That's it!
I made it in 3 days! 90 km in 3 days are not bad I find...
22km the first day, 34 (yes!) km yesterday and 31 today. I have another 3 left tomorrow to go to the lighthouse of Finisterre that really will close it.
Today has been a gorgeous and warm day, what a pleasure to arrive with such a weather to the sea. Here in Fisterra there are amazing beaches, and it feels almost like I am a tourist, if I overlook my pilgrim look and smell and way of walking.
My feet didn't like me too much since yesterday, with the long distances walking...
And I thought I had left many things in Santiago so that my rucksack would be lighter, but really it didn't make much of a difference, first because I had to carry more food because of the longer stretches without any way of getting any, and also because I picked things on the way. Best example today: we walked for about 100m on green jasper. Literally.
Do you think I looked, took a picture and thought how nice? No way! I filled a whole plastic bag with smaller and bigger pieces of beautiful green to blue jasper. Must have added at least a kilo to what I was already carrying.
But hey! I made it, I am proud of it, and glad that I have the stones. They will be wonderful presents to give away. And to keep, of course. Special camino energy!
So tomorrow I will walk to the lighthouse, will burn the old clothes symbolically, have a bath in the ocean if I manage to face the cold of the water, and will take the bus back to Santiago.
Then I will have a couple of days to at last experience pilgrim mass, and relax, before taking the train back on Tuesday morning.
Friday, June 29, 2007
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Santiago
That's it!
I am in Santiago since 2pm today!
I had to walk 30km yesterday, so that there were about 20-22 left today.
The entrance into the city was not so nice, right beside the road, with many cars and lorries circulating at very high speed, or so it seemed to me.
Then again, at the moment even bicycles seem fast.
My feet were pretty sore after the 30km yesterday - imagine, I arrived at the albergue shortly before 6 pm, and I had been walking since 7:30am! But I was proud of myself.
Tomorrow, I have taken my decision now, I will start walking towards Fisterra. I'd like to take my time to get there, i.e. take 4 days instead of 3 times 30km as planned. I will have to have a 34km day anyway due to the lack of accomodation between the two places, but any time I don't have to, I won't. And I'd like to get there for the full moon, which is on the 30th of June. So leaving tomorrow gives me exactly the time to get there.
Then, I'll come back to Santiago on Sunday, and will stay here until Tuesday morning where I have my train back to France. That will close the adventure.
So you will ask, I can almost see you mouth half open, waiting and expecting, what about Santiago?
Well, I haven't reached enlightenment just because I arrived here, went into the cathedral, got the compostela or visited the tomb of the apostle. It is as I expected, very touristic, many people everywhere, also beggars, which I didn't expect, and many many many tourist shops.
It is also a very beautiful city. The centre has many amazing buildings, and it is nice to walk in.
I found it very hard to find the cathedral. I expected to see it from far away, potentially from 5 km or so, but really there was nothing to be seen until 100m beforehand, if even. That made the entrance into the city feel even longer and harder. My feet started to get sore, it was tough. But it was nice to make it and have a feeling of completion.
However, I can feel that there is something calling me, pulling me to Fisterra and to the sea, and I can feel that the end of my pilgrimage is in four days, not now.
So I'll let you guys know how it goes. I find it hard to relax now and feel that I have achieved something. I haven't had time to get to the pilgrim mass - which is at 12pm every day - so I'll do that when I come back. Then it will be over.
I am in Santiago since 2pm today!
I had to walk 30km yesterday, so that there were about 20-22 left today.
The entrance into the city was not so nice, right beside the road, with many cars and lorries circulating at very high speed, or so it seemed to me.
Then again, at the moment even bicycles seem fast.
My feet were pretty sore after the 30km yesterday - imagine, I arrived at the albergue shortly before 6 pm, and I had been walking since 7:30am! But I was proud of myself.
Tomorrow, I have taken my decision now, I will start walking towards Fisterra. I'd like to take my time to get there, i.e. take 4 days instead of 3 times 30km as planned. I will have to have a 34km day anyway due to the lack of accomodation between the two places, but any time I don't have to, I won't. And I'd like to get there for the full moon, which is on the 30th of June. So leaving tomorrow gives me exactly the time to get there.
