• Roxanne Dunn
  • Cassie LaGreca
  • Roxanne Dunn
  • Cassie LaGreca

Camino de Santiago

From Saint Jean Pied de Port
To Santiago de Compostela
500 miles
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  • Leon to Villadango de Camino 12.5 mi

    20 de setembro de 2023, Espanha ⋅ ☁️ 54 °F

    September 20th
    Started at 7:00 am
    Ended 12:30 pm
    Break @ 2.5 hrs into walk at roadside cafe

    Nice overcast day, no rain and a little on the cooler side until afternoon.

    Everything was roadside on this leg, so we pop in the earbuds and walk in time with the music. We saw the coolest church steeple with huge birds nest covering the bell tower. I think that is an excellent use of a bell tower. The birds confer. Little points of interest are important to stop and consider on these long bleak road only stretches.

    At halfway we stop to get a cafe con leche and croissant. Nice to sit and not be in a hurry. Our room for the night was confirmed ahead and we can’t check in until 1:00pm anyway.

    Our biggest decision at the break was “should we get another cafe con leche”. Which we did, along with a bacon sandwich. Really couldn’t resist after watching the bacon be grilled right before our eyes. Life is simple out here on the Camino.

    (Video of bacon sandwiches on the grill.)

    Photo and video of roadside trail magic station/table of free grapes, plums and apples and a pilgrim stamp for our credentials.

    We’ve arrived! Not much more than a truck stop, but it’s home for the night and the music on the radio is top notch.
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  • Villadango de Paramor to Astorga 17.8 mi

    21 de setembro de 2023, Espanha ⋅ 🌧 54 °F

    September 21st
    Started at 5:30 am
    Arrived at 1:00 pm

    We got up at 5:00 am, got ready quickly and out onto the trail by 5:30 am. Headlamps and rain ponchos on we headed for the trail.

    It was well lit for a few miles and then we turned on headlamps when we turned down country roads with corn fields. We passed through some interesting towns once daylight came. One was a town with full on jousting fields and chariot racing track. Would love to see knights competing.

    Then we made it up some good hills and finally dropped into Astorga. Waited for our private apartment to be ready by having lunch/dinner. Got word of key code and instructions on how to get in. Each took a leisurely hot shower. Felt so nice!

    Ready to siesta a bit then go see the amazing sights of Astorga!

    Toured the Palicia de Gaudi and put on a few more miles. Went out for chocolate, gelato and pizza.
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  • Astorga to Rabanal del Camino 13.5 mi

    22 de setembro de 2023, Espanha ⋅ ⛅ 52 °F

    September 22nd
    Started at 7:30 am
    Arrived at 1:30 pm

    Started out at a leisurely pace. Met Maria Ophelia and Pedro, of Mexico, leaving Astorga. Found out they had done a rest day in Astorga. That would have been great to do as there is so much to see there and it is a beautiful place. We really loved it.

    Walked out of town with them and quickly noticed how beautiful the landscape around us became. No more boring industrial areas to bring your spirits down. We were both uplifted immediately and saw more friends at our morning coffee break. We had grande cafe con leche and Nepolitanos. (Chocolate filled croissants)

    In hyper drive after the jolt of caffeine and sugar we were zipping along. More great countryside and a few hills, which we blasted up. Black storm clouds were threatening, but never produced. Fooled us though, we donned and doffed the ponchos just for fun.

    With every high comes the coming down part. Roxanne was saying ouch to the ankles the last hour into town. Not a problem that a little Advil can’t fix.

    We arrived in Rabanal del Camino, saw Henry and Harrison, our chums from the UK, at a roadside pub. Confirmed they were on their second glass and that’s how much faster they hike than us. Or possibly they are very fast drinkers or slow walkers or visa versa. So really two glasses into the bottle was no information whatsoever.

    Confounded by hiking speed calculations - we walked on and found a cafe serving spaghetti bolognese and zoomed right in. Snarfed a bowl of that each, after sharing a massive piece of chocolate cake.

