11th July Barcelona

We arrived in Barcelona yesterday to begin the end of our epic journey. One of the most exciting things on arrival was a bag of clean clothes that the hotel has looked after for 5weeks.

Our day today was spent being ordinary tourists in ordinary clothes. Up early to get in the queue to see La Sagrada Família. A giant church designed by gaudi and still incomplete. A work in progress for more than a century. Look like a giant melting wax structure.

I guess once a walking pilgrim always a walker. The rest of the day was spent literally walking all over the place and getting lost in some of the most beautiful tiny streets and alleys in this city.

In the afternoon we found the sprawling Park Guell, another Gaudi innovation. Barcelona is his city.

This place is gated, fantasy park created for barcelonas rich to play. My favourite part was the Banc de Trencadis which was a wide open space with a georgeous curving bench covered in broken tiles and crockery, fabulous

As I write this blog I am sitting out on the deck of our hotel, have a couple of very nice rum and cokes, another treasure we found in our bag. The duty free rum!

This will be our last post as tomorrow we will begin the journey home. It's been an extraordinary holiday/ adventure, I hope at some stage we will be able to put into perspective what we have done.

Can't wait to see you all, you know who you are.

Adios

9July

Yes the camino really does change people

8thJuly Monte de Gozo to Santiago de compestella

What a strange, strange day. Firstly we slept in, unheard of!!!

Only 5km to get to our goal of Santiago de compostella. Sitting in front of the cathedral by 8am. Bit of breakfast whilst we waited for the pelligrino office to open at 9am.

We have our compostella. The certificate written in ancient Latin that we receive when we have walked the 800km of st James way.

It is a very surreal feeling, but deep in our heart we know we have made it. Other emotions will follow I'm sure

7th July. O' pedrouso to monte del goza

We arrived about 11am. Another early morning and a morning of hills again. It feels quite surreal that after 5weeks of pretty continuous walking, we are sitting on a hill looking down on Santiago de compostella. We have walked close to 800 km now and are pretty tired. Our plan to stop early today is so we can arrive into Santiago in the morning fresh and well rested. It will be a big day.

As I said yesterday this is an albergue that can house 400 pilgrims. It is very quiet here and the complex looks like a series of bunkers. There is a cafe, so thankfully we could still get our celebratory beers. Quiet afternoon, I cannot tell you how exhausted we are this afternoon, I think because we know we have done it

6 July Ribadso to O Pedrouzo (Arca, O Piña)

Another early start, another quick start, another late coffee another very hot day. Thank god we were stopped by just after midday. We seem to be less focused on where we are and what we are doing, rather looking to the final day. We are very excited by this prospect, and though we talk about completing this journey, we are not speaking of the expectant emptiness that will follow. Having said that we are planning on a shorter day tomorrow and spending Sunday night in an albergue with 400 other souls and Santiago in our sights.

5th July Palas de Rei to ribadso

To just finish off our last few days, Spain thought it might throw a heat wave at us. The region of Galicia is renowned for all sorts of weather. But normally winds, rain and thunderstorms. Today we expect  a temperature of about 38c. It's probably our last big 27km day so we choose to get up before 5am again and make our way in the dark.

Quite the sprint for that first coffee in about 8km then settled into the rhythm of the day.

Walking through farms, more cows and as luck would have it more hills.

It's seriously hot and we are just getting a tad hot and bothered. Thankfully arrived in the lovely village of Ribadiso which has 2 albergues , a bar/ restaurant and straddles a beautiful river. After a nap, the afternoon is spent with a poor, poor. Feet in that river. Then to the bar for a drink and food...but no food until 7pm. Then a mad rush of hungry pilgrims. Early night ready for another early start.

4 July Portomarín to Palas De Rei

Up early, we found that we were awake at 5 usually, so today we got up and were on the road by 5:30. Walk back through town and down all those steps! Unfortunately it was dark particularl in the woods, so we waited until 6:00 to venture into these. As the sun rose the fog descended, we really didn't see sky until 10-11:00. 

First coffee came some 8km out of town- that was a struggle!

On, on as we say. Stumbling upon villages before we could see them as the fog got heavier. Very strange sensation, sweating like crazy coz of the humidity but it was cold and wet because of the fog.

Finally sun came out and we continued in the woodlands.

Surrounded by tour-agrinos and not really enjoying the extra company. Brierly does touch upon this in his book and how we may have feelings of resentment towards them as this is "our"camino. They have joined as to complete the last 100km into Santiago and they will also receive their compostela.

All well and good, but why so many and why so loud?? I am trying to remain a good pilgrim but it is making a tough week just that little bit tougher......on,on.