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Diane WheatleyDiane Wheatley
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A woman with wanderlust, I decided to become a home based travel agent to justify my travel.
I love discovering everything this beautiful wide world has to offer and would love to hit 60 by 60! Read more Ottawa, Canada
  • TravelerCamino de Santiago 2022
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    Day 38

    Day 35 …and in to Santiago I go! pt 2

    October 20, 2022 in Spain ⋅ 🌧 14 °C

    Day 35 - Part 2

    After our amazing (free!!) lunch, I needed to collect my pack from Annette’s apartment and get checked in at my Albergue. On the way back though, I needed a few more photos, in the sun this time!! I asked strangers to take a couple of the shots so I could get what I wanted. I had time to do a quick chat with some family and friends, to show them where I was and show them the Cathedral.

    Finally checked into my Albergue for 2N. Not sure what I am doing after that, but it’s a start.

    We were waiting for a pilgrim friend Karin to arrive in n the square, and were able to get some great photos of her when she did. We hung around to say hello to those we knew, the met Lucinda for a champagne toast to our success. Rain started pelting down again which cut the celebration short - but only by a bit.

    Time to rest up and recharge the phone before dinner. Annette, Karin and I had gotten reservations at Abastos 2.0. This is a Michelin restaurant that has six market stalls and a small shared dining bar. It has recently expanded to have a larger dining area in a building across the street. The food was seriously amazing - almost all seafood that we had on a tasting menu. Basically, the waiter fed us dishes until we said stop. We tried the mini shrimp, cockles, tomatoes and fig, tuna tartar, mackerel with grapes and garlic purée, sea bream tartar with orange and pork tacos. A bit of Santiago cake for dessert, a couple glasses of wine and boom - 126€ later, our celebratory feast was done.

    On the way back to our accommodations, I showed the ladies the shadow pilgrim. Every night in a corner under the baroque clock tower in the Plaza de la Quintana, a hunched pilgrim appears. He stands life sized, and wears the traditional garb of the religious pilgrim: cloak, broad-brimmed hat, and a staff top-heavy with a gourd for water and the traditional scallop shell, which is the symbol of the pilgrim.

    According to local legend, the pilgrim is a local priest, who had fallen in love with a nun of the convent of San Paio, across the plaza. They met every night secretly, traveling through a secret passage under the Quintana stairs that join the convent to the cathedral. The two lovers planned to elope, and he promised to meet her in the plaza dressed as a pilgrim to conceal his identity. On the appointed evening, he waited in the shadows, but she never came. Since then, every night he returns, hoping to see her.

    I thought it was a pretty cool way to end the night, and amazing day!! It will take me a while to process all this journey has meant to me. The next few days will be hard - what will I do, if I am not walking??

    Funny enough, everyone is usually in bed by 9ish on the Camino. Tonight I got back at 10:30 - and was the second one in my room. It’s almost midnight and some people are still out. We all know we can finally sleep in tomorrow!    Read more

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    Day 38

    Day 35 - …and in to Santiago I go! Pt 1

    October 20, 2022 in Spain ⋅ 🌧 14 °C

    “Travel isn’t always pretty. It isn’t always comfortable. Sometimes it hurts, it even breaks your heart. But that’s okay. The journey changes you; it should change you. It leaves marks on your memory, on your consciousness, on your heart, and on your body. You take something with you. Hopefully, you leave something good behind.” – Anthony Bourdain

    Day 35 - Monte do Gozo to Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela -4.5km - 55 mins

    I went to bed by 9pm and fell into a deep sleep, quickly. By 1:20 am I was awake couldn’t get back to sleep. By 2:30am I gave up for a bit and answered messages on my phone for a bit. Finally tried again just after 3am and slept until just before 5am. By 5:20am I gave up and started organizing myself to leave. I am glad I was the only person in the room, as I never want to be THAT person. You know - the one that leaves early and wakes everyone else up in the process. I was out the door by 5:55am. And back in to collect my poles by 5:59am hahahah. Ok - really on my way by 6am.

    The lights of the city were shining and beckoning me towards Santiago. I set off at a brisk pace and kept it up most of the way. I was nervous, excited and scared for the ending, all at the same time. As I reached the outskirts, I stopped for a few photos. There were no other pilgrims around - I was on my own. As I got closer and closer, I saw a handful of local residents out and about, starting their day. It was all pavement walking today and although the way was damp from more rain last night, I felt stable on my feet and was able to keep my pace.

    At 2.2km to go, I sent Annette a text to say I have about 30mins to go and was on track for 7am arrival. She had wanted to greet me as I came in. Each time I checked my map, I noticed she had not read the message. No worries. I was happy to walk in alone.

    As I approached the Cathedral, I did a short video of my actual arrival. I did get a bit teary as it is has been quite an emotional journey in many ways. And here I was…at the end of that journey. As I finished videoing, there was Annette striding towards me from the other corner of the square. I was the first (and only) pilgrim in the square. Other than a couple of security guards, we had the place to ourselves! Big hugs, a few tears and more photos followed. We then headed down to the pilgrim reception centre in order to await their opening and get our Compostelas. Unfortunately, it was 7:10am and the office did not open until 9am. We were #2 and 3 in line.