    After our meal we made it to our night’s accommodations where Cassie hit it out of the park and this place should have been called Cassieland. It hit all of the things that Cassie loves in a feel good way. Massages, candles, fireplace, laundry service, banana bread in the oven, a meditation vibe, a hostess with intuition and mindfulness. I could go on, and on, but the night is young and stuff is still appearing in the Cassie Christmas miracle made for Hallmark movies kind of way and I am a bit flabbergasted. I think I am along for the ride and my pragmatist self is going have to roll with this.

    Later we’ll go for a reserved table at the pilgrims meal with the other night’s residents of this house. It happens to be all women tonight. And we’ll go to the pilgrims mass or chants at the village church.

    Here are some photos and video of todays adventure.
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  • Rabanal del Camino to El Acebo 11 mi

    23 de setembro de 2023, Espanha ⋅ ☀️ 46 °F

    September 23
    Started at 7:30 am
    Ended 2:00 pm

    10:00 am Stopped for a short break, kombucha and fresh squeezed OJ. The villages are little mountain towns now, the vistas are beautiful and the terrain is steep and very slate rocked for the most part.

    After we get going from this break it’s a climb to the Iron Cross. Cruz de Ferro. We have a moment where we lay down our rock and our troubles there.

    Fair skies and a lot of walking downhill (a dry wash area) after Cruz de Ferro. We are staying at El Acebo which isn’t all the way down the mountain, but only part way. Grab a tuna casserole empanada, very good, in El Acebo, get somewhat confused as to where our Alberque is and after wandering around town looking lost we find the alberque, which is very resort like, and we sigh with relief.

    We check in to our room and drop into deep sleep! Awake not knowing what day it is. Lol Go soak our legs in the pool, talk to Jude and Joey on video phone, go to the hotel bar for burgers and chips.

    Get ready for tomorrow’s trek down the mountain. Today was sunny and no precipitation. Let’s hope tomorrow is the same. If it is similar weather should be no issues in the steep and rocky decent.

    Shorter mileage tomorrow, but more difficult terrain. Looking forward to see what the town of Ponferrada is like.
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  • El Acebo to Ponferrada 9.5 mi

    23 de setembro de 2023, Espanha ⋅ ☀️ 68 °F

    Started at 8:00am
    Finished at 1:30 pm

    We did mostly downhill walking with some very interesting shale rock pathways that I am sure would be a geologist’s dream. I’ve not seen rock like that in Montana or Wyoming and I am sure it is a rare set of circumstance that creates it. Looked somewhat like a seashore layering or a forest that was immediately laid down in catastrophic event and petrified. Very interesting and I wished I had someone with knowledge to inform me of how these formations happened. But rest assured I was appreciating them with reverence for the rarity that I knew I was seeing. I was also appreciative that we had a dry and sunny decent. I could easily see how the shale type rock and clay combination could have been wicked slick with the smallest amount of rain water.

    We enjoyed all the small towns like that of Riego de Ambros with crowing rooster and climbing cat. When we arrived in Ponferrada we realized that it is a BIG town. Dare I say that Pilgrims are not the most welcome of visitors? I feel a frosty reception from wait staff. Maybe this is isolated or a Sunday thing, but I am trying very hard to speak the language I’ve learned in Spanish so far. I am spending hard earn money and not being an imposition. Trying my hardest to ignore it and continue to be polite. Thinking that the next pilgrim might be treated better if I do. Irregardless, I can’t help but enjoy every minute of this experience. Not letting a few bad eggs spoil it.

    Beautiful sites today. Rivers and vistas and special moments throughout the entire walk. Dipping our feet in the river at Molinaseca was restoring.

    Shorter leg today, but still physically demanding. We are both doing well. We have our hiking legs broken in, and we’ve had our backpacks shipped ahead on the last 4 days.
    It has been extra posh for me having the backpack sent ahead, and good for Cassie who is already carrying precious heavy cargo and has an expanding backpack waste band area. She is so strong and I am so impressed with her inner perseverance. She has soreness in places I haven’t had, and she is dealing with a new and off putting imbalance of weight leaning her forward. I remember trying to downhill ski at this stage of pregnancy with her. It was nearly impossible to stay vertical.

