The end of the earth

At the end of the pilgrimage, a proper pilgrim then goes to Finisterre, the end of the earth in ancient times. This is more of a pagan ritual begun by the Romans. At Finisterre, the pilgrim should leave something. Many leave their boots. Pilgrims have a love/hate relationship with their boots. Others burn clothes. Some bath in the Atlantic. I left a shell from Narragansett Bay.

Boots and clothes at Finisterre

My offering

There are actually two ends of the earth...the Hollywood one from "The Way" and the actual one. The Hollywood one is much more dramatic. It should be the end of the earth. Pictures are below

My pilgrimage is over. Airport security confiscated my walking sticks and I am heading home. It was indeed a buen Camino.

Made it

After 300 miles and three weeks of walking, I'm here!

It's thrilling and sad at the same time. 

The last day of walking the Camino was filled with pilgrims. Many didn't carry packs but had a taxi or van transport them. Many were smoking, on their cellphones, or texting as they walked. A very different crowd than what I have been used to. Mona's legs were sore so she decided not to do the last day and I was on my own.

Santiago is a very joyful place. There is music in the streets. Pilgrims are laughing and hugging their Camino friends. People are eating, drinking, and talking. Even the pilgrim mass was inspiring. The priest talked about how everyone should continue their Camino in life and fight injustice and poverty. The mass ended with the monks swinging a giant incense burner over the crowd. This dates back to the middle ages when the pilgrims probably smelled pretty bad. Now it is just a symbolic purification.

So my days as a pilgrim are over. Sunday we will perform one more symbolic act and then it is to Barcelona and then home.

Buen Camino!!

First sight of the cathedral

Pilgrims enter the plaza in front of the cathedral

Me at the finish

The Parador where rich pilgrims stay for $300 a night

Pilgrims on the way to Santiago

Pilgrims meet cows

My Compostela in Latin..proof I did it

My credentials with stamps from each stop

Beginning of the end

Pilgrim fountain

Ancient painted church interior

End of the Camino primitivo and beginning of the frances

After the big city excitement of Lugo, we were happy to return to the quiet countryside of rolling fields and antique farmhouses. We have made friends with many sweet farm dogs, who are pleased with a few kind words and a pat on the head. We saw a sign for a dog who likes to follow pilgrims. It asked that pilgrims not allow him to follow or call his owners number on his collar.

One thing we noticed at the farmhouses in Galacia is a strange tall narrow structure near every house. It was high off the ground with carved stone end pieces on two sides and crosses on the top. Was it a tomb? a bathroom ?a chapel?

I finally asked and was told it ward a storage place for corn etc. Kind of elaborate for a corn shed.

Food is still good but believe it or not I am getting a little tired of drinking nothing but wine and water. Means are always a fun way to meet people at the albergues. Today I talked to a group of women from NH..one is a custom furniture maker. Small world.
We are staying in small villages so there is nothing to do at night. After dinner for entertainment, we go for a walk. Strange idea after walking all day. When I first started I was looking forward to reaching our destination, Santiago. Now that it is only three days away, I feel reluctant to stop walking. Life is so simple. You walk, you eat, you talk, you sleep. I don't want to give that up.

A medieval pilgrim gives advice

Down from the mountains into a Roman city

I am going to miss the mountains. We will now be walking through farmland and visiting medieval cities. There is a church or chapel at every turn. Tiny rural towns have enormous churches...usually because a monastery used to be there. I loved the carving over the altar of St. James also known as Santiago. He supposedly visited Spain and was buried here in Santiago de Compostela. The statute of him killing the Moors refers to his spiritual guidance in the wars against the Moors, not for any actual swordfighting.

St. James

We have gotten to know other pilgrims on the route. Sometimes its no more than a "buen Camino" when they pass us on the route. Unfortunately, the majority are Spanish speaking but we have spent some time with Cathy and Tim from Seattle. Kathy and I shared a bottle of wine the last two nights and that was fun. The wine is cheaper than water and always delicious.

Lugo has been exciting...our first real city since we left Oviedo. The Roman wall is amazing and surrounds the city. It is a one mile walk around. You can feel the ancientness of the city with its twisting streets and sagging roofs. We are also happy to be staying in a hotel after sharing a room with 16 others in a crowded hostel (albergue) last night.

Roman wall
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Cathedral in Lugo

Sick pilgrim

I have neglected my blog because I have been sick with a terrible earache. After three days of suffering, I arrived at a larger town Fonsagrada and decided to go to a clinic. The receptionist insisted on seeing my insurance card which I fortunately had brought with me. They never asked for any money. What a difference from the US. The doctor spoke no English so it was a great chance to use my Spanish except I couldn't hear very well with one ear blocked. The word for ear in Spanish is oreja or so I thought. However when I said that my oreja hurt, the doctor looked confused. Turns out that means the outer ear. The inner ear is a different word. Anyway, he gave me a prescription for antibiotics written a piece of computer paper and I was off to the farmacia. I am feeling much better today.

We have seen many fascinating things. On many of the mountain ridges are lines on windmills. As we climbed, we could hear the distinctive woom-woom of the windmills that were often shrouded in mist.

There are lots of evidence of the Roman occupation in the first century. We visited a Roman fort complete with the house of the commander with columns and all.

I keep thinking how our trip compares to those of the ancient pilgrims. We with the carbon fiber walking poles, goretex jacket, high tech shoes and ergonomic backpacks and the ancient pilgrims in leather shoes, a wooden stick, and a sack on their back. It hardly seems fair to compare.

Windmills in the mist.
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View from Roman fort.

El camino with a little paving.

Old farm with grain storage

The high road

Tineo to Campiela
Our first easy on el Camino primitivo was lovely. We cheated a little (well, maybe a lot) by taking a bus that covered three days of the walk. We walked gradually uphill for 5 or 6 k but the scenery was so beautiful we barely noticed the ascent. We arrived at the tiny village of Campiela to stay at a great hostel. We had dinner with a reasl international crowad of  pilgrims..Dutch, Slovakian, Taiwanese, and British. There was homemade wine, soup, bean and sausage stew, chicken a potatoes, and then dessert. What a feast.
Campiela to Berducedo
Wow! I have never seen anything like this. We had a 360 degree view of the mountains. We followed one of the hardest and most ancient routes..Ruta de los hospitales. Hospital means hotel for pilgrims. There are no villages here, just ancient ruins of hostels from the 13th century and cows. I could imagine medieval pilgrims following this way  through the mountains and being just as awed as us with the scenery.

As marvelous as it was, it was a long hard path and we dragged ourselves in to town after walking 9 hours and collapsed into bed. Unfortunately this hostel seemed to attract snorers. Even earplugs couldn't silence the unlovely chorus. Oh well, that's one of the burden oa pilgrim past and present.

Oviedo, Asturia

Oviedo is the starting point for el Camino primitive. I arrived here alone and stayed in a pilgrim hostel. It was fun talking to people from around the world. The hostel was in a seminary and was a bit bleak but the other pilgrims were great. I haven't met any Americans yet. Where are they?

Its a beautiful old city. Mona arrived today and we walked around. The people fill the streets at night and the city comes alive. There are cafes everywhere. Mona and I had a 4 course meal and a bottle of wine for $10 each. Unfortunately Mona couldn't drink her share of the wine so it was up to me.

Tomorrow we get serious and start our first stage. I don't know how often I will have Internet so there may be a gap in the blog.

The pictures are
1. Column in the cathedral
2. The shroud of Jesus (or maybe just an old cloth)
3. Wooden shoes
4. Performers wearing shoes.
5. Musicians on the street
6. Cathedral
7. Statute in church
8. My bleak hostel