Finito Camino

Hola - well all good things do have to come to an end. We walked into Santiago on Friday the 11 May, around about 10am, went straight to the Pilgrims office to get our final stamps and our Compestella certificates! It was a very emotional moment for us both! We stored our back packs there to go straight to the Cathedral for the Pilgrims Mass at 12 noon - it was awsome! The nuns sang beautifully and we had the privilage of seeing the botofemeria which was swung in front of the alter right over our heads (some people even ducked!) - it swung really high! Stew managed to video the whole ceremony and also lots of photos! We also saw the tomb of St James and we had a chance to walk behind the alter during the Priests Mass and we also saw the Bishop of Santiago. There were a few of the Priests that spoke and one listed all the names of the countries of the Pilgrims that had arrived that day.
That afternoon we caught a bus to Cee, stayed in a "not so good albergue" then the Sat morning we walked 14km to Finnestare and stayed in a lovely Pension on the 3rd floor with the most magnificant view of the harbour with the seagulls flying all around. We spoilt ourselves to a seafood supper then walked up to the light house at about 9pm to watch the sunset at about 10pm and we threw a bottle filled with some stones from home, a S. A flag with a message on it into the sea. There were other pilgrims who had left items of clothes and shoes and some were burning them right there. Stunning end to our Camino journey.
We are now back in Santiago, last day in Spain to do some more sight seeing, shopping and eating of course!
Fly back to UK tomorrow and home on Sat 19th, with many stories to tell, photos and videos!

In the Pilgrims office collecting our certificates

 Outside the Cathedral - Santiago



The swinging Botafamerio inside the Cathedral

St James tomb

On our way to Finnestere

Squid in black ink - delicious! 

Santiago Tart

Finnestere

 Watching the sunset at the "End of the World" - Finnestere

 Sunset - Finnestere

 Shoes discarded here at the "End of the World"

 The End - Adious!

Nearly there

Hi all
Well the last couple of days has been pleasant weatherwise - sunny and getting hot. We are shedding our warmer long sleeve clothes now for T-shirts and shorts! We left Ribadasi Wed morning about 9am with a little spit and a spot and then the sun came out! We got to Arco De Pino about 3pm after a leisurely walk. We spoilt ourselves and stayed in a Pension for the night. Woke up this morning to a beautiful sunny hot day! We had a lovely picnic lunch by a little stream and bridge. Stew took more stunning pics and videos. We are now in Monto Del Gozo on the outskirts of Santiago about 4.5km to the Cathedral.
Tomorrow is our final walk into Santiago! We have met lots of different people from all over the world, mostly Dutch, French, Spanish,German and lots of Irish. Mostly Americans on this final stretch from Sarria.
We look forward to the Mass at 12noon tomorrow and to experience that magnificant feeling of achievement.
Cheers for now. Buen Camino.

Outside our Pension in Arco De Pino 

Stew "thumbs up" - yay no rain!

A local farmer going about his daily chores 

Water fountain 

 Picnic (in the sun)

 The Monument at Monte Del Gozo

where Pilgrims caught their first glimpse of Santiago

An interesting relief sculpture design on the Monument

Santiago in the distance - seen from the Monument on top of the hill



Third Stage Days 2 & 3

Hi everyone - they say "The rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain" Well it rains every Bl.......y where here !! I know we are on the Camino but I am allowed to swear sometimes! It rained ALL day today!!! All 26km of it!! Yesterday we walked from Portemarin to Palas De Rei 25km - mostly rain - with some sun for about 3 hours! Today was not such a good day but we are here now in an albergue in Ribadiso - have had a hot shower and will go get something to eat. We have about 40km (less than a Marathon) to get to Santiago which we will finish on Friday in time for the Mass at 12. WHOOPIE!

This has been an experience up to now thats words cannot explain! Adious for now!

Our dorm in Palas De Rei



Picnic lunch - yes - in the rain!

50km to Santiago!

Quaint church

Another "Enchanted Forest"

Third Stage Day 1

Hi there again
Well we started off from Sarria in some drizzling rain but then it cleared up and we had a bit of sun and blue sky. We really enjoyed this section from Sarria -we walked through farms, along country roads and through enchanted forests where the trees looked like they were about to jump out at you and come alive, with the fairies and gnomes peeping in between! The "Horreo" which is a granary to store potatoes and corncobs became very distinctive now from Sarria onwards, raised up from the ground possibly to deter rats.We also noticed strange looking cabbages on long stalks! We came across an ex-Dubanite, Gorden, who owns and runs an albergue just 5km before Pontemarin. We had an interesting chat with him but decided to move on and find a place to stay in Portemarin. We have walked 22.4km approx - so far we have done about 190km in total with approx 95km left. We are staying in a "red" albergue (which means a little more upmarket than the ordinary albergue) in Pontermarin tonight - we have our own room and shared bathroom. There is a kitchen where we will attempt to cook our own supper tonight - creamed mussel pasta dish "A La Stewart"! Times are tough. Ha Ha!!!

"Horreo" - storage for potatoes or corncobs

The "Enchanted Forest"

A welcome rest and lunch - hot lentil soup!

Chatting to Gorden (from Durban) outside his albergue.