    Loving the precious time with these two, Cassie and her passenger. It’s been fun thinking of the sweet boy we will someday meet.

    We met a sweet young lady from France who started from France with her Dad and has many restarts of her Camino experience. She is solo now and has had phases with Camino family and phases alone. Her name is Paulina.

    We found our beautiful room before check in time. So, we spent a few hours sipping beer, me - and Coke for Cassie. The waiter slogged it to us and the plates barely didn’t break. The Spanish people next to us even raised an eyebrow. I wish I knew what they said directly after, I am sure I would have been entertaining.

    We’re going to rest though siesta time and then go out and explore.

    Hope you’re enjoying seeing part of Spain though our eyes. I wish we could really convey the beauty of this entire experience, but words and photos can only capture a fraction.

    Saw the Templar’s castle. Really impressive!
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  • Ponferrada to Villafraca de Bierzo - 16

    25 de setembro de 2023, Espanha ⋅ 🌙 50 °F

    September 25, 2023
    Started at 8 am
    Finished at 2pm
    15 mile day
    Stayed at Micro-Hostel La Puerta Del Pardon, Villafranca de Bierzo

    I lost my last summary somehow.

    I’ll try to recap. Left Ponferrada with one last look at the Templar’s Castle leaving town. Tried to go the wrong way out of town for a minute or two, but the constant parade of Pilgrims going the opposite direction caused to turn their way hence finding the WAY.

    Follows the Rio Lil for a ways out of town, great murals on the overpass supports. Went through a beautiful suburb with gorgeous mansions each taking a city block.

    Stopped at a nice church and Cassie got a second pilgrim’s credential. We both got a stamp and moved on.

    We enjoyed this part of the morning’s walk, but didn’t like the long walks on the side of a roadway with busy traffic hurriedly going to work. In places there was barely a margin to scoot off on. It was rare to find shade in the afternoon.

    At a town we dropped into a Pharmacy and got some emugel recommended by a fellow traveler. We used a little on our feet and found it soothing.

    It got very hot toward the last hour and although we had stopped for lunch and each had a cool down and drinks, then later shared a canned lemon fizzy drink on a park bench, we were quickly heating up again. Found ourselves low on bottled water. We are not refilling at potable water stations, although they are plentiful because we’re being careful of what Cassie passes to the baby. With just enough water left to wet the whistle we knew we needed to arrive at a store or cafe soon.

    Thankfully we arrived in Villafranca before getting too overheated. We got some cold bottled water and cooled down. Then went to find our hotel. It was very close and we checked in and found the cool room a nice respite.

    Showered and restored after a nap we went for dinner where we got to visit with Angelise, a French girl. I love listening to her talk, her over the top exuberance for everything in life and on the trail is very entertaining. She left for her communal alberque dinner and Cassie and I shared a coffee flan for dessert. Very good.

    Streets of San Francisco you’ve got nothing on this town. The hills are steep and from experience I can tell you that flip flops are sketchy when trying to walk up and down to and from dinner and the hotel.

    Planning for the next day, which will be longer and full of more road walking wasn’t getting anywhere, so we decided to sleep on it and see what the morning brings. Some rain would actually be nice, but another 80plus degrees F is predicted. It’s about a 17-18 mile day with lots of climbing hills. How to slice it and dice it, we shall see.

    Goodnight all.
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  • Villafraca de Bierzo to La Laguna

    26 de setembro de 2023, Espanha ⋅ ⛅ 59 °F

    September 26th
    Started at Midnight
    Stayed up all night
    Arrived @ 2:00 pm

