Arousa Santiago Lugo

Exciting stage today taking the boat up the estuary to Padron and from there bike in about little over 20K to Santiago and that will be the end of Portuguese.

On a bike it is sure a fast week to get that one in and it has been interesting to say the least.

It's a wet morning with the few point near the ambiant temperature making for lots of fog right on the river and the hills but the rising sun is shining through for great light effects. Standing on the front deck powering into a headwind makes for a cold wake up call but it's so beautiful you cannot avoid standing there to take it all in. It's definitely a highlight of the coastal Portuguese Camino and the spiritual variant.

Back on the bike I pass lots of pilgrims who come from the regular route. There is not much steep terrain and I make fast progress into Santiago. I had to good idea to ask Zuzanna if she was still there and to my surprise she is.

First I go through the square and pick up my second Compostela. I had not crested a lot of emotion into this one after the Camino Francis being so amazing. But standing in the sun on the square it still gets me. There is so much emotionally charged energy from all the arriving pilgrims, that it's easy to pick up that vibe. I'm also fairly dehydrated at this point and getting loopy.

It was really great to see Zuzanna again. I saw her last way back in Fromista. But we loosely kept in touch. She is an empath and is incredibly in touch with the magic of the Camino probably the most of anyone I have seen, then again everybody has their own intensity and experiences. Hers touch the mystical. She is a beautiful human being from the inside out I think the picture says it all.

I got kicked off the ALSA bus due to my bicycle, that is not a friendly company. But Monbus was able to take me without any trouble for half the price. Phew, travel, you never know when you are thrown for a loop.

Lugo is fully circled by a huge Roman wall, lots of activity on Saturday night and lots of young families. It's hot and dry and it's the opposite from this mornings clammy cold boat ride, it feels great.

I meet Susanne from Minnesota and we chat a little in the park. She's on the Primitivo and she's feeling strong for her age. Eric isn't here to ask the insightful questions and the conversation fades. I'm hungry for some pizza and feed the monster.

It's time for a shower and some live music, see what I can find.Read more