celts and is majestic to see especially when the sun is shinning on it. As we walked back down towards the road a rainbow appeared in front of Monte Pindo. This was a magical way to end the day and our time at The End of the World.

We took the trail down from the mountain to the road again we saw the lady from Australia. I really love her blue felt hat. It has so much style and looks good on her. She looked happy and relaxed. She leaves for Santiago tomorrow and than home. May El Camino have blessed her as it has for us.

We ended our day in our room eating fruit and cookies that we had in our pack. We had stopped by the restaurant that we gone to the night before. The lady there had told us that they were open from noon till 11 pm and did not close during the siesta time. Turned out this was not true. We arrived there at 5 pm and they were closed. The same lady made up a story as to why and expected us to return at 7 pm. We tried to find food somewhere else but most of the bars and restaurants were closed or not serving food (or so they said). There were many that were full of men playing games together and they had food. We were glad that we had eaten at the lighthouse. Our feet hurt and my knee was sore. Neither of us wanted to walk down the hill and back for dinner. So we enjoyed the food that we had and drank water.

Tomorrow we head to Muxía (Moo-shee-ah) the Christian “End of the World.”

 El Camino has an energy all of its own.

 

 

Pilgrim’s Passport:

Certification for Finisterre:

¡Buen Camino!