Once we made it to Finisterre we had actually completed two Caminos on this trip, we received two Compostelas but we decided to just keep walking.

Let me back up, Al wanted to wait after getting to Fisterra to actually walk to the end, about 3 kilometers to the 0.0 kilometer marker. He wanted to watch the sun drop into the ocean. He said. “ We will get a bottle of wine, some corn nuts”. He had me at the wine but I will admit to a little corn nut addiction. I’ve already checked Amazon to see if I can still get these corn nuts in the states. Al assures me I can, but just to be sure I had to check. Not actually the same kind but I will have to adjust. We shared some corn nuts a few nights ago at O Bordón when we hung out with the other hikers. Sorry, rambling on about corn nuts.

We had some time to spare until sunset, we went to the beach and I walked in the surf. We have just today to be here and are heading out tomorrow back to Santiago. We went to the bus station to get tickets and found out we should have done this hours ago. The first two buses were already sold out, our bus wouldn’t leave until 11:30 tomorrow.

As I said earlier it is about a 3 kilometer walk out to the very end of Fisterra and that tip of land that juts out into the water where the land ends and ocean begins. We made our way out of town following another couple on a slight incline. Then we were joined by 5 elderly gentleman. Then a few more people. Soon we were a line of people walking down the side of the road in fog. Yes, a complete whiteout. At first it was lovely, the road was winding up, wispy clouds were drifting by and then .. where’s the road?? It occasionally got better. We could certainly see where we were going but I wasn’t climbing down any rocks when I couldn’t see where my feet where. There was a Hostel, a cafe and a gift store. There was also a person playing his guitar for some spare coins. We sat in the parking lot in the fog and I’m not sure when the sun set but we drank our wine and headed back.

So far to this point we have walked 304.1 miles. We still have some time on our hands and we debated a few different ideas. I was pushing for England, once in Europe travel is really inexpensive. Al wanted France. We talked about Portugal, where we went after our last Camino. We decided on Portugal again, just a relatively short train ride. I didn’t want to take a plane or all day traveling. Al agreed but wanted one more day in Old Santiago and a few days in Porto before we started on the trail again.

We decided to start walking the Portuguese Coastal Camino and see how far we get. It’s supposed to be relatively flat and begins in Porto.

So until then… be well.

We decided to carry our backpacks today, supposed to be a short day. 😐hmm. I’ve heard that before. We will see.

We had a nice easy walk out of town. We crossed over one beach and then circled another into Cee. We then went up through Corcubion.

We were just walking down roads, following another walker when we turned a corner and the arrows directed us to walk through an alley. Then we were going up. We entered some woods, which I always like.

Then into another town again. We could see Fisterra now in the distance, still have a way to go.

We had to wait for the Pilgrim’s Office to open to we found our Hostel and dropped everything there. We then went out exploring and ended up on the wharfs. There were seafood restaurants back to back all down the wharf. We chose one and had the ‘Meal of the Day’.

Tomorrow we head back to Santiago, until then.. be well.

https://www.relive.cc/view/vMv8g5Z19Pq

We enjoyed Casa Pepa’s, someone here helped us to get hooked up with carrier service for our backpacks. So today we hope to get a lot of miles done. We will see.

We were feeling great this morning, loved the misty fields and hills. We actually passed a few people, that’s new! They usually are passing us.

After several kilometers , we started climbing up then down. In and out of small towns.

We started climbing again, zigging and zagging. The mist had burned off and now it seemed to be too hot, even without backpacks, I felt done in.

We reached a ridge top, we appeared to be on equal level with the windmills. I couldn’t help thinking, “ How the heck did we get way up here”? You lose track, your feet just keep going, one in front of the other and then you look up and, WOW!

After this ridge we finally came down and wound our way through another town and up again. I was pretty hangry by this time if you know what I mean, not very good company at all. Our walking today even without backpacks was tough, it was hot and just seemed to be too much. Then there was a coffee bar!!! I was saved! We made it to Camino Chans.

Our albergue , O Bordón turned out to be pretty good. Only 4 of us at the beginning. The other two women we had seen a few times already and they were also at our albergue last night.