    Sometime around 8:30am, it started to pour with rain again. All the pilgrims in line geared up and waited out the foul weather with the promise of our hard earned Compostela at the end. At 9am, the doors opened to welcome us. As the first 10 pilgrims passed through the doors, we were issued the equivalent of the Willy Wonka Golden Ticket. We all received a free meal at the world famous Parador hotel! Now, I did know this was a tradition, and it was one of the reasons I had wanted to get here early. But still, I was “early”, early! We each waited our turn to get our Compostela and have our name written in Latin on it. I bought Annette and I each a hard cardboard tube to keep it safe and, a tin mug each to mark the occasion.

    Back out into the rain we went, and over to Annette’s accommodation. A beautiful apartment on the other side of the Cathedral, with lovely views across the square to the Cathedral. From here we watched the rain, pilgrims arriving in the square, and had a bite to eat. Once the rain eased off, it was time to head out to the pilgrim mass which is held each day at noon, in the Cathedral. Again, I don’t know the words, but the mass was moving. We were even lucky enough to see the botafumeiro swing.

    The botafumeiro (literally 'smoke caster', in Galician) is one of the best known and most popular symbols of thethe Cathedral of Santiago of Compostela,Galicia(Spain). It's a huge censer bathed in silver gilt and It weighs 62 kilograms empty and is 1.50 meters tall. The botafumeiro is filled with about 400 grams of charcoal and incense. Then it is tied with strong knots to a long rope that goes to the roof of the building, and moves by means of a pulley mechanism through the transverse nave (transept) of the cathedral. To achieve this, a group of eight men, who are called tiraboleiros first push it to get it moving, and then each pull one end of the rope to gain speed. Formerly the impulse and the stop of the same was carried out by the biggest tiraboleiro , who was also the one who set the rhythm of the impulse. Currently this figure no longer exists.

    The movement of the botafumeiro can reach a speed of 68 km/h during its movement through the transept of the cathedral, from the Puerta de la Azabachería to the Puerta de las Platerías, describing an arc of 65 m and a maximum height of 21 m (a 82º angle). To reach this maximum height, 17 complete runs are needed.

    This is a gigantic incense burner used to swing to cover the stench of the pilgrims that stayed in the upper levels of the cathedral after arrival in Santiago. Today it is used on holy holidays and when the sim of 500€ has been donated to see it swing (often by your groups). It apparently also swings everyday at noon mass during a holy year (which 2022 is, as a double holy year due to COVID, as 2021 was the official holy year).

    After mass, it was time for our free lunch - Galician bean soup, seafood paella and an amazing trio of dessert slices - plus bread and wine, obviously. Worth the 2 hour wait this morning, for sure!!    Read more

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    Day 37

    Day 34 - Wet, windy and wild

    October 19, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    "I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination." - Jimmy Dean

    Day 34 - O Pedrouzo to Monte Do Gozo 15.5km - approx 4.5hrs walking time

    It rained heavily all night. I was woken by the sound of thunder and the flashes of lightening. Forget getting up early. I am much happier listening to the rain than walking in it! I dozed off again and woke around 7 am as people’s alarms started to go off. I still didn’t want to get up, so had a more lazy morning.

    Annette was due to make Santiago today, but I am stringing it out. I felt from our conversations the last few days, that she needs more time to process this journey - so we did not make plans to walk together today.

    I left shortly after 8am (still in the dark) with the lights of the town to guide me. It was rainy and cool, but I was snug enough in my poncho and long sleeved shirt. I found the trail easily enough and spent the next few kms dodging puddles and rivulets of water. I purposely did not buy waterproof shoes, but was trying my darndest not to get mine wet. Nothing spells B L I S T E R like wet shoes. No thanks - not right before the finish line! I was fairly successful in keeping dry, but the walking took its toll. Being wet and muddy, the mud stuck to my shoes, making them heavy to walk in. This made my progress slower than I am normally but I wasn’t in a rush today, so I guess it didn’t really matter.

    The rain let up within the first hour and as I pulled to the side of the trail to take off my poncho, Annette pulled up beside me. We had a quick chat and with a Buen Camino, she was off.

    After 7km I stopped for a tea and croissant. Darned lucky too as before I was done, the heavens opened again and the rain came slashing down. I was so happy I was not caught in that! I hunkered down inside the cafe as the awning leaked, ordered another tea and watched the weather. Once the rain let up a bit, I headed out for the second half of my walk today. It really did drag on and on, but I put my music on an just walked. No thinking, no checking the time. Just walking. And it was good (despite all the hills!). Again, I walked through eucalyptus forests with their amazing smells. Passed the airport and through cute villages. This is my last day walking in the light and I wanted to take it all in! The rain had tried to make it a miserable day, and then the wind took over. It was so strong it was almost blowing me off my feet!

