Spain
Padrón

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    • Day 13

      Albergue Cruces De Iria | 20 km

      May 14, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

      Und auf ein Neues. Die Nacht war sehr gut, habe gut geschlafen in meiner Koje mit Vorhang. Ich kam heute morgen nicht so recht ausm Quark und lasse dann gerne die aufgeregten Pilger, die schnell los wollen und etwas hektisch sind, an mir vorbei ziehen und gehe dann lieber einen Moment später los. Heute war’s 7:50 Uhr.

      Der Weg war heute eine Mischung aus Beton (für meinen Geschmack etwas zu viel), schönen Weinreben und Waldwanderwegen. Wald geht bei mir ja immer, da freue ich mich wenn’s grün wird und der Geruch so natürlich ist, dazu ein kleiner plätschernder Bach - mehr braucht es nicht.

      Aber irgendwie war ich heute nicht so gut drauf. Ich bin auf falsche Leute getroffen, die genervt waren, weil sie kein Café gefunden haben (und dann werde ich angepampt wo denn hier offene Cafés sind - keine Ahnung, ich lebe hier nicht und brauche keins), Menschen die wild gestikuliert haben, weil sie irgendwas wollten sich aber nicht ausdrücken konnten (ich habe mir den Tanz einen Moment angeschaut und wie beim Pantomime spielen Wörter geraten, was es sein konnte, davon war anscheinend nichts richtig und die Person ging einfach weiter - na da kann ich dann auch wirklich nicht helfen) und Deutsche die sich bei einem Pilger-Stop aufgeregt haben, dass „Ausländer“ ja ihre Sachen nicht vom Tisch räumen, aber die Deutschen schon. Dass sie gerade selbst Ausländer hier sind, sei mal dahingestellt. Dann war es anscheinend auch ein Problem, dass Claudia (eine Pilgerin aus Tschechien, die ich über Theo kennen gelernt hatte) und ich da saßen wo wir saßen. Wohl bemerkt, dass wir vor den deutschen Meckerpötten da waren, aber sie nun mal auch dort sitzen wollten und ihre Rucksäcke um uns rum legten und anfingen zu diskutieren, dass es ja so nicht passt und warum wir da sitzen würden. Da musste ich schon tief durchatmen. Claudia und ich unterhielten uns einfach weiter auf Englisch und so fühlten sich die Deutschen mit ihren miesepetrigen Aussagen über Ausländer anscheinend sicher. Dabei kam immer wieder raus, dass Deutsche alles besser machen und sowieso die Besten sind. Dann sagten sie sogar, dass die 3 Kaffeetassen die da standen, sicher von mir sind. Genau, ich prügel mir nämlich gleich 3 Tassen rein, weil ich ja ein Ausländer bin. Irgendwann war mir das einfach zu blöd und ich bin aufgestanden, habe meinen Müll mitgenommen und meinte „Was für ein Glück, dass die Deutschen alles besser können.“ Dann war kurz Ruhe und dann meinte die eine: „Ach sie ist auch Deutsche. Na dann sind die Kaffeetassen aber nicht von ihr.“ Was für eine Schlussfolgerung. Schnell auf den Camino und weg da, das hält man ja nicht aus.

      Es ging auf schotterigem Weg weiter. Trotz Sonnenbrille hatte ich ständig was im Auge. Ich war genervt. Vom Untergrund auf dem ich lief und von den Menschen. Seitdem die Wege zusammen geführt wurden und ich auf dem Zentralweg bin, sind es mir teilweise zu viele Menschen. Und man merkt dass man kurz vor einer großen Stadt ist, es ist nicht mehr ganz so natürlich und klein. Die Straßen wurden größer, der Verkehr mehr und die Menschen teilweise auch etwas komisch. Ich merkte wie mich die Gedanken runterzogen. Dazu hatte ich Kopfschmerzen und meine linke Schulter tat schon wieder weh. Ich machte eine kurze Pause, trank einen großen Schluck Wasser und steckte mir Kopfhörer in die Ohren. Ich war noch in meiner 80s Playlist vom Vortag und direkt sagte mir Kate Bush ich solle doch mal den Berg rauflaufen. Ja ist ja gut, bin dabei. Musste schon teilweise schmunzeln, was da so für Lieder kamen, einige passten sehr gut zum Thema „einen Weg gehen“. Es hat geholfen die Nervthemen etwas zu verdrängen.