Then, I'll come back to Santiago on Sunday, and will stay here until Tuesday morning where I have my train back to France. That will close the adventure.
So you will ask, I can almost see you mouth half open, waiting and expecting, what about Santiago?
Well, I haven't reached enlightenment just because I arrived here, went into the cathedral, got the compostela or visited the tomb of the apostle. It is as I expected, very touristic, many people everywhere, also beggars, which I didn't expect, and many many many tourist shops.
It is also a very beautiful city. The centre has many amazing buildings, and it is nice to walk in.
I found it very hard to find the cathedral. I expected to see it from far away, potentially from 5 km or so, but really there was nothing to be seen until 100m beforehand, if even. That made the entrance into the city feel even longer and harder. My feet started to get sore, it was tough. But it was nice to make it and have a feeling of completion.
However, I can feel that there is something calling me, pulling me to Fisterra and to the sea, and I can feel that the end of my pilgrimage is in four days, not now.
So I'll let you guys know how it goes. I find it hard to relax now and feel that I have achieved something. I haven't had time to get to the pilgrim mass - which is at 12pm every day - so I'll do that when I come back. Then it will be over.
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Fleas...
Yep! That was missing so far...
But 2 or 3 days before Santiago - depending of how much I manage to walk tomorrow - I got fleas.
Or something similar. I have been bitten or stung over my whole body yesterday afternoon until this morning, and have now many extremely itchy red patches all over the place, especially the arms, hands, neck, shoulders, legs, feet, etc...
I walked the whole day concentrating on not scratching, and my first concern when I arrived in the albergue in Melide was to make sure there was a washing machine so I could wash absolutely everything I have including the sleeping bag. And, oh joy, there was one! And even a dryer! So all of my clothing possessions passed through the whole cycle and hopefully the heat and detergent killed any animal that dared taking refuge in my stuff and use my skin as a kitchen. So now, at least psychologically, it feels better.
I have also bought an antihistamin cream and tablets, just in case, and new ear plugs in case the old ones are infested...
Ha! Interesting itchy times, but I suppose it's part of it as well, and I can show my flea scars as well as my blister scars when I come back!
Apart from that, the weather has been sunny for two days and it is a pleasure to walk, especially as it is not too hot. Perfect. Hope it holds.
Ah yeah, and I ate octopus today! It is a specialty of the area, and very tasty as well. Only a bit weird to eat the tentacles, and especially to see them cook whole in huge copper cauldrons full of water.
Time is accelerating as I reach Santiago in so few days. We'll see what the next days hold in store.
But 2 or 3 days before Santiago - depending of how much I manage to walk tomorrow - I got fleas.
Or something similar. I have been bitten or stung over my whole body yesterday afternoon until this morning, and have now many extremely itchy red patches all over the place, especially the arms, hands, neck, shoulders, legs, feet, etc...
I walked the whole day concentrating on not scratching, and my first concern when I arrived in the albergue in Melide was to make sure there was a washing machine so I could wash absolutely everything I have including the sleeping bag. And, oh joy, there was one! And even a dryer! So all of my clothing possessions passed through the whole cycle and hopefully the heat and detergent killed any animal that dared taking refuge in my stuff and use my skin as a kitchen. So now, at least psychologically, it feels better.
I have also bought an antihistamin cream and tablets, just in case, and new ear plugs in case the old ones are infested...
Ha! Interesting itchy times, but I suppose it's part of it as well, and I can show my flea scars as well as my blister scars when I come back!
Apart from that, the weather has been sunny for two days and it is a pleasure to walk, especially as it is not too hot. Perfect. Hope it holds.
Ah yeah, and I ate octopus today! It is a specialty of the area, and very tasty as well. Only a bit weird to eat the tentacles, and especially to see them cook whole in huge copper cauldrons full of water.
Time is accelerating as I reach Santiago in so few days. We'll see what the next days hold in store.