    As I got to Monte do Gozo, I stopped at the chapel of San Marcos de Monte do Gozo. A simple chapel that was built in or around 1105. The Bishop Diego Xelmirez instructed the construction of a church dedicated to Santa Cruz, where he later laid to rest
    the remains of San Marcos. It is believed that in 1116, Xelmirez, whilst barefoot, led a procession accompanied by the clergy
    and the towns people and that he arrived in Compostela carrying la relic of the head of Santiago Alfeo that had been gifted to
    him by the Queen Urraca de Leon. It was a place of intense worship and where pilgrims left many donations of which the members of an ecclesiastical chapter of Santiago, in 1228, received 8 'marcos' (currency of the age), in accordance to thé agreement made with the Archbishop Bernardo. The Chapel coincides with the first "xiro' of the city, this territory was comprised by the land in a 3-mile radius from the Cathedral itself, as established by King Alfonso Il O Casto in 834. The limits of the xiros' were marked by 'Milladoiros' which were vantage viewpoints (markers) and the Monte do Gozo had one of the vantage viewpoints making it three miles from the Cathedral of Santiago. I then took a detour so I could go and see the pilgrim statues in the same area. These are two giant pilgrims pointing towards the Santiago de Compostela Cathedral. They were built in the 1993 Holy Year and were design by the Galician sculptor Acuña. Due to the weather, I was the only one there, which was wonderful. I took my time looking out at the city I’d Santiago de Compostela and thinking about my journey this far.

    To get to my accommodations, I crossed a field that was wetter than any other part of the trail I walked all day. Wonderful. Wet shoes - just what I needed lol!

    As I sat at the cafeteria, I reflected on those moments at the statues. It blew me away that I could see the city I have walked so far to visit. I am so close…. Tomorrow I will hopefully arrive before the dawn, and watch the city come awake from the Cathedral square. I will line up with the other pilgrims to get my Compostela to show I have walked The Way of St. James, and I will sit in the square and watch the joy on faces of other pilgrims arriving. I also want to go to the noon mass. No, I am still not Catholic. But I feel this is an important part of the journey, and I look forward to sitting in a pew while the words of the Spanish mass wash over me.

    I am alone on this part of my journey and that is as it should be. I need this time to come to terms with what I have and have not accomplished. Hopefully it will come clear before I walk into the square tomorrow.    Read more

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    Day 36

    Day 33 - Wind, wet and gratitude

    October 18, 2022 in Spain ⋅ 🌧 17 °C

    “Sometimes a simple moment of joy is all we need to remember how lucky we are” - Walter Y Flan

    Day 33 - Arzúa to o Pedrouzo - 19km - approx 5.5 hrs walking time.

    We left our hotel and Albergue in the dark. I mean dark enough that we needed Annette’s phone flashlight to see where we were going, as we both left our headlamps in our bags that were being transported. Not the smartest but there you have it! Shockingly, there were more hills! Imagine that. Up, down and all around we went. After walking through dark tunnels of trees, we were surprised to see it was all of a sudden daylight. It seemed to happen so fast, as it does some days. Again, we looked back - the sunrise was incredible, as it so often is here. I love the mornings. It’s the only time of day I can say I enjoy walking. Starting in the dark may seem stupid but, I love to be walking and see the light enter the world once again. Be there for the breaking of day. As it is so late in the season, I don’t even have to get up at stupid o’clock for this pleasure. Sunrise isn’t until after 8:30am, so we can even sleep in a bit and still enjoy the sunrises. And I have been!

    We were walking through forests for the most part and the ground is more dirt than rock. Due to the rains from the night before - and I think last night too, the path was muddy and slippery. When walking in the woods - any woods, it always smells good. Here though, the occasional smell of eucalyptus made me smile. I really love that smell. I think in Galicia, it’s a race to see if the chestnut trees or the eucalyptus are more prevalent. Thinking of smells - there are a lot of cows in Galicia! And lots of manure spreading. Those aren’t smells I won’t soon forget 😂

    I was looking for someone today - a man with a donkey this time. Roland, a modern Don Quixote and Pilgrim from Hungary and his donkey Rosinante were an inseparable couple (aka Rolandante), living and walking on the Camino. However, Rosinante died earlier this year and Roland now has a new donkey to accompany him. She was in a field as we went passed and looked very happy and healthy! We were lucky enough to encounter them this morning just as they were setting up their stand. They also have their own donkey stamp, which is so cute. Of course I wanted one for my credencial so I waited patiently until they were ready. Roland makes earthen (clay) pendants and bracelets, sells his book (in Hungarian only), postcards and beautiful colouring posters front the images in his book. I had to buy a bracelet of course. He is almost sold out for the year though, so I may have bought more than one…

    We walked through many small communities today and some cool places. There was a birergartten that used all the old beer bottles for decor. I think even the local cat drank at that bar!

    As the ground was wet and soggy and hard walking, we only stopped for a tea break and a less than satisfying lunch. We had been looking for a place I had heard about - a Texas rubbed meat place. In fact, Annette and I swear we smelled it on more than one occasion. Nope. They are apparently located at Marker 25km, but we didn’t see them. Found out later they are closed today and likely the rest of the season :-( We walked as far as Santa Irene where we finally gave up and had lunch. One thing is certain - dinner later was non negotiable. Needed something decent after the sorry excuse for lunch.

