Finesterre on a beautiful day. Considered land's end hence the name and where the movie, The Way with Martin Sheen ended his Camino. If you want to know more about the Camino de Santiago, consider watching the movie.

Visiting my father's home village of Lira

I rented a car in Santiago and took a drive to my father's hometown of Lira, Galicia, Spain in hopes of trying to find and living relatives. Not an easy task as he died 40 years ago and nor records of his full name survived his emigration into the United States. In Spain, people keep many of their names and in order to facilitate my research, I would need at least one of more of his names including his mother's maiden name which I never knew. Nevertheless, it was quite enjoyable to walk around his village and continue on to Finesterre on a beautiful day. Thanks to one of the tour guides, Ana, from Fresco and one of the bus drivers who has family near Lira, we might continue the search.

Amenal to Santiago, Friday 30/9/16, 16kms.

The day we have been looking forward to. Finishing in Santiago de Compostela. We started with a significant uphill which works well for me but not others. Again, most of today is in shaded paths. We walk past the airport and continue to Lavacolla where the original pilgrims would disrobe and wash in the streams so that they arrived at the cathedral without body odor. No such requirements these days.
Lunch is at Monte do Gozo or Mount of Joy. It is a hill overlooking Santiago and where you catch the first glimpse of the cathedral.There is now a large monument that commemorates John Paul II's papacy.
I was really excite now and the aches and pains started to be ignored with the adrenal of finishing the famous pilgrimage with my fellow Fresco Tour walkers. We met up at the Porta do Camino so that we entered the square together. A very emotional time for us. We were all thankful to have finished. After a quick shower and change of clothes, we took our place in the cathedral seated in the transcript for the best viewing of the incense burner that is swung during the pilgrims mass. We arrived at 5 of a 7:30 mass so that we could have the best seats in the house. I brought my kindle so that I could use the time to read. The mass was inspiring and our last group dinner topped off a great camino.
We did have a two hour walking tour Saturday morning as part of our guided program. Saw the market which operates 6 days a week. People come for all there fresh food including produce, meats, cheeses, etc.

Arzua - Amenal, 29/9/16, 22 km
Today was my toughest day with 14 miles and lots of up and down. Nevertheless, I enjoyed all the sights including a brewpub that makes a microbrew dedicated to women pellegrinas. We past by Calle that is a picturesque village that combines traditional Galician architecture with the newer homes made of stone.
Santa Irene has a small 18th century chapel and fountain with purportedly curative waters.
Most of the walk was through tree lined paths which were quite beautiful. Unfortunately, these cumulative days of 12 plus miles have started to catch up and needed to take many Advil to finish today.

Melide to Arzua, Wednesday, 28/9/16, 14.3 km

We traveled back to Melide to pick up the Camino at the square where we left off. Fortunately, the old church was opened were we received a pilgrim stamp and were able to view the beautiful architecture. Weather at 60 degrees was perfect for another day on the Camino.
We didn't travel far when we came upon an old Romanesque church with frescoes that were in pristine condition.
As we strolled the country lanes we came upon a donkey with its handler having a donkey stamp that many took advantage of obtaining before we crossed over a creek using a stone bridge. We came upon a German Inn but rather stop there, I continued on to the town of Boente where we had a check point with a totally empty but clean bar with bathrooms. Most of the indoor bathrooms have been spotless and if you buy something, no worries on using them. This bar allowed me to use them free of charge. As you can imagine with 280,000 pilgrims per year, bathrooms can be in high demand and not always keeping up with cleanliness, but that hasn't been my experience.
I checked in with our bus driver and continued on sometimes talking to other pilgrims sometimes not. Always enjoying the beautiful weather and scenery along the way.
Came to Castaneda where the old pilgrims would bring quartz for the locals to grind into lime which they would then take to Santiago for the building of the cathedral.
We had another splendid lunch this time at a park along a creek. Ana's salad's continue to wow us. Only another two miles until we reached the end town of Arzua. This town dates back to Roman but it really was only put on the map because it is on the Camino.
Personal reflection is very much a part of our Camino days.