We ended up being too late for dinner again, another person joined our search and we walked through the town hoping to find something to eat. One bar took pity on us and we ended up sharing a great dinner. The woman who joined us was Czech. She was one of the nicest people we met on our Camino. She invited us not only to visit her country but to come stay in her home with her family for a few days when we get done walking.

Then back at the Albergue our Host had left to vote. Two other people came to check in, a father and son. We had a nice kitchen and a stocked bar with a beer tap. We had a pretty good time needless to say.

He told us later that it was 10k to the town he had voted in and he walked there and back. We all joked that now he had walked the Camino too. We all talked together about music and food and how things were different in our home countries.

Below is Al’s Relive video and tomorrow we arrive in Fisterra. Until then ..be well.

https://www.relive.cc/view/vMv8g5rD8Pq

This is a lovely little city. We walked around a bunch after checking in. Did our laundry at the laundry mat. We are kinda lovin the laundry mats. They are to me, extremely automated. You pay at one screen where you select what machine you are using, either to wash or dry. If you use a credit card it’s a cheaper price. The detergent and antiseptic is automatically added. I admit to not normally using one at home so maybe all laundry mats are like this now. I grew up with a strong dislike of going to the laundry mat. Bad memories. These have given me a new perspective and even fonder memories.

There was much to see walking out of Negreira. There appeared to be living quarters or old store fronts in the actual wall.

We walked through the wall, impressive. Then saw this statue behind. We talked about what it could mean for awhile. There was nothing there with an artist name or anything explaining it. We later found out that it’s a dramatic sculpture about migration.

We walked up and out of town where the road changed from cement to gravel. We passed a cemetery and a church.

We were feeling the weight of our packs today. We had wanted to send our packs ahead but when I called there was a communication problem. I told the person that I speak limited Spanish. He spoke rapid fire in response to every question I asked. I wasn’t catching any of it and finally just said, “ gracias, lo siento, no importa” thank you, I’m sorry, never-mind. We have been carrying them everyday when we hike and it would be nice to figure out how not to.

We continued along a ridge and then meandered down, to only go up again. Then walked on the sides of roads for a bit.

We stopped for a much needed coffee break, two for me. We thought maybe a longer break without the backpack on would help me feel better, debatably.

There are really so many different kinds of things to look at. When we aren’t talking to each other, or in our own heads talking to ourselves we talk to all the people passing by. We have met so many nice people from all over the place and seen so many things that I know that the memories from this trip will be cherished.

We made it to Santa Marina, we walked about 14 miles today along the trail. Our Albergue tonight is called Casa Pepa. He makes dinner for everyone also for an extra 10e, which was good because he was the only place around. We had a really good meal and sat next to a great couple from Holland who had been biking the Camino.

Below is Al’s Relive video from today, until the next one.. be well.

https://www.relive.cc/view/v36AxrPMeZO

We had made it to Santiago before 1 in the afternoon. We had packed our lunch the day before so we ate in the square, the Plaza del Obradoiro, by the Parador Santiago.

We assumed we would stay in the Monastery, we have stayed there 2 other times. It has over 2 hundred bunks, but reportedly, it was full. We couldn’t find a place anywhere in the older part of Santiago.

We actually walked the French route in reverse for about 4km through the city to our Hotel. We went past it a few times because it was in the basement of a Frutarías and on the other side of a 4 lane highway.

After dropping our packs and cleaning up we went in search of food. We missed it again, restaurant wouldn’t open again till 9pm for dinner. I bought some watermelon to see us through until then. I did some laundry in the sink and hung it outside. We then decided no way were we going to make it till 9pm for dinner. We hit the road again and used our Google Maps to find some other place nearby. Nothing less then 2 km away. We ended up in a fabulous place, shared some wine, a few tapas, a salad and a steak taco. Which was not like any taco I’ve had before. It was steak medallions, mushrooms and onions mixed with fries. It was great.