    We only had a few Kms left for the day to O Pedruzo. We had been fighting a losing battle with strong winds for the last 2km and continued to do so all the way to our accommodations. Rain was still threatening and I did end up having to put my poncho on at one point as it went from a light spilling to an actual rain. As is often the case here, I got my poncho on in time for it to stop! We arrived to O Pedruzo around 2pm, both weary, with sore feet and bone tired.

    I had done laundry 2 nights ago, but I have no idea what is clean or dirty anymore. So, another load today after getting to my Albergue. Of course my machine decided not to work and did not spin. So, double wash it is! Can’t be too clean, am I right? Especially after being in the Camino for weeks on end!!
    When I was finally able to put stuff in the dryer, I went in search of dinner. As with a lot of places, bars and restaurants here don’t seem to be open until 7 or 7:30, for dinner. I was hungry at 6. I did find a churro place that was open and smelling yummy. So, next best thing….dessert before dinner it is! Annette joined me and then we made our way to the Pulperia for dinner at 7:30. So very glad we waited, as the grilled octopus and Padron peppers were to die for! We split the food as we were both still thinking about churros in chocolate. Thankfully we did split as we would never have eaten a whole order each. Amazing dinner for Annette’s last night. She walks into Santiago tomorrow!

    It is so strange to think there are less than 20km left to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela - my destination. How is that possible? I am stringing it out to 2 days as I want to arrive early in the morning - so, the 20th of Oct it will be. In the meantime, I am going to walk the rest of The Way on my own and contemplate what this journey has meant to and for me.    Read more

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    Day 35

    Day 32 - Hills, hills and more hills

    October 17, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    "I love walking because it clears your mind, enriches the soul, takes away stress, and opens up your eyes to a whole new world ." - Claudette Dudley

    Day 32 - Melide to Arzùa - 14.2 km - approx 3 3/4 hrs walking time

    A rainy day was forecast again, and it had been raining all night. By the time Annette came to my Albergue and we were ready to go, it was just about 8:40 am. Later than usual, but it was good timing. The rain had stopped and we stepped out to the smell of wet pavement and overcast skies. I have no problem with this! Much preferred to rain!

    As Annette called her husband in AUS, her pace got quicker and quicker while we were walking downhill. My poor little legs were struggling to keep up with her and I didn’t want to interrupt her call to tell her. She did notice after a bit, and we slowed down. Whew! There was no way I could keep that pace up!

    Within about 15 minutes, we had caught up to Lucinda who had apparently left earlier than us. We all walked happily together along tree lined dirt and stoney trails. Very little road walking today, which was lovely. There were a lot of hills though - not so lovely. I still hate the damn things! My recovery time is definitely better, but I’d prefer not to have to know that!!

    We stopped briefly at an organic stand and each bought a bottle of the woman’s homemade liquor. Raspberry for Lucinda and I, and coffee liquor for Annette. Going to be interesting! I think I will save it until Santiago as a celebratory tipple.

    After leaving the stand, we walked through some fragrant eucalyptus forest. It smelled SO good! Apparently the Ozzie’s have come and they are here to stay. Eucalyptus is apparently quite invasive - but it does smell good!

    We had a rest stop approx half way, and said hello to Elise who was resting at the same bar. This was the only time we saw her today as she walks faster than we do. Once tea and coffee’d up, we hit the road for the last half. We were thanking our lucky stars that the promised rain had not yet materialized. In fact, we started to see some blue skies that gave us hope for the rest of the walk.

    More uphills and downhills and uphills. I was so grateful it was a short day as the hills just make it seem so long!

    We arrived Arzúa at 1pm and each went our separate ways to our Albergues. Mine didn’t open until 1:30pm, so I hung around in order to get a good bed. When I had gotten my bed made, myself organized and hand washing done, Annette and I met for a pizza lunch and a couple of glasses of wine. I walked with her to her hotel as she was able to check in finally. Afterwards, I hit the grocery store to pick up a salad and some cold sliced chorizo for dinner. Also grabbed at bottle of wine for 2.40€. Crazy!! I have only had 1 glass and not sure what I will do with the rest. Thinking my empty water bottle is looking like a good candidate….

    Tomorrow is more hills all the way to O Pedrouzo. Annette and I have decided to walk together again, so I am going to go further than I had originally intended. The following day will be slightly shorter, then before I know it, I will be in Santiago de Compostela. As of today, I have less than 40km left. How is that even possible? I am still sad I needed to take a train to make my timeline (and now have extra time) but, it did take the pressure off me and allowed me to relax into this last third of my journey. They say the Camino doesn’t give you what you want, but what you need. Case in point, right here.

    Wish me luck on the horrid hills tomorrow!    Read more

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    Day 34

    Day 31 - Pushing my limits

    October 16, 2022 in Spain ⋅ 🌧 15 °C

    "A shoe is not only a design, but it's a part of your body language, the way you walk. The way you're going to move is quite dictated by your shoes." - Christian Louboutin

    Day 31 - Airexe to Melide - 22.5km, 5.5hrs walking time.

    Today was a great day in so much as I pushed my limits a bit - and it paid off. This is the third day I have done over 20km total walking for the day, and not been so hobbled I couldn’t move later!