Friday, June 22, 2007
Galicia, or "I don't believe in witches but I know they exist"
I am now in Galicia since a few days. It is the last Spanish province that I will walk in, as it is the one where Santiago is.
It is a land of green hills, forests and cows, and of witches. In a German friend's travel guide, the description of Galician people touched on ambiguities such as "I don't believe in witches but I know they exist", which I find very amusing...
So far it has been raining most days, and it is rather cold. I actually bought a poncho a couple of days ago, on top of my rain jacket and rucksack protection, because I was pissed off with being all wet up to the waist. So now I can deal with the rain better, that is when I think of taking out the poncho on time...
It reminds me of Ireland a lot here. First, there is a huge Celtic influence in Galicia. Celtic symbols can be found in many places, and even the weather is similar! Which, of course, means that the landscapes are the greenest I have seen in Spain so far...
Days are not as monotonous as on the Meseta, but the path is a bit harder on the knees, with all the slopes up and down, sometimes quite steep. The good side of it is, I think less about my feet, and it turns out they feel much better than on the Meseta!
I actually enjoy walking here, in spite of the rain, on the paths in old oak woods and under pine trees. And the few times where it gets a bit warmer, the air smells nice of honeysuckle, rosemary and other wild flowers that I wouldn't be able to name, especially in English (but in French or any other language neither, to be honest).
There are two people that I keep meeting every few days, a German lady and a Dutch guy, and the three of us form a sort of little family. It is always a joy to find each other again, and a bit lonely when we let each other go. But every time we think we won't meet again, the Camino proves us wrong a few days later.
But now, I am reaching the end. Santiago is only 4 or 5 days away, and it is very strange to think about it. I am starting to understand why people do it again and again. I met some people who were walking the Camino Francés for the 4th or 5th time. I couldn't understand them...
Now I don't think I would do it, but at least I can feel what pushes them.
There is a sort of sadness in the air, maybe nostalgy already, thinking about what we have gone through, and how close we are to the end. I have the feeling that arriving in Santiago must be a climax and an anticlimax at the same time. We'll see I suppose...
The path keeps teaching to let go...
It is a land of green hills, forests and cows, and of witches. In a German friend's travel guide, the description of Galician people touched on ambiguities such as "I don't believe in witches but I know they exist", which I find very amusing...
So far it has been raining most days, and it is rather cold. I actually bought a poncho a couple of days ago, on top of my rain jacket and rucksack protection, because I was pissed off with being all wet up to the waist. So now I can deal with the rain better, that is when I think of taking out the poncho on time...
It reminds me of Ireland a lot here. First, there is a huge Celtic influence in Galicia. Celtic symbols can be found in many places, and even the weather is similar! Which, of course, means that the landscapes are the greenest I have seen in Spain so far...
Days are not as monotonous as on the Meseta, but the path is a bit harder on the knees, with all the slopes up and down, sometimes quite steep. The good side of it is, I think less about my feet, and it turns out they feel much better than on the Meseta!
I actually enjoy walking here, in spite of the rain, on the paths in old oak woods and under pine trees. And the few times where it gets a bit warmer, the air smells nice of honeysuckle, rosemary and other wild flowers that I wouldn't be able to name, especially in English (but in French or any other language neither, to be honest).
There are two people that I keep meeting every few days, a German lady and a Dutch guy, and the three of us form a sort of little family. It is always a joy to find each other again, and a bit lonely when we let each other go. But every time we think we won't meet again, the Camino proves us wrong a few days later.
But now, I am reaching the end. Santiago is only 4 or 5 days away, and it is very strange to think about it. I am starting to understand why people do it again and again. I met some people who were walking the Camino Francés for the 4th or 5th time. I couldn't understand them...
Now I don't think I would do it, but at least I can feel what pushes them.
There is a sort of sadness in the air, maybe nostalgy already, thinking about what we have gone through, and how close we are to the end. I have the feeling that arriving in Santiago must be a climax and an anticlimax at the same time. We'll see I suppose...
The path keeps teaching to let go...
