Day 27
September 6, 2023
Sarria to Ventas de Narón
Albergue Casa Molar – €13
22.58 miles / 36.5 km
I left the Albergue at 5:55AM. It was nice outside and I followed the way-markers uphill towards the steep steps. The walk past Fortaleza de Sarria, a fortress ruin from the 15th century, was surprisingly quiet. Crossed the Ponte Áspera bridge and into the oak forest with massive ancient trees. It was weird. The thick mist in the quiet forest felt almost magical😊
Stopping at a restaurant in Barbadelo, I got my first sello of the day. There, I found John preparing for his walk; our last encounter was in La Faba. I didn’t linger. I walked in beautiful silence until Ferreiros where a small group people joined the trail from the Albergue. Meeting new faces and making friends was a delightful experience. We walked together until the entrance of Mercadoiro when I stayed back to take pictures.
My favorite part of today’s walk was walking through what I’ll call the “corridor” of rocks. I loved it! It was a steep descent. Large rocks to step down on. Rocky beautiful walls on both sides. While the pictures don’t do it justice, they provide a glimpse. Walking into Portamarin was a historical and pleasant experience.
There is a lot of history here. As I crossed the bridge over Miño River, I could make out walls and outlines of houses that are under water. Portomarín’s history reveals its location on the lower banks of Miño River. The medieval town submerged due to a reservoir for water-powered electricity in the 20th century. However, not everything was lost. The locals managed to save the two Romanesque churches. I left Portomarín after some sightseeing.
I walked through a lot of corn fields. A little over eight miles, I was in Ventas de Narón. At the hamlet entrance is my Albergue. I checked in, made my bed, took a shower then did my laundry. Laundry took a while because they only have one sink for washing your clothes and there were four of us waiting to take turns. Monika arrived about an hour later. Before dinner, Monika and I strolled to the end of the hamlet, reaching a tiny chapel dedicated to Mary Magdalene, Capela a Magdalena.
Built from stones of an older hospital, the chapel is currently overseen by a blind Templar of Ventas de Narón. He stamped in our passports with three stamps-one for the church and two of the seals of the Knights Templar. He is very nice and funny. Back at the Albergue, Monika stretched my back and gave me a back massage! I needed it so much. We had dinner together and I went to bed early 9:30PM.
Day 28
September 7, 2023
Ventas de Narón to Boente
Albergue Fuente Saleta – €14
20.80 miles / 33.47km
I left the Albergue a little after 5AM following the way-markers through the hilltop and pine forests. By 9AM, the trail was full. I miss the quiet days of walking, meditating and thinking in silence. I miss my ‘alone’ times of just me and nature on the trail😊I stopped in Eirexe at a café for coffee, toast and used their WiFi. They have a beautiful Romanesque church featuring a sculpture of Daniel and animals, as well as a statue of Santiago de Peregrino. I left for Palas de Rei, a busy working farm town.
The Camino takes you through the town. I stopped at the Iglesia de San Tirso for some much-needed quiet retreat. I rejoined the trail from the church. I crossed over more rivers and creeks than ever. My favorite part of today’s walk was walking through the native oak forest with dense tree canopies. The trail was quiet this time and I took it all in😊I stopped in Leboreio to visit Iglesia de Santa María. The current church is an 18th century rebuild of the 13th century original church. The church’s association with folk legend of magical Mary, seen combing her hair in a fountain nearby, persists to the present day.
I left after getting my sello. A few miles later, I was in Furelos. Did a little sightseeing then went on to Melide, the only town on the Camino where two routes meet-the Camino Primitivo stops here, and the Camino Frances passes through. I stopped at ‘Pulperia A Garnacha’ to try their “pulpo á feira”- boiled octopus seasoned with sea salt, smoked paprika, and olive oil. I was not disappointed.
