Day 42: Salceda to Santiago de Compostela - 28K

 I walked for over 9 hours in the pouring rain to arrive in Santiago de Compostela. I did it!  (But I’m not quite done…)

Day 41: Boente to Salceda - 19.3K

I walked alone in the rain all day today and hardly saw anyone I knew, aside from the stampede of high schoolers; I can’t seem to shake them no matter what I do. To be fair, they’ve gotten more integrated into Camino culture as the days have passed. And truly, what a great way to experience their country. 

I wrote a message to all the pilgrims on my WhatsApp, thanking them for playing my age game. Some of them, I’ll see tomorrow. Some of them I’ll never see you again. All of them have been important to me as a part of my journey.  What stupendous people.

I’m staying in a hotel room tonight. It’s quiet here.  I had a delicious salad by myself. It feels peaceful.

I’ve set myself up for a challenge on my final walk into Santiago:  28k.  And it looks like there will be a lot of rain, too. I communicated with my hotel so that I don’t have to worry about getting there at any particular time. I can take all day. I have a rest day on the day after arriving in Santiago, and for tomorrow, I just need to enjoy every step. And I plan to. Buen camino to me!

Day 40: Palas de Rei to Boente - 21K

 Days last so long here. It’s hard to believe that it was just this morning I was walking alone through lanes of green mossy trees and smelling the scent of eucalyptus from the trees.  It was a rambling sort of day today. Gentle ups and downs through little towns.  Lots of pretty hórreos (grain storage buildings). 

I had a couple of walking partners today—American Erin and later Spanish Canadian Piedad. We reflected on our Caminos and talked over the best—and hardest—moments. 

I had an unusual circumstance when I arrived at the albergue; I ended up trapped in an unfortunate conversation with people I didn’t like.  Fortunately, adorable Canadian Arista and her dad turned up to rescue me.  It’s truly amazing that it’s taken this long for me to find myself in a situation where the conversation and people were just no fun.  I’ve had flashes of that here and there.  But it’s so rare. 

Also rare is rain, though it looks as though it’s going to pour on me during my 28k walk into Santiago on Monday. Given how little I have walked in the rain so far, it’s silly to complain.   I’ve had wonderful weather overall.

 

Day 39: Portomarín to Palas de Rei - 24.3K

Today had the most rain, the longest distance, and the weakest legs of the whole Camino.

I got up and out early, but I got a little lost on the way out of town and ended up taking a slightly longer alternative trail.  This was the first morning that I can recall feeling like my legs were weak and not adequately recovered from the previous day’s walk. I’m really looking forward to getting to Santiago, partly because it means I’ll have a day of rest.  I think my body is exhausted.

A couple of folks tried to give me some energy and walk with me this morning, but it was futile. My legs just refused to feel peppy as we went up long hills in the drizzle. The rain wasn’t really that bad, but my lack of energy was.  

By the end of the day, I was feeling a little bit better and I’m not proud to admit that a part of me was joyous that the high school kids who were stepping so lively yesterday were dragging today

It was very green and pretty for much of the day. 

I ended the day with a massage to try to rejuvenate my legs. I hope to dance down the Camino tomorrow with my new legs and shorter day. I walked around town a little bit extra after dinner with Australians Clare and Linda and American Erin so that I could hit 50,000 steps.

The Camino is all abuzz with talk of when people will be arriving in Santiago.  Some of my friends from earlier in the Camino have already arrived. Some of us are going to be arriving the same day. It will be fun to reunite with people.  I’ll be walking in very late in the afternoon on Monday. I have a long 27k day to get there—my longest yet. I could have stayed 5k away and walked in with fresh legs, but I decided I wanted to arrive tired. And I certainly will!

Day 38: Sarrìa to Portomarín - 22.1K

 I slept in until 6:45 by accident and then had a slow breakfast, so I wasn’t out of town until about 8 and that coincided with the time when 50+ Spanish high achoolers were taking to the Camino. Sarria is the place where many people start the Camino and so it gets very crowded.  Walking the last 100 kilometers qualifies people to earn a Compostela, the certificate indicating you have done the pilgrimage. 

I was trying to remind myself that I want many people to have the experience of being on the Camino, but it is certainly hard to not be frustrated with the masses of new people who don’t follow the customs and norms of the Camino. 

It was exciting to reach the 100K countdown marker!

,

I had a nice walk with Adri early on and then Linda a little bit later.  When I finally dragged myself into town at four, I put my legs up the wall and then collapsed into a nap.

Tomorrow will be both my longest walk and my rainiest walk. I’ve saved up some Harry Potter audiobooks for just this kind of special occasion.  I am trying not to resent the new people on the Camino. But it does make me look forward to my walk to Finisterre, which will be quieter.

