Author: ahesp

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day 16: O Pedrouzo to Santiago, 18.4km

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Finally Arriving

After sixteen long, but fun days, we finally arrived in Santiago today. The entire trek I was racking my brain for a creative way to celebrate arriving at our final destination. I asked Annie what other groups in the past had done and was shocked to hear that this hadn’t crossed their mind. After going through countless possibilities and being told by several people that entering Santiago naked would probably be inappropriate, I decided we should tie all of packs together so we could both literally and figuratively finish this journey together. As a group of us walked the last five kilometers tied together, singing songs and anticipating our grand finish we realized hiking tied to seven other people is a much slower process than we imagined and as the we approached the city limits of Santiago we unfortunately had to untie ourselves. We continued to brainstorm ideas until Lindley and I finally came to the conclusion that we would crawl, wheelbarrow and I would carry her on my shoulders as we approached the cathedral. Oh and I walked the last kilometer barefoot in the pouring rain. Needless to say a scene was made in front of the cathedral but it just didn’t seem right to just walk to the finish of this amazing sixteen day adventure. 

Izzy Siemon-Carome

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day 15: Arzua to O Pedrouzo, 19.7km

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Today is the second to last day of the Camino. We woke up and had a small breakfast of fruit, yogurt, and granola bars before heading out around 8:30. The sky looked dark for the first half of the morning, but we walked about 9 kilometers and stopped for second breakfast before it started to rain. We stopped for a little while under a small café awning because it was pouring. After a few minutes, we decided that the rain was not going to let up and decided to just push foward. We walked for about 90 minutes in the heaviest rain I have ever seen. Despite getting completely soaked through, today was one of the best days of the Camino. We had fun walking through the pouring rain once we accepted the fact that we were not going to stay dry. It felt like were were little kids again, playing in the puddles during a rain storm. After today, I´m almost sad that we arrive in Santiago tommorrow. The Camino has been hard, but it has been the most amazing, fun experience of my life.

Mary Carome

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day 14: Palas del Rei to Arzua, 28.5km

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Many People, One Journey
 
Each day on the Camino follows  a similar pattern. We wake up early; have a quick breakfast; walk during the morning and early afternoon; and spend the rest of the day recovering or exploring. Although each day presents a new challenge, the days can blend together. For me, the people that we meet in each town are what make each day unique. Almost every person I have talked to loves sharing something about where they come from.
 
In León, we had trouble finding our hotel after exploring on our own.  A man named Santiago saw that we were lost and insisted on showing us the way. He talked to us about living in León for his entire life and showed us his favorite part of the city.
 
In Astorga, we had only been in town for a few minutes when a man came up to us and began telling us about the Roman ruins we were about to pass. When we told him we had to get to our albergue to meet up with the rest of our group, he immediately offered to show us the way. He spent the entire walk to the albergue telling us about the buildings we passed.
 
These are just two of the many people we have met in Spain, but both are perfect examples. The people we meet in the small towns and cities of Spain love their homeland and enjoy sharing it with others. Not only are they proud of where they come from, they also know so much about Spain’s history and culture. I have learned more by just talking to people in Spain than I could from reading a textbook.
 
Hokie Peregrina Mary Carome
Resting after one of our longest days
Resting after one of our longest days
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Day 13, Portomarin to Palas de Rei, 25k

Day 13, Palas del Rei to Arzua, 26k

Learning English and Spanish with a group of students learning English in Palas del Rei
Learning English and Spanish with a group of students learning English in Palas del Rei

Where Did They All Come From?

Today, leaving Portomarin, we were overwhelmed by the number of new pilgrims that have joined the trail. Looking ahead all we could see was a stream of pilgrims.  At times, there were bottlenecks where the path narrowed.  In my seven years on the trail, I´ve never seen so many people. While this is a fantastic event to witness for the first 30 minutes, the reality sets in: Where are these pilgrims going to sleep? Now finding a place to stay for our group becomes my first priority.  Insider knowledge, strong Spanish skills and even some Gallego (the local regional language) is the key to having a place to stay for each of the next three nights or possibly having to walk to the next town.

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Day 9 Ambasmestas to O Cebreiro, 15k

Day 9 Ambasmestas to O Cebreiro, 15k

The Trail
The Trail

And We’re Toning

HUGE uphill climb today on the way to Cebreiro, which will be our starting point into Galicia. I need to get better at “what are the odds” after Emily was able to shave an “E” into my leg. Games along the trail have also become common for our group, keeping us entertained on some of the more rigorous stretches of the Camino. Izzy also kept us entertained today with some 90s throwback music. After our second breakfast, we cleared the lower tree line to get an amazing view along the hills. Cebreiro was one of the only towns that we looked up from our walk to find ourselves right at its doorstep. This small 9th century town sat on top of a mountain, with circular stone buidlings and thatched roofing.

While getting our room assignments, I was originally put by myself in the creepy attic room, which is slightly unnerving when you have been sharing a room with multiple peregrinos for the past week. But after a slight mix-up, I was moved to friendlier accomodations. The next morning was one of my favorites. As we walked along the mountain range into Galicia, we could see the coastal mist in the valleys, while the other side of the mountain was completely clear.
Hokie Pilgrim Tyler Sullivan

The group relexing after reaching the top of O Cebreiro
The group relexing after reaching the top of O Cebreiro
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Day 8 Villafranca del Bierzo to Ambasmestas, 15k

Day 8 Villafranca del Bierzo to Ambasmestas, 15k

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Hokie peregrinos getting ready for lunch at Ambasmestas

Albergues

One of the coolest things about El Camino is the lodging. Each day, our destination (being the lodging) is a place where the “trail-walking” ends, and rest and/or exploration begin. The hostels are so interesting to me because every single one is unique in some way. Our very first hostel, called the “Albergue de Jesus” was a small, homey place. It was what I imagined a hostel would be like…except for one factor that made it quite unique: the walls. When our group entered the main entrance, most of us were taken away by the words and drawings that surrounded the interior. There were quotes, signatures, funny sayings, posted dates, drawings…etc. The writing was in English, French, German, Spanish, Dutch, and other languages that I simply did not recognize, which is symbolic of just how worldly the Camino is. Some of my favorites included: “No blisters. No love” (Which we discovered to be true), “Buen Camino, You magnificent baboons!” and a neat portrait of Jesus wearing a crown of thorns. Each hostel presented something different that made it stand out, ranging from décor to owners, animals, and the interesting people that filled the rooms each night. To me, Albergues on the Camino are memories made easy.

Katie MacDonald