I left Melide very stuffed and looking forward to sleeping in a comfortable bed. I made it to Boente, a roadside small hamlet. I almost missed my Albergue. I was talking with Luna, a pilgrim that I met a couple of miles back. We were just talking like old friends, crossed the street and kept on talking. As we turned left to follow the way-markers, I saw this green building from the corner of my eye, and I froze. I said to her, “that’s my Albergue!”. She goes, “e allora, walk with me to Arzúa. I’m having fun with you”. Mind you, Arzúa is over 5 miles away and I have already walked over 20 miles. We said our goodbyes and I walked back to the Albergue.
Olga the hostess checked me in. She was really nice. She explained to me that they were still cleaning the rooms upstairs. I’d have to wait ten minutes until the rooms were clean. I was okay with that. I was also warned of the mosquitos in the room. She showed me where the bug spray was. About five minutes later, I was told the room was ready. Fernando the host, led me upstairs and gave me the tour. I told him I was leaving at 5AM. He showed me the one way ‘magic door’ out of the Albergue. I made my bed, went and took a nice hot shower, did my laundry then took a nap.
When I woke up, Monika was there. Anna joined us in the room. She started her Camino in Oviedo via Primitivo. It was nice rooming with her. We shared stories and just got to know each other. Tomorrow is another long day. I decided I was going to send my backpack to Lavacolla to give my back a break. Monika helped make room reservations at Albergue Lovacolla and Fernando helped make transportation arrangements-€4. Why do you need help, you might ask? Because I don’t speak Spanish and I’ve learnt most people here have no patience for non-Spanish speakers. Monika lent me her travel size shoe bag for my water bottle, chestnuts and credentials. I am traveling light tomorrow😊
Day 29
September 8, 2023
Boente to Lavacolla
Albergue Lavacolla – €13
23.34 miles / 37.56 km
Today’s walk was the longest walk I’ve ever done since the start of my Camino. I left at 4:58AM, the trail was nice and quiet. The trail was alternating with roads, some parts parallel to the road. Still nice and quiet. I passed Castañeda, a small town known for processing limestone to support the building of the 12th century cathedral in Santiago de Compostela.
In the Middle Ages, pilgrims carried the limestones from the quarry in Triacastela as a way to earn grace. Smart way to transport building materials for free. A few miles later, I was crossing the last medieval bridge on the Camino Francés getting to Santiago de Compostela. Nothing much to see with my headlight. There was a steady climb uphill then along the main road before reaching Arzúa. I started running into pilgrims here and there. I met two English women that started their Camino in Sarria. They were scared of walking in the dark and asked to walk with me.
We walked together for about forty five minutes then ran into a bigger group of people. At this point I felt the need to peel away from the whole group and just be alone. I speed-walked past everyone and was alone again. Today was my last day of eight-hour walks and I am feeling sad. As sad as I was feeling, I managed to enjoy the beautiful terrain. Five hours into the walk, I stopped for a cup of coffee and toast. I asked the waiter for toast with jam, and he heard ‘ham’. So yeah, I had dry toast with dry ham 🤦🏽♀️
I rested for about twenty-five minutes then continued following the way-markers through more small hamlets and more abandoned villages. Past a black horse that was chewing on the gate. He was nice. He let me touch his face. They have a lot of cows in these parts, so it stunk of cow poop. I enjoyed walking through the dense eucalyptus and oak forest. I loved that.
I made it to Lavacolla, a small town known for its creek where medieval pilgrims would wash themselves as preparation for their entry to Santiago. The walk through Lavacolla was nice. I was at the Albergue at 1:12PM and it didn’t open until 2PM. I found two other pilgrims waiting for the Albergue to open. Thankfully, they opened ten minutes early. I checked into this nice clean Albergue with clean fluffy warm blankets which meant I didn’t have to struggle stuffing my sleeping bag into its small bag in the morning😊they have real sheets too. I was led to the backroom where I found my backpack. So glad I had it transported over.