    We awoke at just after midnight
    Cassie noticed tiny crawling things in her sheets. We quickly demised we we’re dealing with the dreaded bed bug. Duhduhduuuuh. Our Camino was walking us once more! We would be up all night waiting for the staff to arrive in the morning. We pilled our bedding outside the room in the hall and sprayed the mattresses down. In the morning we began with the process of ridding ourselves of these pests by treating everything fabric that we carry. Obviously, you can’t be spreading them to the next lodging you plan to visit. Come to find out the occurrence of BBs is up 500% in Spain. Sometimes the right combination of variables come together for infestations and this is one of those years. At 7:00 am our hosts at the hotel got busy washing our loads of clothes and putting them through a hot dryer (heat is the only thing that kills them) and we sprayed BB spray on everything that couldn’t go through hot dryer like our backpacks, first aid, toiletries etc. it took us all morning. By the time we finished we had lost most of the day, so we decided to get a cab ahead to our night’s lodging in La Laguna. We arrived at the top of the mountain at the same time other pilgrims were arriving. Only they were pouring with sweat and we were the cleanest showered and washed set of pilgrims around!

    The Alberque here is called La Escuela, named for a school built in 1937 converted to a hostel with bunk beds. It’s a very small farming village, but the Alberque has a bar and restaurant and it is quite busy being at a high point with beautiful mountain views. Milk cows are walked right past the front door on their way too and from the milking stations and paddocks. I saw one cow knock over an expensive road bike. Luckily she didn’t step on it!

    Cassie’s post of today will have a few photos of the surrounding up here.

    Tomorrow we’ll walk through these gorgeous mountains to our destination Triacastela. This may be the MOST beautiful of all scenery, second only to the walk over the Pyrenees on my first day. Cant wait to see it. We’ll do a 6:00 am wake-up and are ready for a speedy and stealth exit from the dorm room and out into the dark with some other pilgrims who plan to do the same. I am told it will be cloudy and not a great sunrise, but we’ll see.

    Goodnight all!
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  • La Laguna to Triacastela 14.5 mi

    27 de setembro de 2023, Espanha ⋅ ☁️ 57 °F

    September 27th
    Started at 6:30 am
    Finished at 2:30 pm
    Staying at Albergue Atria in Triacastela for the night.

    All I can say is what a difference a day makes. We are back Camino! We road that low day only to have a terrific “doesn’t get any better than this” kind of day right after. We’re down - then we’re up again. Phew!

    We crept out of the alberque like thieves in the night into a dark night full of stars. We snapped on our headlamps and followed the yellow arrow out of town and down the trail. In about a mile and a half we reached the town of O Cebreiro. I fell in love with this town. We ate a quick breakfast with Suzette and Michell and went outside for a magnificent sunrise. The photos don’t really do the sunrise or the town justice because they can’t quite convey the uplifting feelings we were having in that moment. The town’s buildings were laid out in a flowing and pleasing style coupled with the sunrises’ glow. It really just took my breath away. There was a museum, shown in the video, that if it were a residence I would be tempted to move in a never leave. It had stone rounded walls, multiple meandering levels and thatched roof and was filled with grass woven art. Each art piece was done by a different artist and was perfect in form and function.

    The church had a beautiful courtyard and it was aglow with red glass offerings candles lit that morning by other pilgrims. We grabbed a few sticks and lit some with our own thoughts and prayers.

    After absorbing that town we went on the trail again. It was light now and the entire valley of patchwork green pastures were laid out before us. Mountains and foothills layered with fall trees just starting to change color. Leaves floating down on the trail in the wind, rustling leaf sounds from the breeze and distant cowbells ringing from the fields. It was really magical and if I hadn’t had Cassie also there with her mouth hanging open, too, in awe of this place I might have thought I was dreaming.

    The whole day went like that and when our feet were sore and our heads clear we found our lodging and slide under the covers of soft blankets and passed out. Awake now, we’re just looking around and starting to rouse ourselves to shower and go explore this town that once had three castles that are no-more. We’ll go learn their story and try some Galician food.

    Today’s the first time using this journal app that 20 pics and two videos isn’t enough.
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  • A song bird in the alberque

    27 de setembro de 2023, Espanha ⋅ ☁️ 59 °F

    Estaba Catalina

    This is a folk song telling the story of Catalina who didn’t recognize her husband who was back from a war.

