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  • TravelerCamino Deb
    1
    2114445
    Day 17–20

    Made it to Santiago!

    May 7 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    Easy trek into Santiago today less than 5 miles from our apartment. I was surprised with so many pilgrims in route with us and how populated the center was. A very warm day and as excited to get to the finish line. The cathedral was incredible and massive!! The grounds were clean and well populated and saw few tour groups and kids school trips. Such a feeling of celebration and I was asked often to take group photos.

    We were able to reunite with Jayme for dinner tonight who started this pilgrimage with Arlene back in Lisbon.

    It has been a great experience and one I’m very proud of. I feel blessed to spend these weeks with my family and honestly impressed with my physical and mental strength. Still dealing with this cold and hoping for some slower days to recoup.

    Arlene, Rich, Kenny and I are staying an extra night in Santiago tomorrow night. Noelle leaves in the morning to Fisterra and Arlene and Rich leave Friday to Paris and Kenny and I leave Friday to Barcelona for a few days. It has been wonderful to all be together for this journey. ❤️    Read more

  • Jayme PorkolabJayme’s Camino Portugués
    4
    22211
    Day 35

    Day 32 - Love, Hope, & Protection

    May 7 in Spain ⋅ 🌙 52 °F

    “Those we love don’t go away. They walk beside us every day. Unseen, unheard, but always near. Still loved, still”― Alex MacLean

    I arrived in O Milladoiro this afternoon; I’m just a few short miles from Santiago and will complete my journey tomorrow.

    When I left the comforts of my home, I carried with me tokens of love, hope, and protection. LOVE: my parents’ cremation tags; I wanted to have them in some way accompany me on this journey. HOPE: my peace sign; a visual prayer for the world and my children. PROTECTION: While not catholic a dear friend gave me a rosary blessed by the late pope to protect me on my journey; it did its job Paul, thank you.

    This has been quite the journey and I have met so many wonderful people from different countries and walks of life. This morning I ran into Dorka from Hungary, who I shared some wine with last night. She said she made some special bracelets to give out to people she met on the Camino and gave me one. What a lovely gesture. I’ve attached a photo of it and you’ll also notice how dark my hands are. I have a 3-tier farmers tan: my hands are very dark, the forearms a little lighter tan, and the upper part of my arms are pale 🤣🤣🤣

    Today my friends Arlene, Rich, Deb, Kenny, and Noel made it to Santiago. However, their apartment for the night is in the town I’m in so we all went out to dinner. It was great catching up and sharing our stories since we diverged on different paths out of Porto (they did the Coastal and Spiritual while I stayed on the Central route).

    Tomorrow the journey will end, but I will spend Thursday and Friday in Santiago. Saturday I fly to Madrid and then I fly home on Sunday.    Read more

  • TravelerCamino Deb
    112
    Day 16–18

    In O Milladoiro now

    May 6 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    Short walk from port of Vilanova this morning to 2 hour boat ride transfer to Padron, another old town with historic sites. It was quite chilly and I wondered why my backpack was lighter today and realized I was wearing 6 layered tops and still cold!!

    Kenny, Arlene and I walked 9 miles today along countryside, beautiful maze like town, highways and hills and weather did warm up and was able to shed several layers. We were looking for a taxi towards the end and Kenny found one which saved us last 2 mile. I’m still fighting this cold and Arlene and Kenny now are sick so we were thankful to get here and take a nap.

    Had a small mishap where Arlene left her cell phone in taxi and by sheer luck and perseverance we were able to reunite her with it. We say The Camino provides and it did for us today.

    Noelle found this lovely 3 bedroom apartment in town and were able to pick up pizza, calzones and salad for dinner and treat of ice cream for dessert.

    Easy day tomorrow as we are less than 5 miles to Santiago where we will enjoy the day leisurely and hope for extra rest. What a journey!!    Read more

  • Jayme PorkolabJayme’s Camino Portugués
    111
    Day 34

    Day 31 - Laurent continues!

    May 6 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 54 °F

    “It's funny how, in this journey of life, even though we may begin at different times and places, our paths cross with others so that we may share our love, compassion, observations, and hope.” ― Steve Maraboli

    Today I went from Pontecesures to A Escravitude; it wasn’t the prettiest walk. Much of it followed a busy road but there were some small quaint villages.

    Outside of Padrón I stopped at a cafe for a morning cappuccino and who should be there? But Laurent and his family. Last I saw Laurent he told me he had to quit the Camino because of a bad fall in the shower and his family would continue on without him. But it appears his family had a ‘no man left behind attitude’ and after a day’s rest, convinced Laurent to keep on the journey; that they would go slower. That it was important to them to all finish together. Such support! And I know that even though Laurent had done other Caminos that this one was special to him because he was doing it with his family.

    At lunch I met an older woman, perhaps in her 80’s, who was also doing shorter walks this last week. Like me, she is walking to O Milladoiro tomorrow which then will give her a very short walk into Santiago on Thursday.

    The Aubergue I am at tonight is very modern and I did upgrade to have a private room and bath. There were no restaurants around so I had a salad that the kitchen offered for sale and shared some wine with Dorka, a young lady from Hungary. She also is stretching out these last few days and plans to do the short walk on Thursday to Santiago.