I cleaned up and did my laundry. Monika came a couple of hours after I got there. Later, we went to the supermarket across the street and grabbed some food for dinner. The Albergue has a beautiful garden in the backyard with a full kitchen. We prepared our dinner which included ‘microwaved corn’ which was delicious. We sat in the garden until the rains forced us to go in. By then, our laundry was somewhat dry. It was nice eating good food with good company😁
Day 30
September 9, 2023
Lavacolla to Santiago de Compostela
Albergue Mundoalbergue – €22
10.67 miles / 17.17 km
Wow! I am finally here! What a beautiful day! Monika and I left the Albergue after 7:30AM. We took a nice leisurely walk up and down the winding trails, streets and sidewalks. Things started getting interesting as we walked through the tall eucalyptus trees that lined up our way to Monte del Gozo or Mount of Joy. From here, we could see the Cathedral of Santiago! It was a joyous experience seeing the Cathedral towers for the first time.
It took us a little over an hour to walk through the city streets before getting to the Cathedral. After a descent to the city, we came upon a statue of a Templar knight. I was happy to see it and had to take a picture with it. I think it’s very fitting to have this statue here, at the city’s entrance to honor the Templar Knights’ historical role in protecting pilgrims.
Near the Templar knight statue, another statue to the Camino’s legacy stands tall—the Porta Itineris Sancti Iacobi. This arch serves as a celebration of the countless pilgrims who have journeyed through the ages, leaving an indelible mark on this sacred path which I am now happy to be a part of. We stopped at a fruit store and supermarket for some fruits and nuts.
At this point, the way-markers are on the street signs, posts, pavement and on the side of buildings-they lead us through more stores, medieval streets, past grand squares, water fountains, churches and to the south entrance also known as Puerta de las Platerías, named afer the silversmiths who crafted and sold silver souvenirs to pilgrims.
Seeing the Romanesque façade and entrance was an indication of how close I was to my goal. We made our way to the east side of Praza do Obradoiro, and finally, we were standing in front of the magnificent UNESCO World Heritage Site – Catedral de Santiago de Compostela. I had many different emotions when I first stood in front of the cathedral. Some emotions were very surprisingly unexpected considering what I have just accomplished. Some emotions were hard to pacify. Some emotions were hard to expound while other emotions were a bit too personal, and I know I will need time to process and understand them all.
Looking up at the cathedral, I was in awe and couldn’t help but marvel at this breathtaking historical building with exquisite architectural detail. Monika and I spent a few minutes at Praza do Obradoiro were we reunited with some of our friends we had made along the way, then made our way to the Oficina de Acogida al Peregrino to receive our Compostela. We got there in time for me to go to the 10:30AM English mass for the pilgrims in a small chapel within the building. Mass was beautiful, intimate and very moving. Surprisingly, there were only a few of us attending mass.
The priest prayed a powerful personal prayer for me. After mass, I went to the oficina and received my two official compostela certificates. One with my English name and another with my Latin name. It was a wonderful experience. The guy who was processing my papers was so enthusiastic and so happy to share my joy of getting here. He congratulated me. I loved it! The whole experience in the oficina.
I went out and met Monika who had already received her Compostela, and we both went to the information desk, and I got bus information to Fisterre. I had originally planned to take the bus to Fisterre but after getting the bus schedule, thinking about my conversation with my niece, Monika and what the priest had said to me, I was convinced to continue walking to Fisterre instead of taking the bus.
We left the oficina and went to Convento de San Francisco de Santiago, a church, built in cut stone granite in 1742 by Simón Rodríguez. The façade of the church, maintains Baroque style on the lower part and neo-Classical on the upper. The central section of the lower part has a niche with the image of St. Francis, by Ferreiro. There was a wedding going on inside the church. We made our quiet entry, continuously glancing at the beautiful bride. We walked on the left side of the church, and at the far end was a door with a doorbell. I rung the bell and a Franciscan monk let us in and issued us our certificates also called ‘Cotolaya’ and stamped our passports.