Saturday, June 16, 2007
Rain, love and laughter
It feels like I haven't been on the internet forever, and yet it is only 3 days. Funny how time is all relative. At the same time I can't believe that it is already Saturday. Today is the 30th day that I am on my way.
And yesterday was exactly one moon, as I started on the last new moon.
Now I have climbed up and down the mountain I was talking about last time. The walk up was nice, the walk down beautiful but a bit tiring for the knees and thighs (I can feel it today) - we went up about 600m in 5-6 km, and down 1000m in also 5-6km.
There is something special about the mountains. It is another world up there. The villages are different, people are different, nature is different. It is hard and peaceful at the same time.
The last 2 days have been incredible.
I had a beautiful experience with rain. The day before yesterday I was walking up, until Foncebadón. And from Rabanal del Camino until Foncebadón, where it was going up the most steeply, it started raining. When I say raining, it was really pouring!! Incredible!
Within less than 10 min I was soaked. My trousers were sticking to my legs, and little by little I could feel that I was only wearing them for decency reasons, as really they didn't protect me at all anymore. And, my shoes started getting wet also. I don't know if the gore-tex suddenly had enough and gave up, or if the socks getting wet started filling the shoes with water, so that every step made a nice splashing sound. The mountain was probably beautiful, but I didn't get much of it, first because I couldn't see much past the front of my hood, and also because I had no inclination to try and do so...
Suddenly I saw a couple walking before me, maybe 20 m ahead. It reassured me, at least I wasn't the only one battling with the rain. Suddenly, as I looked up, they stopped, in the middle of the rain, and exchanged a passionate kiss that lasted at least 30 seconds.
After the original surprise, I could only smile when I passed beside them and greeted them - and realised they were a Spanish couple well into their 40s or 50s. And something shifted in me. I started to smile in the rain. I was wet anyway, so I might as well enjoy this rain that was beautiful and regenerating and freeing in a way. And I started to be thankful. Thankful that my feet were not too sore, that my jacket was completely waterproof, and that my rucksack was also protected, which meant that I would be able to change into dry clothes as soon as I arrived. And the more I was thankful, the more I smiled, the better I felt.
I even had to laugh out loud a few times.
It was just beautiful.
And yesterday was exactly one moon, as I started on the last new moon.
Now I have climbed up and down the mountain I was talking about last time. The walk up was nice, the walk down beautiful but a bit tiring for the knees and thighs (I can feel it today) - we went up about 600m in 5-6 km, and down 1000m in also 5-6km.
There is something special about the mountains. It is another world up there. The villages are different, people are different, nature is different. It is hard and peaceful at the same time.
The last 2 days have been incredible.
I had a beautiful experience with rain. The day before yesterday I was walking up, until Foncebadón. And from Rabanal del Camino until Foncebadón, where it was going up the most steeply, it started raining. When I say raining, it was really pouring!! Incredible!
Within less than 10 min I was soaked. My trousers were sticking to my legs, and little by little I could feel that I was only wearing them for decency reasons, as really they didn't protect me at all anymore. And, my shoes started getting wet also. I don't know if the gore-tex suddenly had enough and gave up, or if the socks getting wet started filling the shoes with water, so that every step made a nice splashing sound. The mountain was probably beautiful, but I didn't get much of it, first because I couldn't see much past the front of my hood, and also because I had no inclination to try and do so...
Suddenly I saw a couple walking before me, maybe 20 m ahead. It reassured me, at least I wasn't the only one battling with the rain. Suddenly, as I looked up, they stopped, in the middle of the rain, and exchanged a passionate kiss that lasted at least 30 seconds.
After the original surprise, I could only smile when I passed beside them and greeted them - and realised they were a Spanish couple well into their 40s or 50s. And something shifted in me. I started to smile in the rain. I was wet anyway, so I might as well enjoy this rain that was beautiful and regenerating and freeing in a way. And I started to be thankful. Thankful that my feet were not too sore, that my jacket was completely waterproof, and that my rucksack was also protected, which meant that I would be able to change into dry clothes as soon as I arrived. And the more I was thankful, the more I smiled, the better I felt.
I even had to laugh out loud a few times.
It was just beautiful.
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