    La Catalina lyrics

    Estaba la Catalina
    sentada bajo un laurel
    sintiendo la frescura
    de las aguas al caer

    De pronto pasó un soldado
    y lo hizo detener:
    "Deténgase mi soldado
    Que una pregunta le voy a hacer"

    "Usted no ha visto a mi marido
    en la guerra alguna vez?"
    "Yo no he visto a su marido
    ni tampoco sé quien es"

    "Mi marido es alto y rubio
    y buenmozo como used
    y en la punta de la espada
    lleva escrito San Andrés"

    Por los datos que me ha dado
    su marido muerto es
    y me ha dejado dicho
    que me case con usted.

    Eso sí que no lo hago,
    eso sí yo no lo haré:
    siete años he esperado
    y otros siete esperaré

    Si a los catorce no vuelve
    a un convento yo me iré
    y a mis dos hijas mujeres
    conmigo las llevaré
    y a mis dos hijos varones
    a la patria entregaré

    Calla, calla, Catalina
    Calla, calla de una vez
    Que estás hablando con tu marido
    que no has podido reconocer...

    Translated

    There was the Catalina
    sitting under a laurel
    feeling the freshness
    of the falling waters
     
    Suddenly a soldier passed by.
    And it made him stop:
    "Stop my soldier
    What a question I'm going to ask him"
     
    "You haven't seen my husband
    in war ever?"
    "I haven't seen her husband.
    nor do I know who he is”.

    "My husband is tall and blond
    and good like you
    and at the tip of the sword
    St. Andrew is written"
     
    For information you have given me your husband is dead
    and this has left me sad
    Let me marry you.

    Now I don't,
    But I won't:
    Seven years I have waited
    and another seven I will wait
     
    If at fourteen he does not return
    to a convent I will go
    and my two daughters
    with me I will take them
    and my two sons
    To the homeland I will deliver them.

    Hush, hush Catalina
    Hush, hush at once and for all
    That you're talking to your husband
    that you have not been able to recognize...
     
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  • Triacastela to Sarria 15 mi (Via Samos)

    28 de setembro de 2023, Espanha ⋅ 🌙 66 °F

    Started at 8:30 am
    every bit of the morning was magic. These last two days have been such a gift and such a reminder of the importance of listening to intuition, choosing joy over rush, and allowing the beauty all-in. Samos variation was the path we opted to take and it was blissfully, peaceful. We saw very few others and the ones we did see were amazing humans. Paul, Terry, and a bespectacled hiker with a sparrow tattoo on his calf. Oh how I wished we’d thought to stay in Samos that night - I did NOT want to leave. I prolonged every second I could and I hate that in the end we didn’t have time to make good on the impulse to cool off and pool bathe in the many perfect river spots along this route. Oh- well if anything beckons me back it’ll be a day dedicated to sacred pool baths and drying off in shafts of sunlight cut through the canopy of ancient trees. Galacia, you are worth the sore feet. Thanks CW for telling us to check it out.Leia mais

  • Sarria to Portomarín 13 mi

    29 de setembro de 2023, Espanha ⋅ ☀️ 82 °F

    Started at 8:30 am
    Ended at 12:00 pm
    Staying in Portomarín at Pension Perez

    Cassie and I found a nice lavandaria (laundromat) in Sarria last night and decided that for good measure we’d put everything in a very hot dryer. As a result we shrunk things and melted others. Cassie’s hiking shoes looked like the shoes of the Wicked Witch of the West with the house on top of her and the toes curled up. So she went to a sporting goods store and bought some shoes, and later took at taxi to Portomarín, while I hit the trail with hundreds? of pilgrims just starting their Camino at a very popular start Sarria. It’s popular because at least 100k is required to get a certificate of completion at Santiago de Compostela. Sarria is just a bit over 100k. So when people passed the 100k marker there was a line of them getting photographs in front of it. So I marched on and got one of the 99k marker. :)

    It was very crowded at all the cafes and photo opportunities along the trail so I just kept on going without stop and got to our lodging about a half hour after Cassie. We both cleaned up and went to grab a quick bite before shut down for siesta time.