Day 5 Sunday, 25 September Sarria to Portomarin, 14 miles
Day 6 Monday, 26 September, Portomarin to Meson A Brea, 14 miles
Day 7 Tuesday, 7 September Meson A Brea to Melide, 11 miles

As you might have concluded as beautiful as the Manor houses are, they have limited wifi. You don't do the Camino to stay connected, however. I can upload pictures from the bars we pass along the way as they have excellent wifi.
We continue along a beautiful journey with churches, scenery and conversation with pilgrims from all over the world. Being fluent in Spanish is a great help as I can converse with many more people than the rest in my group.People are so much of the Camino experience I'm happy not to be limited to just English speaking individuals.
We picked up lots of Pilgrims in Sarria as that is the last big town before you need to walk every km to get the official certificate. It is a market town but the treasures were in the churches and the views from the top of the hill overlooking the city. This was my hardest day thus far and Portomarin was a welcomed sight. Built along a river it has quite a historical church to sit and enjoy.
From Portomarin we passed many Galician villages and walked country lanes. Everyday we have outstanding lunches prepared by our guides with two of more salads.
Tuesday we passed thru Palas de Rei with more historical churches and the rolling footpaths were delightful with a finish in Melide, the capitol of pulpo/octopus. We had many side dishes of the pulpo for lunch-yum. Fresco tours arranged for us to have massages at our manor house today. What a great treat!

Triacastela - Sarria, 24 September, 18 Km
Another perfect hiking day with cool mornings and sun. Views and pilgrims in abundance. Terrain was mostly flat with some downhill along excellent paths. Lunch was laid out at a church where we had outstanding salads, fruits and observed a baptism. Arrived in Sarria where the shops were all closed for the afternoon and rest time for us before we go to evening vespers and dinner.

Friday, 23 September O Cebreiro to Triacastela - 22 Kms
We enjoyed the most amazing views of the Galician Mtn range during our walk. We started in fog which only added to the experience but quickly dropped out of the fog to experience even more scenery. One of the most famous miracles along the Camino took place along this section of the Camino. We had a blood pumping climb to Alto do Poio, the highest point of the Camino in Galicia. After getting our passports stamped, we had a steady downhill to the town of Triacastela, named after the 3 castles that once stood watch over the village.

We all started our breakfast at 8. Got the luggage loaded and hopped in the van. With Leon in our rear view mirror, we headed to El Ganso to start our Camino. The day started a little chilly but it was perfect for out 15 km journey. There are about 280,000 people walking the Camino so one encounters many pilgrims some of which walk with you for a distance and you have the opportunity to learn a little about that person. As people come from all over the world, it passes the miles while learning a bit.
I enjoyed a conversation with someone from Newfoundland, Canada who started at St John Pied De Port, France. She recounted her unique experiences during her Camino which is into its 4 week. The people she she has met, the scenery and the many levels of housing all has added to her Camino. After a few minutes, we separate and another pilgrim is there in a relatively short time that you can have another visit.
Fresco Tours positions its mini bus so you see them about every 90 minutes. You can refill water bottles, have a snack and shed clothing. All nice features perks so your load is relatively light compared to the self contained pilgrims. We are a group of 15 and one great difference unlike the commercial bike tour I've used in recent years, everyone has showed up with a fitness level to allow them to walk every mile on our journey.

Leon, Spain

Our official first day on the Camino started with a pick up at our downtown Madrid hotel and a 4 hour small bus ride to Leon. Fresco Tours is on top of every detail with smooth transfers.
I haven't quite mastered uploading pictures to the blog page but you can see them on Facebook.
We were greeted with a fabulous lunch followed by our orientation and then a two hour walking tour of Leon. Our hotel shares a wall with the old perimeter defenses and was formerly an old mansion converted to a charming but not modern hotel. Has everything we need with updated bathrooms and perfect location.
Some of us attending the Pilgrim Mass in local church and hope it provides us with safe travels. The Gothic Cathedral is enormous with spectacular stain glass windows. Pilgrims everywhere and we start walking tomorrow. Perfect weather so far.

The bags are packed and ready to load into the car for my flights tomorrow. My late husband and I were never known as light travelers as we often had two bags each plus a carry on for a grand total of 110lbs of luggage per person. As the years went on, however, and we stopped bike touring, we traveled lighter with every international trip but this year will set the record of only 28lbs for the checked bag and my back pack. It helps to need only hiking clothes as I won't be spending anytime in a city. Just the 1 1/2 days in Madrid at the front end without any formal dining.
Off to take Baker Street and Holmes to the breeder. Camp Golden Retriever with swimming optional everyday.

How it all started.

At the age of 68, why would I undertake the Camino de Santiago? Well as much as I've heard about this pilgrimage walk, I was always more focused on bike tours, SCUBA diving vacations, and seeing all seven continents. Recently, however, I became more interested in exploring the area of my father's birthplace. He was born in a small coastal village in Galicia, Lira, which is close to the end town of Santiago De Compostela. While hiking with CMC last year, someone in the group was talking about the Camino and it caught my interest. So after some research and watching the movie, The Way, I signed up with Fresco Tours to do the last 160 km. I'll be a single but part of a group of 15 with a company that moves my luggage, feeds me three meals a day and houses us in 3 star hotels. I look forward to getting a good feel for the culture of where my father grew up and the living conditions of the Galician people.