    I left my Albergue in the pitch dark, at 7:40am. The weather today was very overcast, but the temperature was stable and not too hot, so it was a good day for a walk. It was supposed to be heavy rain all day and I was dreading such a long walk in the rain and boiling as if in sauna, under my poncho. Luckily it didn’t rain until this evening, so I didn’t have to worry about it.

    First goal was to get to Palais del Rei -7.5km away. Most of this was road walking on a trail beside the road, or on the road itself. I was quite happy that I was clocking a hair over 4km per hour, by the time I got there. Perfect place for a breakfast stop and to hit up an ATM as I was running seriously low on funds. As I was half way through my breakfast, in come Liz and Sally from last night. They stayed for a coffee and to check on my feet. At that point, so far so good. The podiatry felt was feeling comfy and I was not in any pain from the ankles.

    Once we hit the road, they are no match for me. Liz is a fast walker naturally, and even with two bad knees, Sally passes me within minutes hahaha. Oh well, I’m slow but I get there in the end. These wonderful ladies kept pace with me (slowing themselves down) for a good 5 or 6 km which was lovely. We had some great conversation and a few tears (from me - duh!) and finally parted ways on a bit of an uphill that I knew would take me longer than them. I did see them a bit later at marker 59km, as I stopped at the Happiness Cafe for an amazing yogurt/granola/fruit and nut bowl for lunch. Amazing! I would love to have had the Belgian waffle with Canadian maple syrup (the owner is American and imports the syrup), but there is no way I would have done the last 6km if I did that!! Learned that lesson the hard way, previously. The yogurt bowl was more than I needed too but I felt justified that at least it was healthy :-)

    The Way after Palais del Rei almost all the way to Melide was through forests and dirt paths. Some road walking, but not over much. I do prefer the trails to the road. And I prefer both of those to villages that have beautiful crazy paved roads. They look wonderful but I find them hell on my feet. I need to be looking down at my feet all the time as the stones are so uneven. Ah well - it is what it is, right?

    At one point, I came across and elderly couple who were scavenging chestnuts from the ground. This is not unusual, but they were an adorable couple. I had been walking with a Belgian man for a short while and we both picked up some chestnuts and gave them to the couple. The woman proceeds to use her teeth to crack open the chestnut husk to get to the hut inside. Once she has done this, she hands it to the Belgian guy to eat. To hos credit, he thanked her politely in Spanish, wrote taking a bite. I had started to walk away, as I did not see myself accepting food that had been in someone else’s mouth! It was a lovely gesture for sure - but a bit out of my comfort zone.

    2km later, I am strolling into Melide. Can’t find my Albergue for some reason although I had seen it in a map of the city. Google maps to the rescue. Ooopss… it is still 1.5km away in the city of Melide. Apparently I was still in the town before. My bad! And how depressing that I still had another 1.5km to go! Off I set to complete the last of the walk to the city.

    I am in a lovely Albergue tonight and there are only myself and a Belgian woman named Elise to share a room for 4. Bonus!! Funny enough, when I told Annette yesterday that I was staying in this city tonight and mentioned the Albergue, she told me she is staying next door at the pension with the same name. How weird that out of all the Albergues in this city, I would choose the one next to where she is staying. It worked out well as we enjoyed a couple of wines together before heading out to dinner. We also invited Elise and another pilgrim - Paul - that has been in the same Albergues as I have been, for the last 3 nights. Out we went in the rain (it had started around 5pm) to the most popular Pulpo joint - Garnacha Pulperia. When we arrived, we spotted Lucinda (a friend of Annette’s) who was there alone. We asked if we could join her, so the five of us ate together.

    The Pulpo (octopus) is famous in this city. It is eaten today as it used to be on a simple wooden plate with a good dollop of olive oil and sprinkle of paprika. It is eaten by spearing with a toothpick and usually served with bread and wine. We also ordered grilled and salted padron peppers, croquettes and grilled Pulpo which is served with a garlic butter. Everything was fabulous - food and company. We all left feeling very full and satisfied.

    I am very happy with the engineering job Liz did with my shoes. My ankles are both a bit twingey and it still takes me a minute or two to move well, but neither ankle is in as much pain as any day up until now. I’m thrilled! Let’s hope this holds out til Santiago. Cheers, Liz!! Now all I need to worry about is the one toe with the blister (that I rarely mention as it doesn’t bother me). Looks like it is getting infected, so I will have to keep an eye on it.

    Tomorrow is a shorter day - a mere 14.2km, so we are in no rush to head out. The forecast looks miserable for days, so fingers crossed it changes! I think I am a fair weather walker, for sure.    Read more

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    Day 33

    Day 30 - Good hearts, on the Camino

    October 15, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    “Walking is the exact balance between spirit and humility." - Gary Snyder.

