My Camino in Spain - Section 8 (Sarria to Santiago)

This is the 8th and final section of the pilgrimage.

A 14.2 mile walk on the Camino today, Saturday, September 19th,  as we walked from Sarria to Portomarin. It was beautiful, but we were certainly not alone. What a contrast from yesterday.

Sarria to Santiago, a distance of 100 km, is the 8th and final stage of the Camino. Half of the pilgrims that do the Camino do only this segment.  From Sarria to Santiago is 100km, and is the minimal distance one must cover to receive the official certificate of completion, the Compostela.

Some of the enjoyment is taken away when a group of six walk nearby loudly yakking to one another. I absorb the natural beauty of the Camino more fully when it is quiet. I see and hear more clearly. I've come to treat the Camino with respect.   Yet I also don't want to be judgmental of others.

A dense morning fog was stubborn and did not clear
until about 11:00am, when we walked through a small village.

This is a horreo (granary).
It is at nearly every farmhouse since we've entered this region.

Green pastures, where a few cattle graze.

Harvesting the potato field.  It's a family affair.
Grandma is the boss.  She tells the younger generations what to do.

A view from the Camino, when we pause for a break.

It helps to get off your feet now and then.

The church in Portomarin, our destination today.

The town square is lined with cafes and hostels.
Many options for pilgrims to stay, and wine and dine.

Our Guest House, where we are privileged to stay..

Chef Enrique greeted us when we arrived at the Casa Rural Santa Maria, on the outskirts of time.  He asked us what time we preferred to have our dinner.   At 8:00 pm, he prepared a fabulous dinner for us:  a vegetable soup with potato and kale, pork ribs with fried potatoes, a fresh salad with tomatoes from their garden, and homemade Santiago cake for dessert.  It was heavenly.

Sunday, September 20th, was a 16.2 mile day on the Camino, as we walked to Palas De Rei.  It was one of our warmer days and also relatively easy, with nothing terribly steep.

Although there were plenty of other pilgrims, they were more subdued. Maybe they were tuckered out from yesterday.

We passed many farm villages and noticed several granaries.
 

When we stopped for lunch, after 11 miles, I ordered a "vegetable sandwich" and received tuna fish and tomato on grilled bread. I didn't know tuna was a vegetable, but that's fine. I could use the protein for the final five miles.

We reached our destination, Palas De Rei, under sunny skies mid afternoon, and hailed a taxi to our guesthouse, located 5 miles off the Camino. Another great day!

The fog slowly lifts as we begin our walk.

I'm keeping a steady pace during this section
which is more urban than most of the Camino.

A photo-worthy granary in the fog.

 

And another granary under sunny skies.

We pass by farms constantly, practically every mile. 

The landscape near the trail, midway through our hike.

A privilege to stay at this guesthouse.
The building is 300 years old. 

First floor of the guest house, with the original stone walls.

Monday, September 21st, it was an 18.2 mile walk for us to get to the town of Arzua.  It was Day #11 on the Camino and a bit more difficult than yesterday, with 1,918 feet of descent.  Hard on the old knee.

But it was worthwhile, and I can't think of any where else I would rather be. We crossed several river valleys and passed farm after farm after farm. We walked through several villages; none could boast of a population greater than 100. Very quaint and charming.

We saw our Camino friend Kathleen when we stopped for coffee. Even though we only met on the Camino and had dinner together several evenings earlier, it was like seeing a long lost friend. You tend to cross paths with the same people. It is part of the "Camino magic." Friendships are easily formed, and not forgotten.

"The Way" is marked by yellow arrows and /or the scallop shell,
which can be found on the ground, on buildings, trees, poles, walls,
you-name it. 

Still, you can miss a marker every once in a while and score unintentional bonus miles.

A very artistic trail marker.

59 is my lucky number, as I was born in 1959.
We pass this sign which tells us 59 km to Santiago!

At restaurant pulperia Garnacha, in Melide,
a town famous for its octopus (pulpa.)

We share a delicious platter of pulpo - boiled octopus
seasoned with olive oil, paprika and salt.
Also a plate of sauteed Padron peppers and a basket of bread.

A typical view from the trail today.

Gerry takes his chances and pets a calf over an electric fence.

We carry on, and appreciate our surroundings.

Our favorite granary (horreo) of the two dozen or so we saw today.

We take a breather, and let our stinky socks breathe as well
before we walk the final two hours of the day, into Arzua.

Tuesday, September 22nd, the sun did not shine at all today during our 14.2 mile walk. The hike was fairly easy and relatively flat. We walked through deep forests, thick with oaks, pines, and planted eucalyptus trees and ferns.

We kept our berry streak alive. Twelve days straight of foraging on fresh blackberries!

Our eyes were pealed for mushrooms, and we spotted several different species along the trail.

It wasn't a good day for picture-taking, as it was overcast the entire walk. We donned our rain ponchos when it started to drizzle right after our mid morning coffee break. It was in the 50s, which is cool comfortable walking weather.

I feel a bit melancholic, as our Camino is drawing to a close.

Plodding along through the woods,
decked out for the approaching rain.

We think this is a shaggy mane mushroom, an edible species.

Another shaggy man (?) and a good-sized one.

 

It is much larger than my hand (and I have big hands.)
Too bad I don't have a frying pan.

We like the granaries, especially narrow ones with stone bases. 

We pass by many homes with grape arbors.

Wednesday, September 23rd is our final day on the Camino.  Sunrise is at 8:21 am.  We are on the Camino before dawn because we have over 10 miles to cover on the road to Santiago.  Our plan is to arrive at the Cathedral in time to attend the pilgrim mass at high noon.  We've heard it's a good idea to arrive early, because the Cathedral will fill up to its capacity of 1,000 before noon.
  

The walk was a mere 10.7 miles from our village to the Cathedral in Santiago. I concentrated on the sights and sounds more than ever, and really wanted to enjoy each and every step. It seemed almost surreal when we had only one mile to go. The Camino experience is the journey itself, not the destination.

Still, we were happy to attend the Pilgrim Mass at high noon; standing room only. We had arrived at 11:20 am, early enough to get a seat in a pew 2/3 of the way back. The Cathedral is a site to behold. It is massive and very ornate. I don't consider myself religious, but I felt at peace among the pilgrims.

After mass, we walked around the corner to the Pilgrim Office, to receive our certificate of completion Compostela. It is awarded to bona-fide pilgrims who have walked at least the last 100 km of The Way. Your verification is the stamps you collect in your "pilgrim passport" along the way. You need 2 stamps each day. Stamp are issued by hotels, bars, restaurants, shops, churches and museums.

We stopped for a gelato before we checked into our hotel. The display window of the gelateria which showcased over a dozen flavors was too tempting to resist. No sooner had I ordered my cone when I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned around and it was Franco, the Italian we met our very first evening on the Camino! We laughed and gave each other a big embrace. Yes, I do believe in the Camino Magic!

Our final rest, before we reach Santiago.

Our final granary before we say goodbye to the farm country.

We approach the Cathedral, our destination.

This is only part of the altar.

I show my credentials, and receive my completion Compostela.

The Immaculada Plaza, across the street from the Cathedral.
Monastery is front and center, with hotel on the left.

A close up view of the ancient monastery. 
Our hotel is in the attached building to the left.

The long corridor of our hotel at the monastery

The garden view

It is fitting we happen to be staying in a monastery building on the last night of our pilgrimage.

What an experience!  A total of 215 miles in 13 days.  Each day was a wonderful adventure.  

I am humbled and grateful.