November 23. Lighthouse and Coastal Rocks.

I had very much wanted to walk to Muxia and then down the coastal path to Fisterra, a variant of the Camino, but it was an extra day and 30 km to walk, so I was sadly outvoted (quite vociferously by one unnamed person).

We had one extra non-walking day so we decided to go to Muxia by car and explore the northern coast a bit.

As I was putting on my jacket I realized that I had “stolen” the keys to our room at Pension Lopez so we decided to first go back to Fisterre to return them. Of course the lady was “that was unnecessary, people take keys all the time” but it just felt like the right thing to do.

On the way to Fisterre we came across what we thought was a lost pilgrim totally off the Camino and staring at his phone, so we stopped to see if he needed help and ended up driving home to Fisterre. His name was Rick, not a pilgrim, but a lonely man spending 6 months or more caravanning and hiking through Europe. He was waiting for the bus to Fisterre and was going to walk up to the lighthouse then walk 30 km back to his camper. He had started walking with two people on the Camino Portugues but both dropped out over injury and illness. He had been looking forward to being with others and seemed quite disappointed to be alone again. He had recently lost his partner and had just retired and seemed to be searching for something. They say “the Camino provides ” and I hope he finds what he needs, if not what he thinks he is looking for. Walking the Camino reminds you that other people have their own stories outside of yours.

Enough philosophizing!

We wanted to get down to this beach but the road quickly degraded into sand. So we continued on down the road.

Waaay in the background of this photo is a group of hunters with a pack of loose hu ting dogs. These two were on the road and I think they lived at the nearby farm. I didn’t get my window closed in time!

The lighthouse in Muxia.

Ken searches every post for this guy. We figure he must have walked to Muxia first, then down to Fisterre, which is why we never saw him for a couple of days on the Fisterre route. The Camino does wierd thi as to you when you start connecting to a person you have never met but who has left his signature behind.

Very very windy.

Our lady of the boat. Nostra Dame de la Barca.

Thanks for a Camino that was major injury and illness free.

So windy that the candles have to be behind glass.

Ken loves these smiling cookies.

Another lighthouse in A Coruna. Torre de Hercules. Built by the Roman’s in the first century. I imagine they had slaves who carried the wood up all those stairs to keep the beacon lit.

Thirsty puppy.

And then off to the aquarium.

Cuttlefish.

We are grateful that the museums / aquarium have signs in English. The local children painted this recycled sail which will be used on a boat that will be sailing around the world.

Doesn’t he look happy?

Fish made of garbage pulled from the sea.

Their sea pool is 5 meters deep and has a constant flow through of fresh sea water.

Pilgrim stamps are an important part of the Caminos. They are the proof that you have walked the route and you need to show them at the pilgrim office in Santiago in order to get your Compestelle.

Some stamps are special, some have more meaning than others – perhaps they represent a milestone, others are boring. Tonight, even though we have completed our Camino, I could not resist getting a wax stamp in the Mexican restaurant we have eaten in three nights in a row food was excellent and there was nothing else open in O Pedrouzo).

This gentleman made the stamps for you. You got to choose the colour of wax and then he would seal the stamp and guild it.

As befitting a Mexican restaurant, the symbol represents the “day of the dead”, which is the theme of the restaurant (ie filled with colorful skulls).