    Day 30 - Vilachá to Airexe - 19.8 km - Approx 5.5 hrs walking time

    I had not paid for breakfast at my Albergue because Spanish breakfast is all carbs and coffee. Neither of which I am interested in. I smelled the coffee on waking, and just wanted to get out. I was hoping to be to Portomarín to walk with Annette, by just after 8am. As I came out of the washroom (all packed and ready to go), I smelled the cruel smell of betrayal. These hosts are American. And breakfast, by the smell of it, was bacon and eggs. About face. I paid my 5€ and ate with the rest of the pilgrims!! So much for leaving at 7:30! I finally got out the door at 8:10. Annette had started walking at 8 and was already 2.2 km ahead of me by virtue of where she was staying. No worries. I do like walking alone too.

    Off I trot towards Portomarín. First I had to find my way out of this tiny village! I did (obviously) but wasn’t assisted by the dark and the hidden signs. Approaching the city, I walked the tunnel of death. This was a slippery, rocky gully that was part of The Way. Seriously thought I was going to break a leg, but got down in one piece. I was able to skirt the city when I got there, saving myself a hellish set of stairs and at least half a Kilometre. Hey - don’t judge. Shortcuts are good!!

    I decided to take the original route from Portimarin which was classed as the alternate, rather than the new but primary route. The original route was through forest paths which were so much nicer than along the road. This is a heads down path and I invoked Poppa Roy and Grandpa Roy to help me manage the hills. I think I literally said “Slow, Rhythmic, Strong, Repeat” for at least an hour. Over and over. Oodles of the Shiny Shoe Brigade (those that started in Sarria the day before in their new and clean shoes) passed me. I plodded on. I passed them as they were stripping off clothes, having drinks, donning rain gear etc. Then they’d pass me again. This went on for ages. The trail was lovely and mostly soft, as wee and through pine forests. It was also rather ripe as we went past all the cattle farms!

    I had message Annette to let her know where I was, but she was way ahead of me. Around 7km, I was completing another hill, and there’s Annette coming down the hill towards me. She had been face-timing family in AUS and thought she may as well wait for me. I was really happy to see and walk with her again. With an almost 20km day In the process, it’s great to have a buddy. We stopped at about my 9km mark (her 7km) for a tea and coffee beak and then pushed on as we both had a ways to go yet.

    We took the alternate route to see the ruins of the Castro (Castle) of Castromaior. One of the most important archaeological sites of the northwest peninsula. At the site, there is a top enclosure that was attached to others
    delineated my pits, parapets and walls forming a settlement. It was inhabited from 5 B.C: to I A.D. The recent excavations have discovered up to three different occupations, the most ancient with vegetable houses and the last one strong house from the beginning of the Roman conquest. It was a pretty cool site and I am glad we made the short detour.

    We finally arrived at my town of Airexe, around 2pm. Time for a hot shower (I am always freezing after I finish walking) and catch up on messages. After reorganizing my pack, I hit the bar around 4 pm for a hot cup of tea and a wine.

    While there, Liz whom I met yesterday joined me - a nurse from Australia (see a theme here?!) We had a great chat and later her friend Sally joined too. The three of us ended up staying for dinner which started at 6:30 and were still there after 8pm. Fabulous meal of pork skewers, salad and fries. I say it was fabulous, but maybe that’s the wine speaking! Nah - it really was good. And at 6.50€, a better deal than the menu del dia.

    After dinner, I went to “Clinica del Liz”. She had brought some podiatrist felt and has outfitted my shoes with even more arch support. My poor ankles were singing today when I arrived and I had mentioned this while we where chatting. So, she offered to see if she could help. I will find out tomorrow, as I have another 20+ day ahead of me! Three longer days in a row - let’s see how the poor ankles like that!    Read more

  • TravelerCamino de Santiago 2022
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    Day 32

    Day 29 - Slow, Rhythmic, Strong, Repeat

    October 14, 2022 in Spain ⋅ 🌙 16 °C

    "Jobs fill your pockets, but adventures fill your soul." - Jaime Lyn Beatty

    Day 29 - Outside Sarria to Vilachá- 22km - 5hrs 45min.

    Today was a long, drizzly but rewarding walk.

    I headed out at 7:15am and consciously left my rain poncho in my backpack that was being transported. I am trying to have a positive attitude and manifest happiness. So, there was not going to be any rain today! I was meeting Annette near her Albergue in Sarria so we could walk together and as I had a total of 22km to do today, I was very happy for the company. I made it to town in 25 mins and got settled for a cup of tea. After Annette joined me, I realized my manifestation was not working and it started to rain - fairly heavily. We waited it out a bit and left around 8:30 am after it had slacked off somewhat. I was going to buy a cheap plastic poncho but as “cheap” was 12€, I decided I’d get wet. And wet I got!!! A light mist and drizzle followed us for the first 7km. Lovely. Thankfully I was wearing my merino wool tank and long sleeved shirt so I was never cold. And I knew they would dry with my body heat and there was lots of that from the hills!

    There were SO many people on the trail. School class groups, long distance pilgrims and those that had just started. All day there were crowds of people and it was kind of weird to see and honestly, a bit annoying.