    Portomarín had a terrible flood which turned the whole town to a ruins. The town was rebuilt on higher ground, but the ruins can still be seen when the river is low, which it is now.

    From the web:
    The village moved, since then to the hillside, on which it is currently located. This is why it is said that this millennial village is only 50 years old. However, not everything is new in Portomarín.

    During the construction of the new Portomarín, the people of this town moved the most emblematic buildings, stone by stone. It was laborious work, but they saved from many of its buildings of historical value from flooding, like, for example, the Church of San Nicolás, that of San Pedro, the stairway or the Chapel de las Nieves, the Manor of Count Maza and that of Dos Pimentales.

    https://santiagoways.com/en/portomarin-a-town-a…

    —————————————————

    The final decent down in to town was a choice between the historic route or a secondary route. I chose the first as I thought it would go through the historic center. Turns out it meant the original route and was redone because it looks a lot like a slot canyon. I found it fun and scooted on my bottom when I needed to. I got safely down with without breaking my neck. Video of me about to begin.

    It was just okay today. I missed my hiking partner as she keeps me talking and not thinking of my sore feet! She’s raring to go tomorrow and try out these sporty Solomon trail shoes. We’re taking plenty of hotspot treatment tricks and stopping to take them off and dip the feet in cool water. Not fun to break in shoes on the trail, but not much choice in this case.
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  • Portomarín to Palas de Rei - 16 mi

    30 de setembro de 2023, Espanha ⋅ 🌙 57 °F

    Started at 6:30 am
    Finished at 2:00 pm
    Staying at Lar Do Peregrino in Palas de Rei

    We start out before sunrise to get some miles in before the heat of the day. It was misty so much so that the trees were dripping on us and the dew was collecting on our eyelashes and hair.

    Cassie said her replacement shoes worked really well. They must have, she walked 16 miles today.

    We stopped at some great villages with restaurants. Two or three stops to cool off and get shade and energy really helped us finish the 16 miles without too much of a struggle at the end.

    We are showered and restored and it’s still early. Siesta is from 3-8 pm so we have time to rest up and get our clothes washed. (found a nearby laundromat)

    Hopefully we’ll have some photos of this town to add here later.
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  • Palas de Rei to Arzúa- 18.3 mi

    1 de outubro de 2023, Espanha ⋅ 🌙 57 °F

    October 1st
    Started at 6:00 am
    Ended at 2:30 pm
    Staying at Alberque Pencion Cima Do Lugar in Arzúa.

    Had some delicious breakfast while walking out of Palas de Rei, the pastry was some sort of banana and chocolate topped creation that we loved! There was a sweet soufflé style biscuit and of course a wonderful cafe con leche.

    Easy to navigate during the dark portion of the morning. The moon was bright and the sky was clear. We never even needed to switch on a headlamp.

    Saw Suzette and Michelle in a cute little town. Left them and walked into a nice lunch spot with Cokes and toasts with bacon and fried egg on top.

    Warm day overall, but enough shade to make it bearable. Glad to be done and ready to sip Radlers!

    Two more day’s walking until Santiago de Compostela! Each are around 12 miles. That’s great. I don’t have any of these 18 milers left in me.

    We are both already getting the feeling that we don’t want this journey to end, yet we miss our loved ones at home. I want to hit replay!

    Siesta time for us!

    After siestas we went for pizza made by two Italians who met on the Camino, fell in love, came back to Spain and opened a pizzeria. It was so incredible!
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  • Arzua to O Pedrouzo - 13.5 mi

    2 de outubro de 2023, Espanha ⋅ 🌙 59 °F

    October 2nd
    Started at 8:30 am
    Finished at 2:40 pm
    Staying at Pencion Lobre

    This morning we let ourselves sleep in until 7:30am. Set off through Arzua, got a stamp for our pilgrim credentials at a church along the route out of town. Saw Christy and Tom from Connecticut and walked with them awhile. Christy is an avid runner and works at a running shoe store. She wears Hokas one size to big with two pair of socks on the Camino. This is different than what she marathons in.