      Zur Mittagszeit kam ich bereits in Padrón an und checkte online die Restaurants. Eines lag direkt am Fluss „Rio Ulla“ und da gönnte ich mir ein prima Pilgermenü. Galizische Suppe mit Bohnen, Kartoffeln und Kohl vorneweg, dann gebratenen Fisch des Tages mit Kartoffeln und als Dessert einen Joghurt mit der Geschmacksrichtung Käsekuchen und auf dem Becher war ein Bild von Elsa der Eiskönigin drauf. Dazu ein Radler. Na wenn das nicht glücklich macht.

      Nun war es auch nicht mehr weit zur Herberge. Ich checkte kurz, ob bei meiner Unterkunft ein Supermarkt um die Ecke ist. Fehlanzeige. Dabei merkte ich aber, dass die Supermärkte am Sonntag bis 14:30 Uhr offen haben. Also musste ich am besten direkt auf dem Weg etwas kaufen für einen Abendsnack. Auf dem Weg zum Supermarkt geriet ich in einen riesigen Flohmarkt. Der aber nicht nur Kleidung und Krimskrams anbot, sondern auch richtig knubbeliges Gemüse aus Omas Garten. Somit war das Abendessen mit schönen Tomaten und einer tiefgrünen Gurke gesichert. 63 Cent zum Glück.

      Angekommen in der Herberge habe ich mal wieder Glück und bekomme ein tolles Bett ganz oben in einem kleinen Raum. Kein quietschiges Hochbett, sondern ein eigenständiges Bett mit Holzwand als Trenner zum nächsten Bett und dadurch etwas mehr Privatsphäre. Hector der Besitzer ist ein echt netter Kerl, schmeißt den Laden komplett alleine. Ich frage ihn, ob das nicht zu viel Arbeit ist, aber er lächelt und sagt, dass er nur im Sommer arbeitet und sich im Winter ausruht, da macht er nämlich die Herberge zu. Schlau.

      Nun erstmal Füße hoch und etwas entspannen. Da auf dem Camino nur noch 25 km übrig sind, werde ich morgen meinen letzten Wandertag haben und in Santiago ankommen. Verrückt, nun ging es auf einmal sehr schnell. Da werde ich direkt etwas wehmütig, da es schon eine sehr besondere Reise ist, die morgen ihr Ende finden wird.
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    • Day 9

      Day 9 - Caldas De Reis to Iria Flavia

      July 5, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 77 °F

      Incredibly faithful day!

      After the wonderful dinner last night, but before bed last night we received some more foot help from some angels who are Scouts from Portugal. This thread and the thankfulness continues.

      We managed to get up at 5:00 am so we could leave by 6:00 am, which we did. We had about 20 km to go today and we wanted to be finished early. Mission accomplished! And that includes spending some extra time with our Pilgrim Scouts and our friends from Ireland.

      Funny side note, his wife was having trouble with blisters and had been wearing a hiking shoe or tennis shoe. He has worn sandals the whole Camino. After hearing about my successful (ongoing) recovery, she ditched the shoes and got a pair of sandals. She said she never felt better. I told her she did not have to admit her husband was right. Instead of not completing the Camino, we are all four well on our way to finishing today or tomorrow - 3 with sandals.

      Also, the insurance purchased, GeoBlue, through BCBS has come in very handy and well worth the price. I’ve called their Telemed three times and spoke to one doctor in Singapore and two in the UK. The third was able to prescribe antibiotics and email it to me. I took it to the farmacia and they filled it immediately. No three hour wait. Kathleen says I’ve spent more money at the farmacia than anywhere else.

      All in all it was another wonderful day on the Camino walking briskly, but sometimes very quietly. I took a lot of time to empty my mind and just enjoy the moment. It was wonderful.