    Shortly after leaving Sarria, a Camino friend of Annette’s named Kate, joined us. On one of the fist uphills, Kate told me her grandfather “Poppa Roy” ( Rot was also the name of one of my own grandfathers!) used to be a long distance swimmer. When he had a long swim, he had a mantra that Kate has been using on her Camino and especially for going up hills. She also uses small steps, tries to glide rather than plod, and go slowly. The mantra is ‘Slow, Rhythmic, Strong’. I used this and added ‘Repeat’ to the end. So every hill after, I was invoking Poppa Roy to help me up the hills. Head down, don’t look to see how long and steep the hill was and just go at my own pace. Annette and Kate let me lead, even though they are both faster walkers than I am. We had a nice tea rest break after about 8km and Annette had bought a lovely cake slice that she shared. Bit early for me, but holy heck was it ever good! While we were there it decided to stop raining, which was lovely.

    On we went. We were going to be hitting the 100km marker this morning and were a bit pumped. This means there are only 100kms to go until you reach Santiago de Compostela Cathedral. Between the towns of Ferreira and A Peña, we found it. The 100km marker! Like almost every other pilgrim, we decided to take photos here to mark the occasion. We only had to wait for two people in front of us, thankfully. But due to the crowds, after the 3 of us had our turn, there had to be over a dozen people waiting. And they kept piling up! We got out of there quickly and continued on our way. We were actually able to do over 1 km with almost no one around, at one point. And it was very peaceful for the first time today.

    Last night at the Sarria pilgrim office, I had been told about an amazing bar that did the best hamburgers in Galicia. I had mentioned this to Annette and Kate so when we saw the bar, it was a foregone conclusion that we were stopping! Best sangria and burger I have had since….well, at least since the other great one in Pamplona :-) After eating, we hit the road for the last push and were able to strip down to bare essentials as it was now hot, hot, hot. I only had 1.5km to go to my Albergue and they were closer to 4km to Portomarín where they were staying the night.

    We finally arrived at my Albergue Casa Banderas, just before 3:30pm. Not bad timing for the day - just under 6hrs total walking time for 22km. I’m happy with that! This Albergue is run by a couple from the US and is a converted barn, as many Albergues are. Ray and Dominique great you with a small charcuterie board as there are few places to stop on the way here, and pilgrims are always hungry on arrival. As I had just had this massive burger, Dominique waited a bit and then brought me wine and a lovely fruit and nut board. Perfection! The Albergue has a washer and drier so I was able to pay for the luxury of a wash and dry for all the clothes I have - with the exception of those I needed for modesty! I had a shower in the outdoor shower area (so cool - like being in the Caribbean) and then did more planning as I have nothing booked after this point. Dinner was homemade vegetable soup, spaghetti bolognaise and a butternut squash bolognaise, triple chocolate brownie with homemade vanilla ice cream with blackberry jam. I’ve had WAY more food than I needed today!

    Looks like tomorrow is another 20km day with the first 10km all uphills again. I’ve got this (I hope!!) Slow, Rhythmic, Strong, Repeat.    Read more

  • TravelerCamino de Santiago 2022
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    Day 31

    Day 28 - Thank you, Mother Nature!

    October 13, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    “And into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul." - John Muir

    Day 28 - A Balsa to Outskirts of Sarria - 17km (13.5 + 3.5) - approx 3.5hrs for initial walk

    Today was a nature day and I was consumed with the views, the animals and plants I saw along the way.

    I left in the dark today at 7:50 am and the first thing I heard was an owl hooting. So beautiful and so haunting. It reminded me that today is the last day before Sarria and that I should drink it all in.

    I was worried about walking alone in the dark, as I knew I would be walking in the woods and going uphill. Figured maybe if I could see the hills it may be easier hahaha. As if! All that fear of walking alone in the dark faded fast. Like - within 50ft of my Albergue. I saw an open door on the left with pilgrims milling about. Curious as always, I had a peek. I had stumbled on Art’s Art Gallery. He had only opened a few minutes ago and already he had a full house. Art is an artist, originally from Scotland. That’s all I know - other than the fact that he has this amazing Camino gallery in the middle of bloody nowhere. I purchased a few postcards to send home since they are so unique. And I love supporting the artist himself. After I paid, he gave me a sello (stamp) in my credencial, and then drew an abstract picture for me in there too. As this credencial is on a glossy sort of paper, he was able to do the work with a metallic marker and a bit of paint. I had to wait while it dried, so I didn’t smear all over the place. While I waited, Art asked if he could do a blessing for us. There were 6 of us in the shop at the time and he spoke a blessing over us as pilgrims, to help us on our way. It was actually pretty emotional and I am not even very religious. It just seemed “right” at the time.

    I knew I would regret not buying one of the larger prints so I asked if he had the one I was interested in. Luckily he did, so I got that too. I have been very good on this trip. This is the only the second item I have purchased en-route that isn’t food or a necessity for the journey. Just as I was leaving the shop, in walks Paula, from my first couple of days! It was so good to see her, and I am glad she continues on this route. She had at one point decided to go over to the Portuguese route, but then stayed here instead.

    After leaving the shop, it was light enough that I didn’t have to worry about walking alone in the dark. Now all I had to worry about were the damned hills. And I was right to worry, as they were long and steep. I took it slowly and huffed and puffed my way up each one. I sat for a while at San Xil, with Paula and then went on ahead. I spent a lot of time looking at the stunning scenery, talking to horses, taking photos of fungi and slugs and generally just taking my time and drinking it all in. After today my Camino will change as there will be so many people leaving from Sarria that I just feel this may be my last change to enjoy the walk as it should be enjoyed.