    It’s hard to believe I’ve been walking for a month and 1 day! It’s been quite the experience: Physically, mentally, and emotionally challenging. I am so happy with my choice to do the Camino.    Read more

  • TravelerCamino Deb
    2
    323512448
    Day 15–16

    In Vilanova de Arousa now

    May 5 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    Noelle hooked us up with a larger taxi for all 5 of us to get back on The Camino from our rural albergue. Beautiful and fairly easy walk today just under 9 miles.

    Stopped for the best breakfast along the water with the most varied choices and we stayed well over an hour, kept ordering more food and coffees and I needed up with a little heart shaped spoon…..the cutest thing ever!

    Fairly quiet day and didn’t see many pilgrims or locals. Made it to Villanova area and Kenny and I found a local outdoor public family friendly playground pub where we enjoyed a few beers and waited for all of us to convene. Noelle met a pilgrim from Amsterdam on a bike trip who joined us which was great.

    We have an early start tomorrow as we are taking a 1.5 hour boat trip along the spiritual variant route getting us closer to Santiago.    Read more

  • Jayme PorkolabJayme’s Camino Portugués
    1
    1
    Day 33

    Day 30 - Camino tears

    May 5 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 59 °F

    “Those who do not weep, do not see.” – Victor Hugo

    Today I walked from Caldas de Reis to Pontecesures and experienced a bad case of ‘Camino Tears’. Camino tears are not necessarily tears of sadness and they can strike when least expected.

    On the path today, in the distance I saw two young gentlemen walking with an elderly person in between them. They shielded the elder from the mid-day sun with an umbrella and walked slowly. I caught up with them as they stopped once they reached the woods to put away the umbrella. It was a father and his two sons; they were of Asian decent. I asked if I could take their photo and they eagerly agreed and asked if I could also take one with their camera.

    As I walked away that’s when the Camino Tears hit me. I was sobbing like a baby at the love they showed their father. In my mind I imagined that this must be one of his wishes to walk the Camino. The scene conjured up thoughts of my parents who are long gone and the tears intensified. There were few pilgrims on the path at this time, but I didn’t care if anyone saw me crying. Finally, I got the crying under control

    Since I am doing shorter walks I take frequent breaks to enjoy the scenery. I found a lovely sheltered bench on a bridge over a flowing creek and decided it was the perfect spot for a long leisurely break and snack.

    Who should show up a few minutes later but the 2 sons and their father. I found out that they were from the Philippines. The father, Jesus, was 85 years old. In 2016 he had walked from Sarria to Santiago on the French Way. He said this was his last Camino, they had started in Tui, and it was his wish that his sons, Roger and Michael, join him. He said he had some things (emotional) that he wanted to unburden himself of and to establish his legacy before he died. His sons smiled and looked adoringly at their father.

    And then those darn Camino Tears started flowing again. I explained they were not tears of sadness but that I was touched by the love and compassion they had for each other. I told them how I started crying soon after taking their photo. The father looked at me and said ‘the Camino has a way of touching us deep in our soul. Whether it is to be humbled by nature’s beauty or the people we meet, it is the Camino speaking to you’. (This was not helping the tear situation). I finally gained my composure and we chatted for a few more minutes and then they went along their way.

    Today was definitely cathartic. Perhaps emotions are running high because it will soon be over or perhaps it was the Camino’s way of touching my soul.    Read more

  • TravelerSpring 2025 Camino
    Day 38

    Almost there

    May 3 in Spain ⋅ 🌧 13 °C

    This Camino has been filled, pretty much every day, with moments of recognition from my first walk, at levels big and small. So it’s been very different for me, yesterday and today, as that all ended in Santiago. Now every turn brings a new vista, and there were some nice ones today! I do find myself recalling that Morgan and Olly have walked these paths ahead of me, and that feels good.

    Another change is that there are many, many fewer people walking this portion of the Camino. A big shift and I welcome the quiet. Including an absence of thunder! Much more mellow weather today.

    If you need a very quick moment of zen, I have a short video clip for you. Enjoy!

    My aim tomorrow is to get an early start, so that I have more time to be there at the ocean tomorrow. This will likely mean - brace yourselves fellow coffee addicts - a 15K walk before my first cup. Fizzy caffeine tablet in water bottle it is! We pilgrims make these sacrifices with barely a blink🙄🙄🙄.    Read more

  • TravelerSpring 2025 Camino
    3
    Day 38

    A Peña and Piaxe

    May 3 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

    A big name for a small town a third of the way to Finisterre.

    After saying my goodbyes over a cafeteria breakfast in the basement of our VAST former seminary albergue, I headed out. Sad to say goodbye, thrilled to be wrapping up this Camino with a few solo days. Ending it like I started. The time alone felt really good, spiritually and also, I’m an introvert! That was a LOT of social connection for me!

    Today for the first time I saw roses! It was late in their season last time but I still saw, and photographed so many! I love them and was happy to get to say hi to some before leaving Spain.

