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.

3July San Mamed del Camino to Portomarín

Up early, self help breakfast in the common area- though only instant coffee:(. We prepare ourselves for the walk through Saria and the probable addition of many other perigrinos More about this later. 

We stop for coffee in sarria, then head out of town along what appears to be a very old road / path, in stark contrast to the highway many metres above, and the rail-line one must cross. A train passed just after we crossed, with toot and big wave from the driver for the humble pilgrims.

It is then a steep climb, to above the highway, through many farmyards or villages. It is difficult to tell sometimes. The narrow path is sometimes a little crowded with bikes pushing their way past, but we try to be civil. 

The MAGIC 100Km marker is passed!

We are then wonderfully "held up" by a 4ft nothing old woman heralding her cattle in between taking calls on her mobile phone- what can we say?

Then into Portomarín, beside a large body of water, with beautiful cool breezes coming off the water. Until we see the steps into town! 

We stayed at the municipal albergue, at the distant end of town. Modern building, though few windows, a very crowded feeling, and with what felt to be little care.

2July Fonfria to San Mamed

Dinner last night was in a round house- just like any other Gallic round house. Long tables, vegetable soup followed by beef and potatoes, finished by Santiago tarte. Washed down with much local red wine-yum.

Started to day above, well in the clouds, then descended through them from around 1300m to 600m.

It was really a beautiful morning, sun blocked out, walking through fields and quiet roads to enter the town of Triacaslela, as the name suggests once the site of 3 castles- alas no more.

As the day progressed we walked up and down, through very small villages. So small if you blinked even walking, you would have missed them!

We are in a small private albergue new and very friendly, looking forward to dinner - again! Tomorrow we pass through Sarria the start for many peregrino. it is the last "big" town to start outside the 100km. ( one needs to walk more than 100km to obtain a compastella). We will have less than this to walk tomorrow night......

1July las herrerías to Fonfria

Had a lovely night at Miriam's. small albergue with 12 beds in 2 rooms, lovely vegetation meal.  I think first time ever no one snored! 

We woke early for a BIG walk uphill. Worth it! With spectacular views over the valley from where we came.

Even more spectacular view ahead as we now entered Galacia Provence.

This Provence has a strong Gallic background, weather strongly affected by the winds from across the Atlantic. We have stopped for the night at Fonfria, apparently it can get a bit cold!

Mixed emotions are appearing, looking forward to finishing and getting home to family and friends, yet regrettably this journey will be over... Still we are lucky to have met so many wonderful people on the Camino.

30th June Molinaseca to las herrerías

Ok , I know it sounds like we set records today to get to we finished but had a plan in place to get us to the bottom of a mountain and climb it fresh.

Funnily enough, as proud as we were with our amazing assault on the hills yesterday, none of us can walk properly today. Calves, quads, glutes and feet are all complaining. Stuart stated this morning he thought his socks were puffy!!! I cracked up as it was so innocently said and the struggle to get shoes on was nothing to do with socks. ( well the socks were for a change clean and dry! -S)

We left Molinaseca quite early to walk the 8 or so km to Ponferrada. A medieval city with a magnificent 12C knights of the Templar castle. Beautifully restored.

Spent time enjoying the ambience of the city, mainly the coffee before embarking on some public transport to move a little forward in the travel guide. We want to be in santiago on the 8th, so we feel to do that we had to skip forward a day at some stage. May as well be the day we can't walk. 

It is a strange thing: we are time limited, we have been sore, though thankfully not seriously disabled and can therefore continue. Why then do we have an ongoing debate with ourselves is this "cheating"?  I think not, would an ancient pilgrims, has refused an offer of help?

Have ended in Las Herrías. A tiny town at the foot of a 800m climb tomorrow. Staying in Miriam's albergue, a very laid back hippy kinda place. Looking forward to the vegetarian dinner here tonight. ( not common in Spain).

In some ways looking forward to the climb again. The uphill segments though at times difficult, are enjoyable with the sights they bring, with the sense of moving forward. Much less painful than the downhill. We are now approach the end; what will this bring?