I’ll be leaving very early tomorrow!

Day 37: Triacastela to Sarrìa - 18.2K

 Excellent weather to enjoy the green mountains and moss and fields of Galicia today.  I was the first pilgrim out of the albergue this morning for which I decided I deserved an award. I also gave myself an award for the walker who has logged the most number of hours to get to Santiago.  We’re all walking the same distance, but it takes me longer than anyone else on the trail.  I haven’t yet determined my prize, but I think a two month European vacation might qualify. 

I walked alone for most of the day, though I ended the day walking with lovely South African Australian Adri. We had sangria outside of town then teamed up to share a hotel room, which is so nice.  If I ever had grandchildren, I would recount to them the joys of our hot, clean, uncomplicated shower.  It’s a worthy tale. 

Busy afternoon visiting the dentist to get a crown put back in my head and the physical therapist to get my knee put back into place. I’m a new woman. The countdown to Santiago is on. I should be arriving on Monday!

Day 36: O Cebreiro to Triacastela - 21.2K + the K where I got lost

Sarah headed home. I carried on.  

Phenomenal sunrise over the mountains this morning, followed by a gorgeous up and down —then down down down.  I had been nervous about today because the last downhill was so miserable, but it was mostly a fine, sturdy path. The views were spectacular.  Mostly I walked alone today.  One hill was so steep that I’m pretty sure a treadmill doesn’t have the setting for that angle.

Unfortunately, my knee has started hurting just a bit. An enthusiastic Irish pilgrim named Ed explained that he was a sports therapist and gave me a brief and torturous deep tissue massage on my leg, which helped for a bit.  I’m trying to find a physiotherapist in the next town.

Bodies are judged differently here.  People aren’t generally concerned about how you look.  They care how you feel.  We talk about feet and body pain.  We make concerned faces and offer what tools we have to improve the situation.  The other day I presented British Julia with half a package of cough drops, and she was delighted.  Today I gave Spanish Piedra the rest of my cough medicine.  Later in the day she felt better. 

Lots of nice people in my day today, though I don’t have very good feelings about the pilgrims who were blocking the marker during their rest, causing me to get lost and walk an extra 1 km out of my way down the hill and then back up again.  I had a nice meal with a German woman named Millie and drinks with an Irish man named Michael and his son-in-law Dave.  

Day 35: Trabadelo to O Cebreiro - 18.6K

 Today was a big climb, uphill nearly the whole day. I was worried I would have to fortify myself with a stale tortilla and an even staler chocolate croissant, but I happened upon some magical place that had the most beautiful breakfast—a plate of cheese, a fresh omelette, a huge bowl of yogurt, honey, and granola. It was incredible.  It can be hard to locate yummy food on the Camino, but this was excellent and just what I needed. 

I walked a little bit again with Linda from Australia who I ran into at breakfast. We talked about 35. I am finally in the years of digital photographs and can remind myself of things that happened in a particular year. Most notably, I won an award at the Arlington County Fair that year for my entry in the theme category in mixed media:  glitter glue and googly eyes.  I also walked with Erin from Connecticut who bought her first house at 35. 

O Cebreiro is a gorgeous little stone village on the top of a mountain. It was worth the climb to get here. We went to a mass which concluded with a pilgrim blessing. I was moved when pilgrims read the blessing in their own languages:  Korean, Taiwanese, German, Dutch, Portuguese, Estonian, Spanish, English. Language and stories have felt sacred during my time on the Camino, and hearing the many voices reading the same text was stirring. 

Sarah leaves tomorrow, and I will be on my own again. 

Day 34: Cacabelos to Trabadelo - 18.2K

A beautiful walk today featuring vineyards and trees heavy with cherries. I walked this morning with Linda from Australia, who bought a seaside shack in her 34th year. 

I stopped for an extended period of time in Villafranca del Bierzo, then Sarah caught up with me so we could have a meandering walk in the afternoon.  It was a relaxing day in anticipation of a big climb tomorrow. 

Day 33: Ponferrada to Cacabelos - 15.7K

I was so grateful to have a short, easy day today.  It’s funny how 10 miles on the Camino can seem like an easy day, but the weather was so much milder than the past couple of days and the walking was through little towns and cherry trees that were ripe with fruit. Vineyards, too. After all that terrible downhill walking the past couple of days, it was even nice to be on sidewalks and the road.

I had some nice walking partners today.  American Megan and Irish Mari and Brian early on and then later Ukrainian Dima.

My memories of 33 include arriving in Finisterre on my birthday, meeting Scott, and campaigning for Obama in Iowa and other places.