November 17. Walking the Camino Fisterre. Santiago to Negreiro. 23.5 km.

Today we start another chapter.

We head to the airport to pick up Antonio.  Antonio was an exchange student who lived with us in Red Rock, Ontario for a year. His brother came a few years laters We’ve maintained close “family” ties and it is so special that he is joining us for this Camino.  

Ken is running after the car as Scott tries to drive away.

We left the car in airport parking for the week and caught the shuttle bus into Santiago. We did warn Antonio about the “get coffee into Ken as soon as possible” routine but turns out Antonio is the same.

Looks like Bud the Spud from the bright red mud was here. There were two guys with trolleys dropping off potatoes by people’s front doors (couldn’t drive a vehicle down the narrow streets).

And we are four again.

The Cathedral. 500000 pilgrims walked at least 100 km last year to reach this place, a pilgrimage in existence for over a thousand years.

This is the traditional gate for pilgrims to walk through. There is always one and only one musician there – they have to apply and it is strictly controlled. We had a piper the first time and this time we were treated to a gentleman singing a melancholy song while playing a hurdy-gurdy, a medieval string instrument that produces musical notes like a violin – it was a hancranked wheel that rubs against the strings.

And now the walking begins.

What I see.

What Ken sees.

Fairy tale mushrooms!  Don’t touch them, Strawbie! No tocar! They are poisonous.

Eucalyptus forests.

Ken says this is could be our cheapest albergue. He wanted to take a nap. If he knew what was coming, he would have!

There is bread delivery in these towns – they leave it in s bag hanging from your door knob. We were hungry. It was tempting…

The water in the creeks is so clear.

We were looking forward to this cafe, as we weren’t carrying much food (we didn’t see anywhere to pick some up) but, shades of France, it was closed. Heavy sigh. We made do with leftover chicken quesadilla from last night (it came with a lot of chicken and only a  few small bits of tomato and lettuce), cornbread, carrots and green pepper.  A girl pilgrim came up just as we were leaving, also hoping for a snack…and probably a toilet.

Every house seems to have a grape  arbour here.

This chicken hopped up to pose for me and then a friend joined her.

But…the bus is right here! I’m sure it’s going where we are going!??

May my feet and I just take a moment to read this sign and say…

Waaaaaaaaah!!!

Random piece of wasp nest lying in the road.

Eucalyptus leaf with acorn-like seeds.

Some of the steeper parts are cobbled.

If I actually make it to the top of the hill and see Scott sitting in his chair waiting for us, I am gonna be really mad.

Thar was one of the most difficult hills on this whole trip, certainly the longest. Saved only by the fact that the footing on the trail itself was excellent.

In Galicia, we see more and more of these horreos. They were used for storing grain and corn and were constructed in such a way as to keep rodents out.

Look out, Ken!

There has been a lot of rain and the river is very high.

Cormorant just chilling on his rock.

El Gato just chilling on his rock.  His buddy by the gate was not so chill.

Eucalyptus plantation.

We ignore the barricade and head down the trail.

The evening view from our balcony.

We headed out for a grocery run and Scott made us another super delicious batch of soup – lifesaver soup in Ken’s opinion, as this had been a very difficult day.

With the very long climbs and similar long descents, the day was tough and Ken limped into our house. But we were all pretty stiff and sore.  As we were going into the grocery sore, the girl pilgrim (she had a really big pack) went walking by with another pilgrim who was following his phone. He told her “only another 15 minutes” and I thought she was going to cry. I knew exactly how she felt.  I told her that she was almost there…perhaps provide a bit of commiseration.