Walking the Camino de Santiago
This is the first photo of the two of us in front of the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. It’s about a quarter to seven in the evening. We arrived about three hours previous, so we’ve now checked into our albergue and showered. We’ve also done a little shopping, as you can tell by what we’re wearing. After this trip, […]
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And here we are, walking into Santiago de Compostela, two spires of the cathedral in view. We’re exhausted and elated, deeply weary and full of joy. Soon we shall be at the cathedral itself, towards which we’ve been walking for a month or more. The end is in sight! Date: 02 May 2013 Place: Santiago de Compostela (Province of A […]
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After a delay prompted by my injury, we are back to training in earnest! This week, I’ve added some weight back to my pack, taking me up to about 16.4 pounds (without water). The only things I haven’t added back in yet are my breviary and prayerbook bundle, my “strawberry troll” poncho, and my journal. We are continuing our daily […]
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It’s difficult sometimes to capture a moment as it happens. It might not look like much, but this was our first view of the Cathedral. You can just see one of the spires in the distance between the closer buildings. I was so excited I didn’t even properly frame the shot – on the left edge of the photo you […]
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On the way into Santiago, the Camino crosses over a busy highway. This sign appears at the highway entrance ramp. I get that they don’t want anybody walking or biking on the highway. The prohibition on tractors also makes sense, particularly since Galicia has extensive rural landscapes. But I’m a little puzzled that they’d need to prohibit a horse and […]
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We have now walked into Santiago four times, and each time we’ve felt compelled to imitate this bit of public art in the way you see Francine doing so here. Why? Maybe we’re delirious. Maybe it’s just fun. In any case, this was the first of many times we have adopted some variation of this pose here. By now, it’s […]
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Here we see Francine walking down from Monte do Gozo and into the outskirts of Santiago. It’s an unfortunate fact that the last several hours of walking on the Camino Francés is through the urban sprawl of the city. Pretty soon there will be major highways to cross and a thoroughly urban landscape. Date: 02 May 2013 Place: leaving Monte […]
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This grand, if unlovely, monument graced the hill overlooking the city of Santiago. On a clear day, from exactly the right spot here you can see the spires of the Cathedral for the first time. It is for this reason that the hill is called Monte do Gozo – Hill of Joy. The monument was erected to celebrate the visit […]
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This sign is reminiscent of a style seen in the early days of the Camino, back in Navarra, but now long vanished from the Way. Suddenly, however, in these last few kilometers, it makes a comeback, echoing the beginning here at the end. I note that it contains the Galician spelling “Camiño” rather than the Spanish “Camino”. Date: 02 May […]
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As we approach the city of Santiago de Compostella, even the manhole covers reflect the Camino. Date: 02 May 2013 Place: between Lavacolla and Monte do Gozo (Province of A Coruña, Galicia, Spain) Today started: O Pedrouzo (a.k.a. Arca) (Province of A Coruña, Galicia, Spain)
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