    We had some nice stops where we had a pastry and cafe con leche. Later around lunch we had a hamburger with fried egg and bacon in it. We ate some of our left over pizza from last night too. The sky was cloudy most of the day so the heat wasn’t a factor. The miles went pretty fast, but we did have a bunch of up & down through hilly terrain. This time at the end of the day it wasn’t my feet shouting at me, but my legs felt like they had no energy left in them. After a nice shower we’re gonna sit down and plan our transportation around Spain after the Camino ends.

    I have to retell an experience that I shared with Cassie while on the trail today about a young man I met while sitting outside the laundromat a few days ago. He was very energetic and seemed to know everybody in town. I had put my laundry in and was waiting for it to finish so I got a beer next door and sat on the street to watch them go by. He asked if he could sit at the same table with motions and a few Spanish words I didn’t understand. But, I invited him to sit with hand motions. We watched people go by, he shouted at some, waved at the cars, shouted something to them. He looked at me and said something about a nice color? I thought he was talking about a woman’s shirt that was bright orange, he said no not naraja, amarillo. “Oh” I said “valle” (okay) like I knew what he was talking about. Again we go back to the watching. He gets really animated shouting at some sort of SUV like vehicle loaded with men and a few of these vehicles had small utility trailers with dogs in kennels. The dogs were barking and he was shouting at each car something that reminded me of a football game fan. So after that subsided I said Que es perros? He got again animated stood and simulated picking up and pointing a rifle. I said “Oh hunting dogs” to which he vigorously nodded his head. Then he snorted like a pig and used his hands to make a rough shape with his hands. I ask “pig?” To which he grinned widely and made to husk on the side of his face with his index fingers. “Oh, wild boar!” I said. He said “perros” and growled, then used his hand to make the shape of a set of jaws that bite and demonstrated how the dogs took down the boar by biting and being very ferocious. To which I exclaim “brave perros” and he agreed. Then a pretty girl walked by and he sprung up to greet her and follow her to the shop that she was opening. I giggled and looked over at a fellow launderer. The knowing launderer fellow nodded and I shook my hand to say that young man has some moves. The other dirty clothes washer nodded and then lift his shoulders in a shrug and his hands in an “what’s a boy to do” signal. To which we both agreed with a nod of our heads and went back to watching and sipping. Getting by without the full comprehension of the language is certainly entertaining.
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  • O Pedrouzo to Santiago 13 mi #WEMADEIT

    3 de outubro de 2023, Espanha ⋅ ☁️ 70 °F

    October 3rd
    Started at 6:30 am
    Ended at Noon
    Finished the Camino de Santiago at Santiago de Compostela.
    Staying tonight at the Hostel Mafer and tomorrow in the same city at the Alameda Rooms Santiago.

    Got up before sunrise. Headed out of O Pedrouzo with many other pilgrims. Headlamps were shining everywhere as they went up and down the hills toward Santiago.

    This morning both of us were hurting from the accumulation of miles. The feet, the back the hips, everything is saying take a rest - don’t go any further. But, still we went on and it was very satisfying when you have reached the end of the Camino. It is a huge accomplishment and I am very proud of us both.

    We aren’t yet finished taking in the city. The shops, the food and the sights. We have a day tour set up to go to the coast and see Finisterre, a seaside town, and towns on the way. A day later we’ll head to Ourense and soak in the hot springs, then onto Madrid to see the big city and finally head home.

    I have loved the total immersion that walking through a foreign country gives you. I have loved pushing the limits my body can give. I have loved spending quality time with Cassie and meeting challenges together. We’ve had plenty of time for meaningful conversations and giggles as well as belly laughs.

    Thanks for following our little jaunt. What’s next? Not sure, but it involves some more adventures like this one.

    Also, Can’t wait to meet my new grandson. He’s been on an adventure too. I hope he doesn’t get the idea that he likes a 10+ mile walk daily. We’re going to be some tired parents, brother and grandparents trying to keep up if he does.