      We had no real plans once we got to the Albergue Cruces de Iria. After a high carb Pilgrim lunch and beer we came back to the Albergue for the hostelria’s discussion about Iria Flavia and it’s place in Christianity’s history. Even with the heavy Castilian Spanish accent we learned a lot about St. James and Christianity. After listening, rather than eat dinner and go to bed, we decided to go to the places he talked about and experience them ourselves.

      The first place was on the Iglasia de Santa Maria a Major de Iria Flavia where the legend is that is where the bones of St. James were found after he was beheaded and brought to Iria Flavia. He was brought to Iria Flavia because this is where he did his evangelism. He was brought here in the first century on a boat. The church was built in the 8th Century. There are also a number of PRE- Roman sarcophagi located there. Very interesting and moving experience.

      Next we went to an area called Santiaguino do Monte. We decided to take a taxi. It was all uphill including the 130 steps (The way of the Cross). This is the site of an early Christian church dating to the 3rd Century, and the location where St. James preached. On our way down the hill, walking, we stopped and received a Certificate that we had visited the location where St. James’ bones were brought from the Albergue Municipal. You only get the Certificate if you have your stamp on your Pilgrim’s Passport that you had been to the Iglasia mentioned above. We also stopped for a beer and called it dinner.

      Finally, we visited the Church of Santiago do Padron. There is a stone behind the alter which is considered to be where the Apostle’s boat was moored when it was returned to Iria Flavia.
      The church was originally built in the 10th Century and remodeled, thankfully, in the 12th and 15th Centuries. Incredibly while we were looking at a glass coffin, a woman walked up to me and in Spanish told me several times that Christ had been in that coffin. She said it like she believed it with her whole heart. She also told me Christ’s body was in another glass coffin on another wall. I questioned her to make sure I had heard her correctly and she confirmed it every time.

      So, what started out as just another day of walking ended up preparing us for completing our Camino. It was amazing and all part of God’s plan, not mine.

      One more “just another day of walking” and then our final entry into Santiago the next day, Thursday, where I feel more ready than ever to accept what has unfolded the past two weeks on this Camino.

      BUEN CAMINO!

      12.9 miles/ 37,000 steps
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    • Day 13

      Santiago de Compostela

      October 9, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 59 °F

      Today we got a late start & I blame it on the hotel breakfast (which we mistakenly thought was free). Around 17 miles later we made our way up the main street of Santiago de Compostela, sweating & weaving through college kids…to the main cathedral. Hundreds of smelly pilgrims from around the world were relaxing in the shady areas & basking in their achievement. We took a few pictures, then made our way to the pilgrim’s reception office where they checked our stamp book, confirmed our legitimacy & gave us our certificates. It took 175~ miles, a few blisters & a swollen ankle, but we’ve completed the Camino & we are celebrating with a few big beers 🍺.Read more

    • Day 14

      Pontevedra to Caldas de Reis

      May 4 in Spain ⋅ 🌫 61 °F

      Sooo many pilgrims walking out of town this morning! But as people found their own pace, the crowd thinned out. It rained the ENTIRE 13 miles, and we ended up dripping wet, with shoes squelching and spattered with with mud. There were puddles and mud on most of the paths, and we encountered two flooded streams rushing over the Camino, quite unnerving. The first one we were able to ford, completely drenching our shoes; the second one turned all of us back to find an alternate route.

      Along the way we met Jason from Seattle who was walking at about the same pace as us, We spent much of the day chatting with him. He was charming and a character and meeting him was the highlight of our day. That and lunching on another bocadillo the size of our heads — and they gave us a packet of mayonnaise! We miss American condiments!

      After dinner (which included a scrumptious caldo Gallego, the national soup of Galicia), we walked down to the chuch where we were treated to amazing traditional Galician music — a chorus of singers with bagpipes, drums, tambourines and hurdy-gurdies. Celtic music blended with Galician music is rousing and goes back centuries. Standing ovations and encores should happen more often in churches.

      As of today we have walked 135 miles with only 27 to go!
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    • Day 24

      Padrón to Escravitude

      October 5, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

      We arrived in Padrón at about 10:00, had some café, took care of some business at an ATM and a Farmacia.