    The last hour of my walk was…exciting? There had been rumblings and threatening skies, and then the storm arrived. It wasn’t that it lasted so long or dumped so much rain on me. It was that for a little while it was Right Over me! Like, flash-BANG! The first time that happened I’ll admit it - I screamed a little. The next few times I hunched my shoulders every time the lightning flashed. Because that’s gonna keep me alive, right? Tall trees on both sides of a narrow trail. Was that good because I wasn’t the tall object, or bad because….i don’t know. I couldn’t remember my lightning safety! I think make yourself small, just your feet on the ground, but I couldn’t get myself to do it. Just scurried along, praying manically. And, obviously, was just fine. Arrived at my albergue very shortly thereafter. Phew!

    Now I’m parked in a two-bunk room with two older French guys and a younger guy from…Croatia I think. One of whom keeps shutting the window. We are in for a needlessly stuffy night, I think. But day after tomorrow - the ocean!!    Read more

  • mary louise adamsML walks from Porto
    61211
    Day 11

    Day 11 Angueira to Santiago, 17 km

    April 21 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    It was an excellent day! Woke up to fog and drizzle after a night with some serious snoring! Somehow I actually slept through a lot of it!

    Fresh orange juice, yoghurt, toast or tiny packaged croissants for breakfast at the albergue.

    Quiet morning. No big groups. Clouds hanging low over the hills. For the last stage before Santiago, this walk was remarkably rural and pleasant. Certainly the best of the three ways into the city I have taken.

    Nothing physical was bugging me, it was not raining. It wasn’t super hot. It was another day with a lot of cats. And two musicians. A guy plying electric piano at one point and a guy playing guitar and singing. Guitar guy was stationed under a bridge. A few short conversations while walking, much easier now that people are not wearing their hoods up.

    There was one coffee stop about 7 km out and then I followed that with a stop at a pastelleria and another at a panaderia.

    Super easy entrance to the city. At one point there is a choice of two routes. Who knew? I went left and was, all of a sudden, right into the city.

    When I got Santiago I walked into the square in front of the cathedral and went straight to the spot when I had sat for a while last time. Three of the people from last night’s albergue were sitting right there! Literally in the same spot. That’s a very camino thing.

    Before I came to my room I went for a clara and then for fancy coffee. The room itself is in a hostal on the west side of the old city. Great room! It’s purple and has an amazing view of the cathedral. I think @SabsP has stayed here too before.

    I wasn’t going to get a compostelle (certificate), but I did. It took about two minutes. And when I was walking out of the pilgrim’s office, somebody called my name, and it was Jordan the young woman from Toronto I had met a little while back. We made plans to have dinner together after the mass.

    The pope died today and everyone assumed the butafumeiro would swing at all the masses today. But no, it did not! The evening mass was packed and freezing. There was definitely mention of the pope, but I could not follow. I always sit on the sides and there are no speakers there so it’s impossible to hear. There was a choir today, which I have not seen before. And the person doing the solo singing was not a nun, as had been the case before, but a woman who was wearing some kind of long red robe.

    Met up with Jordan and two Scottish women, Hannah and Grace, and ZaZa from Germany for dinner. We went to Paradiso cafeteria. Very good vibe. Okay food. It was a lot of fun.

    And that’s it for the short version of the Camino Portuguese.    Read more

  • TravelerPortugal
    211314
    Day 20

    Day 17 Easter A Canadian in Santiago

    April 20 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 8 °C

    Up at 5 and left by 6 am to walk the 1.5 km to the Cathedral

    I was not the first person to arrive, there was a father and son from Montana who said that I had an AMERICAN ACCENT !!!! Seriously?
    "YOU DO NOT TALK LIKE A CANADIAN!!!🧐🙄"

    K....Can you explain how a Canadian talks? Maybe I didn't say " eh" enough???? WOW.....He thought we were buddies because he was from Montana and I sounded like him?? Go figure. Too early for me and certainly not enough caffeine to process this😂 And this has happened before....

    Anyway, we got in and I took my favorite seat to wait. You will never guess who sat down beside me??? Yup Anna and Elliot🥰 Anna even had chocolate Easter Eggs to share🥳....

    The service at 12 was packed!! It was something that I will never forget. The sound of the Pipe Organ the choir, the soloist. The procession and the Botafumeiro.

    I was pretty tired though and decided at 13:15 to leave after communion. I did and then halfway home realized I had forgotten Kendra's hat on the church pew!!!!!😥😭

    I decided to have lunch at the hostel and then hike back ( 1.5 km) yet again to see if I could get it back🤞🍀🥺 The hat has been on all of my solo adventures and is very special to me🫶😉♥️

    So luckily there wasn't the huge lineup to get in like previous days, and low and behold the hat was exactly where I had left it!!!!🥳👏

    The sun 🌞 came out a little today which was nice.
    I was able to buy a fresh baguette from a panadaria that was open and also a delicious cookie🤗

    There was a group of 10 young girls that checked into the hostel ... I was surprised at how many uses there are for a hairdryer😉 Shocking really.

    Anyway I was able to get to sleep eventually. Tomorrow marathon bus to Lisbon!    Read more

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