    What’s your next adventure? Would love to hear about it.
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  • Bus Tour to Finisterre, Muxia and Costa

    4 de outubro de 2023, Espanha ⋅ ⛅ 66 °F

    October 4
    Finisterre, Muxía and Costa da Morte Tour
    Starts at 9:00 am
    9 hours

    Waterfall is at a hydroelectric plant. Fervenza do Ezaro

    Finisterre where the Camino de Santiago goes all the way to the Atlantic Ocean. Some pilgrims walk there. We opted out and took the tour bus instead. :)

    It was a restful day, but we still saw so much. Enjoyed the ocean views. Met a new friend, Enna, from Korea. She is an English teacher of grade school kids. She quit her job because she was interested in seeking more innovation in the work place. She had always known of the Camino and decided this would be the perfect time to fit it in.
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  • Travel day - to Ourence

    5 de outubro de 2023, Espanha ⋅ 🌫 61 °F

    October 5th
    Start at 9:00 am

    Have the best breakfast we’ve had so far at a little cafe next door to our hotel.

    Next we went back to the Santiago Cathedral where we purchased some souvenirs. One souvenir shop had Jude as an adult riding ONE of his spirit animals. He has many. Also thought of Joey at this slab pottery displays, one of Spanish ladies dressed in traditional garb. Also another of pilgrims with driftwood bodies and slab pottery faces. I thought she would really like them.

    We noticed a giant metal cable that stretched from the ground to the tip top of the cathedral at an iron cross. Lightning rod? See video.

    Also a guitarist on the square turned out to be an angry lyricist talking about capitalism and how it keeps you from finding live. All true, but not necessary to call his audience “estupido”. I don’t think tips were his goal.

    I saw a pilgrim I met while solo, shook his hand and he barely recognized me. Told him good job he made it! He looked exhausted. He got to the top of the stairs when he realized that he did know me. Made a jester like he’d just remembered, smiles and waved again. It was a nice moment pilgrim to pilgrim. I know you, I see you, I understand you.

    With that feel good feeling we hurriedly went back to our hotel and grabbed our backpacks from the room just before check out time.

    Donned our heavy loads and walked slowly to the Santiago train station. We passed shops and businesses, and watched the hustle and bustle of Spaniards heading to work on a Thursday morning. We’re an hour from train boarding time, so we’ll just hang out. It’s a nice clean station with a very nice cafeteria attached.
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  • Exploring Ourence

    6 de outubro de 2023, Espanha ⋅ ⛅ 84 °F

    October 6th
    Staying at a one bedroom apartment as part of the Mino Hotel. 2 nights.

    Ourence is a really cool city! Public hot springs combined with swimming holes in the Mino River, walking paths, fitness parks along the paths, shopping, historic buildings, historic bridges, new bridges with fascinating architecture, film festival, and good food. It filled up our day and wore us out.

    We got a taxi to the very opposite end of the hot springs/river walk and started with the first available working our way back to town stopping and soaking when we saw places that struck our fancy. No phones are allowed since the soakers are needing privacy (swimwear optional). In one of the primitive hot spots when no one else was around I got a video. Shhhh. Don’t tell.

    Could have just became a water nymph and lived there. Alas, that’s not a life choice.

    Now for siesta, then later shopping, then dinner.
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  • Deleting your Find Penguins Subscription

    14 de outubro de 2023, Estados Unidos ⋅ ☁️ 54 °F

    My Find Penguin set itself to stop on November 23, 2023 and does not automatically renew. Everyone received a 3 month free trial, but here is how you can double check that you won’t continue the subscription past the free trial - if you don’t want to. Removing the app from your screen might not cancel the subscription, but following these directions should allow you to confirm, like I did, that the subscription will not automatically start charging. (See the screenshot images for visual aids)

    Here are the steps.

    1) Open FindPenguins App
    2) go to the “me” tab at the bottom of page
    3) click on top right hand corner where you see the three stacked lines
    4) verify that the free trial expires and you will not automatically renew.

    Done!

    Thanks again for following. I have ordered the printed book, 130 pages for around $100. I think it’s a great way to document a trip. If you are going on a trip, I highly recommend it.
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    Final da viagem
    9 de outubro de 2023