We left the church and made our way back to the Praza do Obradoiro meaning “workshop square” in Galician. This important square was where stonemasons set up their workshops to build the cathedral. Today, pilgrims and others alike gather at this symbolic place to take in the sweeping views of the Catedral. After our reunions and joyous celebrations, we parted ways and went to our respective albergues.
My albergue was only four minutes walk from the cathedral. I checked in, sewed my backpack which has continued to fall apart. I ate the last food that I was carrying this morning. By then, it had started to rain. I took a nap. After, I went to the Praza do Obradoiro and met up with Monika. Fred, Fabio, Randy and Annabel joined us, and we went to a restaurant for dinner. Al was supposed to join us but he didn’t. Dinner was great: the atmosphere, the conversations and the food. We had a great time together. I had a Russian salad and a Galician pie. I stuffed myself. I was back at the Albergue at 11:45PM. I went and took a shower then tried to sleep. The guy on the top bunk bed is snoring so loud as I journal. He sure is sleeping like a baby 😊
Day 31
September 10, 2023
Santiago de Compostela
Albergue Mundoalbergue – €22
9.48 miles / 15.26 km
Today is “rest” day before continuing my walk to Fisterra. I am so excited about that. I was up early. Got ready, had a cup of coffee, then checked out of the Albergue. Monika and I met at Praza do Obradoiro at 7:45AM to take pictures. We took great pictures. The place was quiet and empty.
After our fun “photo shoot”, we went sightseeing around the plaza and the surrounding cobblestone streets. Because it’s a Sunday, most stores are closed but we still found a few souvenir stores that were open. We were in and out, looking for the right post cards. We later made our way to Monika’s albergue so I could leave my bag there so we could continue sightseeing. We hanged out in the breakfast area were we made new friends and found “old” friends. It was nice.
Monika and I went separate ways after breakfast and agreed to meet at the Compostela office. I went sightseeing and looking for a cheaper albergue. Now that I have decided to walk to Finisterra, I need to save money and watch my spendings. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find anything affordable. They were all booked. I ended up calling Mundoalbergue and they were happy to have me back which surprised me because most albergues on the Camino don’t allow pilgrims to stay for more than one night.
I made my way to the oficina to link up with Monika. We then walked back to her albergue, grabbed my bag then walked back to my albergue. On my way back, I took the back streets and did more sightseeing then re-checked in at the albergue. Left my bag then went out for sightseeing. Stopped at a bakery for a snack then back at the albergue to take a nap. Woke up in time for 7:30PM mass at the Catedral. I made my way through Pórtico de la Gloría and noticed how full the Catedral was.
I was able to find two seats in front of the main altar. From where we sat, we could see the silver and gold statue of Santiago seated in the central pillar of the central arch. Above Santiago, is the statue of Christ surrounded by four evangels. Above that are twenty-four elders. All figures, welcoming us to Catedral de Santiago de Compostela. Hanging directly in the center of the cupola was the Botafumeiro, made of brass and silver plated. It is five foot tall and weighs over hundred pounds. It requires eight people to hoist and swing.
Unfortunately for us, today is not the day to see them swing it. I also saw the Capilla de la Corticele, a chapel within the cathedral that was built in the 9th century under the rule of the Benedictines at Monasterio de San Martín Pinario. It is the oldest church of the city and marks a time near the discovery of Santiago’s tomb. The exquisite Romanesque sculptures, the stonework and workmanship throughout the cathedral is a sight to behold. Mass was in Spanish.
I didn’t understand everything they were saying but understood enough to know what was being said if that makes any sense. After mass, we all went back to the Praza do Obradoiro in front of the cathedral. There were tears of joy and sadness, long and short chats, hugs and periods of silence as it sunk in that this is the last time, we will probably see each other. More Camino friends joined us. Took lots of pictures and enjoyed each other’s company. I left the group for a bit. I just remembered that I need to make transport arrangements for my bag. How time flies when you are having fun. I rejoined the group, and we went to dinner. I was at my albergue after midnight. By the time I showered and journaled, it was 1:50AM. What a day!
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