    Once I hit the straightaways (and could breath again!) I started to make up for lost time. The first 1.5km took me almost an hour. But the next 3 I did in the next hour, even with some uphills climbs (not as bad as the first half).

    What goes up must come down….and down I went. And down, and down, and down. Some zig zagging was necessary so I didn’t blow my knees out. My calves were crying from the uphill, my knees were starting to sing from the steep downhill and my ankles joined in the chorus for good measure! Again, I made up a bit of time on the straightaways, so I didn’t do too badly. Paula had passed me ages ago on an uphill. But, at the end of this stage of very steep downhills, I caught up with her again. She still has bad knees from day 1, and is slow and careful on the Dow hills.

    I stopped at another hippy dippy Albergue with Paula (looks like they sleep in a barn here…) for tea and biscuits, and a fresh apple form their orchards - it was crisp, sweet and perfect! When I looked at my Fitbit, it had taken me just under 2 hrs for 4.5km. Kinda sad, but, I made it!

    I had arranged to meet Annette as Aguiada, as my path and hers (she went via Samos) merged at this point. So, I soon headed off again for the next 5 km which I walked mostly alone. I did walk a bit with a man named Harold whom I had met at the gallery and again at the hippy dippy Albergue. He has been travelling the world for 4 months and has two left to go…. Lucky bugger! Once I got to Aguiada, he continued in his way and I stopped to wait for Annette. I had gotten there at noon and she was due at 1pm. Her path was 6km longer than mine, but not as steep. As it turns out, she didn’t get there until almost 2:30! I was quite content to sit in the sun, read my book and play on my phone :-) After she had rested for a bit, we headed off for the last 5km into the city. I am staying just before the city at a campground, but she is in the city.

    I had wanted to stay at this campground since I had seen someone else posting about it. I have a cool little camping cabin with kitchenette, bathroom and shower, dining area, sofa and a freaking double bed with real sheets!! What a treat! It is so nice and peaceful here. Especially as I am the only one in the whole campground!! As it happens, I ended up walking another 1.5 each way, to the supermarket. I wanted to cook for myself tonight. There was limited selection, so I got the fixings for poor pilgrims streak, egg and chips (and a Snickers ice cream to eat i
    on the walk back!). Dinner wasn’t too bad either!! I also now have 4 hard boiled eggs to take along with me tomorrow and the next day. So, win win! I sat outside to eat my dinner but the sun was setting and my cool, private campground started to get eerie and creepy, so I came inside, locked the door and closed the blinds hahaha.

    Fingers crossed for a good sleep and a quick walk tomorrow. Around 22km so I know I am going to be pooched by the time I get there!    Read more

  • TravelerCamino de Santiago 2022
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    Day 30

    Day 27 - It’s all downhill from here

    October 12, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    “An early-morning walk is a blessing for the whole day.” – Henry David Thoreau

    Day 26 - Fonfría to A Balsa - 11.6km - 2.5 hrs walking time

    Ok so the title of the day may be a bit misleading. It was almost all downhill today from Fonfría, with a couple of minor uphills, until Triacastela. After that, I had 1.6km with a fair amount of uphill but nothing major - unlike my walk tomorrow!

    I walked to Triacastela with Annette today and we left just after 8:30am. The sun is rising later and later but it was light enough out to see where we were going. And boy, was the scenery worth seeing! We were so high up, we were above the mist coming out of the valleys. The sun rise was pinks and yellows and skimmed the top of the mist before the sun burst over the mountain and blinded us on some turns.

    We stopped after about 5.5km in a wonderful cafe. I had the breakfast of champions - tea and cheesecake. What the hell - I’m walking a lot, right?!

    We continued our downward walk towards Triacastela. The Way here was through chestnut tree lined small towns and “fresh” smelling agricultural areas - with lots if cows. There is a reason albergues make you leave your shoes at the door!

    I left Annette at Triacastela and continued to the hamlet of A Balsa. I started my upward walk to the smell of mint that lines the sides of the path. The hills were do-able and I arrived very early to my Albergue El Beso. This is a hippy-dippy eco Albergue that is organic and vegan. After doing my laundry (by hand of course), I was able to hang out in a swing chair in the forest, read and enjoy the peace and quiet until other pilgrims arrived.

    Dinner was - interesting. Pumpkin soup (which I did actually enjoy), main course of rice, veggies, curry and mango hummus and sunflower and black olive hummus. Carrot cake with chestnut icing for dessert. I ate at least half of the main course and only a couple of bites of dessert. I was actually pretty full from the soup!

    Tomorrow will be a challenge, to say the least. I am unsure of the actual distance (16-19km) but the first 4.5km are uphill. Not looking forward to that, but I will get it done and the rest of the day is pretty much downhill again. I will be meeting Annette around noon for lunch, when her path from Samos intersects mine from A Balsa. We will then walk together for the last 4-5km of our day.

    Wish me luck!!    Read more

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