      We visited the church there, dedicated to Santiago. It houses the Roman ‘pedron’ stone, which is said to have moored the stone boat which carried St James to Spain. Also a statue of St James the Moor Killer. As well as the pilgrim history, James was said to appear during a battle to help the Christians overcome the Moors.

      We walked on out of Padrón, along the highway, then turned in past farms and villages. Then found our albergue, which is a beautiful renovated building.
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    • Day 25

      Camino Portuguese Day 15

      October 6, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

      For our last night on the Camino we had a true pilgrim experience. There was a shared guest meal, which was fabulous! This included a three course meal, vino and bread, and liqueur following. There was a traditional Galician drink, home brewed by a neighbour, and a coffee and a cream liqueur, which made a tasty café con leche. Yes, I was a bit tipsy.

      This wonderful meal was paired with amazing conversation of the Canadians, the Germans, the Kiwi, and the South Africans; as well as our host - a Mexican who has lived in Canada and Europe before settling in Spain with his Spanish wife.

      To complete the pilgrim experience, the large Portuguese man in the bunk above me snored like a freight train. Even with my ear plugs it was very loud. Somehow I did get enough sleep. 😴

      Many people do this Camino in 12
      days, but I had a couple of short days, a
      rest day, and the Spiritual Variant. So
      on my 15th day, I walk into Santiago.
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    • Day 10

      Escravitude

      October 21, 2022 in Spain ⋅ 🌧 16 °C

      Today's the first day my body felt used to the walking, like it was something I did every day for my whole life.
      I sang and danced through the last 6-7km today, it was bliss!

      It threatened to rain all day but I wasn't soaked today so yayyy.

      I'm staying at the most beautiful albergue ever tonight and they're putting on an amazing dinner with great vegan options, bring on the energy food!!

      See you tomorrow, Santiago ❤️
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    • Day 22

      Day 14 - Vilanova de Arousa to Cruces

      April 25 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 59 °F

      Today was different in every way. We slept in and woke up to the first cloudy day we’ve had. We had a leisurely breakfast, walked around town and took pictures. I read a book and Tom went for a longer stroll. We talked a long time to a chatty couple from Scotland and waited for our 12:45pm scheduled boat to take us up river as the skies grew darker by the minute.

      Our boat tour guide was very informative and even with his broken English we understood most of it. The minute we docked in Patron, the skies opened up and it poured on us for about 2 blocks until we could duck into a pub to wait out the rain and grab a quick pizza for lunch. Then off we started, at 3pm, for our day’s walk.

      We made it to our accommodations around 5:30 having put 6.8 miles behind us. Our goal was to shorten our walk into Santiago tomorrow. Hard to believe we have just one day left.
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    • Day 19

      Boat to Pontecesures!

      July 7, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 73 °F

      The first part of our day was a boat ride to Pontecesures! Very glad to have my coat! It was cloudy this morning and especially cold with the breeze! It was short walk to Padron where we had lunch with Sabina (young pilgrim from Czech Republic). It’s a pretty late start to walking compared to our normal routine, but we have a reservation for tonight, so no rush!Read more

    • Day 15

      Day 14 La Coruña to Santiago

      September 21, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 13 °C

      I made it! 280km in 14 days.
      I walked by myself today. I was surprisingly emotional, I even teared up when I arrived at the Cathedral. Partly the joy of making it and partly that there was no one there to share it with.
      The Praza do Obradoiro (the golden square of Santiago) was so crowded. I sat for a few minutes, tried to take a few selfies and then went to the Pilgrim office to get my Compostela and certificado, for distance travelled. It was very fast and efficient . The women that helped me was from Ottawa and she said I was the first CCOP credential she had seen.
      After getting my documents I sat at one of the patios with a view of the Cathedral and had some Pimientos de Padrón and a G&T.
      It started to rain, but luckily I was covered. When the rain stopped I made my way to the Albergue, Seminario Menor.
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    You might also know this place by the following names:

    Padrón, Padron, بادرون, پادرون, Պադրոն, パドロン, Падрон, 帕德龙

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