The next morning we caught a city bus back to center of Santiago. Which was actually the college, not where we wanted to be and the bus was full to capacity . We had to stand in aisle with our backpacks hitting people. We were the last ones off, headed out in the wrong direction, again, got oriented and made it back to the Plaza del Obradoiro where the Camino Finisterre begins.

We soon left the city walls behind. I find it incredible that we are in a bustling city and 5 minutes walking and there’s a farmstead.

Then we hit some woods and started climbing . At the summit we turn onto the road and there are some benches to enjoy the view back at Santiago.

We continued on through several smaller towns, then started climbing and climbing more.

We finally stopped climbing the road leveled out and we stopped panting for breath. Then we saw this beautiful town in the distance. We were hoping this was the town with the Albergue we were staying in. It was not, a few kilometers yet to go.

The town was really just a couple of streets with very few houses. Negreira is still a few towns ahead.

https://www.relive.cc/view/vYvEKyzGRG6

Tomorrow we leave Negreira, until then be well.

The morning mist in a field we passed

Well we made it to Santiago. It was kind of anti climatic. We only had to walk about 15 km, but we were also under a time limit. We had to check in before 2, get to post office before 1:30. We were told that once we checked into the hostel we could leave our stuff so we made that our first destination in Santiago. We arrived around 11:30 We were told we had beds 2060 and 2061, can you imagine. But they back fill, start in back and fill to the front. We were told yes there are lockers right next to our beds. Great, up three flights of stairs, checking all the doors, everything locked, back down , well we lock everything until 1:30. Ohhh, but there are also lockers in the basement. Down 2 more flights to basement, 2 euros to use lockers. I have to wonder, do they do this on purpose? Why not tell us when you see us go up that we can’t get in. And why not tell us that it’s 2 euros before you see us go down. 
So of course, we have no 2 euro coin. So what do we do, we just leave our stuff in the corner and go. Then Al remembers he needs the receipt for post office, after we are outside of course. And of course still in bag in basement. Back inside we go. 
Now on to post office, which even with map was very, very hard to find.
So you can see why when we finally got to the cathedral and then the pilgrim’s office, it was basically just a relief to find it. The Pilgrim office is not really marked as such, another challenge. We knew it was there, we just couldn’t find it. 
Did we cry like babies, no. I think I got it out of my system yesterday. 
You know the saying, it’s not the destination, but the journey getting there. Well i know its Something like that. Well it’s true. 
The journey here, the 30 days just walking together, being alone, just us, 24/7, we have never had that. Everyone should have that, or it should be a rule somewhere that every married couple should be alone with each other once in awhile. Every century or so. Mandatory seclusion. Too much wine, sorry. 
Oh this reminds me, the other night at an alburgue a man was making ratatouille, he told me, ” we’ll it’s only a vegetable stew” . I have never had it so I didn’t know. Well we decided to try to make, no recipe, just wing it. It was fantastic!! I loved it! Which brings me back to the wine, I got a bottle for the ratatouille, and a bottle to share. We had met Avril again yesterday and wanted to invite her to our dinner.Well we never found her today, bummer.
Al thought I was going to use a whole bottle of wine in the stew, so he opened both. Also I don’t know how to cook a small meal, so we shared with about 7 other people, but no one wanted wine. Well you cant waste it, so we sat around and chatted with several people until after lights out and had a really nice time.
I wished so many times that I had one of those pocket recorders to put what I was seeing or thinking into. Everyday was special and my memory is not that good, the pictures helped to remind me. But we also had so many conversations, sometimes with just each other or with others passing by. We made up silly songs about being day walkers, which were kinda funny! We even danced once in awhile. Well I did. It has been incredible! I will miss it. I think this is why just about everyone does this again and again. 
Who wants to go?
Until then, 
Be well.

Al carrying my pack today, I’m a day walker today.

Coming into Santiago, a mountain to the left

The streets ahead, with the houses piled on top of each other it seems

Our alburgue, Semenario Menor, place was huge

Cathedral

Our pilgrims passports, stamped with all the places we stayed, and our Compestellas, for accomplishing the Camino

Churros in hot chocolate , ohh my Gosh! Fantastic! I’m talking real chocolate!