We head off to Palas De Rei tomorrow. Wendys feet and legs better but sore end of each day. Stew is carrying 12kg now (Wendy - about 6kg)!
All for now
xx

Second Stage of Our Camino

Hi guys
We have just completed our second stage of the Camino. From Estella we caught a bus to Logrono then a bus to Leon. The bus stopped for half an hour in Burgos and the bus driver, who could speak English (Yay), quickly shuffled us off the bus and kindly showed us the "Jewel of the City" - the beautiful Cathedral of Burgos which was an unexpected highlight of the day. Arrived in Leon about 7.30pm and found a parish Albergue to stay 5 Euros each. We had to sleep in separate dorms (female and male). Next day (3 May) we bussed it to Astorga and started walking to Rabanal at about 10.15am. and got there about 3.30pm, It was a long boring stretch to Rabanal with lots of rain and it was very cold. We passed through many old delapidated villages - with lots of history. We stayed in a private pension in Rabanel - warm and cosy. We had a breakfast in the morning and set off and walked about 25km to Molinaseca - it rained all day and we spotted lots of snow on the mountains around us. Highlights of the day was the Cruz De Ferro where we placed all the stones from friends and family which Stew had been carrying the whole time so he is now a few kg´s lighter!! The other hightlight was to see Thomas the Knight of the Templer - we stopped there for a coffee and marie biscuits. It was raining, misty and bitterly cold approx 5 degrees. The last stretch down to Molinaseca was a treacherous uneven muddy trek in cold rain. Wendy´s foot has been troublesome - possibly acillies tendinitous, but she is nursing it and rubbing cream in every night and once she starts walking it warms up and gets better.
We stayed in a very expensive place (by accident) we thought was 15 Euros but was 50 euros for the night! We left there this morning and did a gentle pleasant walk to Ponfarrada about 8kms - lovely sunny day and we are waiting to catch a bus to Saria tonight - arrive about 7pm to continue our third and final stage of our Camino approx 110km. Ponfarrada a big city bustling with flea markets today, very interesting and colourful, and we visited a beautiful castle.
We have heard that this has been the coldest and wettest month of May in Spain in years!
Just our luck! But we are tough and determined - we have to rememeber to put one step in front of the other - this builds character (so they say!). Cheers for now. x

"the Jewel of Burgos" - the beautiful cathedral

Cowboy bar

 Stew feeding his lunch to the Camino cats

Disney "look-alike" castle - Estella

Our room in a Pension in Rabanal

 Cruz De Ferro - the famous Iron Cross

 Placing our S.A. flag (and stones) on the Iron Cross

 Coffee and biscuits at the "Knight of the Templer"

 Typical Tortillia (egg, onion & potato slice) and bread for lunch!

 Ponferrada city

 The Headless Angel in Ponferrada

Castle in Ponferrada



Hi everyone. Well we have just completed our first stage of our Camino - 113 km over 5 days starting from Saint Jean Pied De Port where we stayed in a most delightful albergue clean and friendly and we went to the Pilgrims mass at the Cathedral. On 27 April we began our Camino walking over the Pyranees to Roncevalles 25km to our first stop. It was a hard tough climb up, starting off quite misty, but the sun came out eventually and we were able to see the beautiful mountainous scenery, still some snow on the road sides that had fallen last week. Second day to Zubriri was rain and mud most of the day for 21 km!! This slowed us down a lot trying to contend with walking along the paths that had become muddy streams almost ankle deep with water in places. We arrived in Zubriri, looking like drowned ¨muddy¨ rats! We found a place to stay, a pension, but had to walk up 5 floors to our room!! Third day we walked 20.7km to Pamplona - weather was better, sunny and flatter paths, however, Wendy had problems with her left leg and foot, and she virtually limped into Pamplona and broke down into tears. We found a place to stay, Stewart attended to Wendy´s injuries, massaging in cream and carrying most of her load. Wendy recovered by the next day, but walked in her crocs to Puenta la Reina 23.5km. We got to Alto Del Perdon and saw the amazing  Pilgrim metal statues on the hill after a treacherous climb up a very muddy and slippery path. We walked back down the other side on to Puenta la Reina. We treated ourselves to a hotel where we had our own room - very basic but spotless and we spoilt ourselves to an " eat as much as you like" buffet and we ate like kings.

Fifth day we walked  22km to Estella lovely sunny day but pretty exhausted. We stayed in a Parish Hostel called Albergue Parroquial San Miguel where we only had to pay a donation which included a bed for the night, an evening meal and breakfast - all basic but very clean and friendly. We slept in a dorm with about 14 others - mostly cyclists. Stew went to the Pilgrims mass in the most amazing old cathedral.

Today we caught a bus to Logrono, Stewart not feeling too well so we are having a rest day today and we catch a bus later this afternoon at about 3pm to Leon where we hope to stay somewhere for the night.

Our plan is to catch a bus tomorrow morning to Astorga where we will continue with our second stage of our Camino. Cheers for now.

Stew & Wens 

St. Jean-Pied-De-Port                                               

Snow in the Pyrenees

Misty Pyrenees

Top of Pyrenees

Rain and mud! - on the way to Zubriri

Beautiful bridge out of Puenta La Reina

Alte Del Perdon - the famous Pilgrim metal statues

Walking into Pamplona

 Typical street in Puenta La Reina

Remnants of an old Roman bridge

Ancient stone cross

 Pilgrim supper in the Parish Albergue - Estella