Camino de Santiago – Final Instalment

Samos to Santiago … and beyond.

We arrived in Santiago de Compostela on June 18th. It is a very special feeling to walk into the square in front of the cathedral after so many long days hiking, and months of planning before that. There was a bit of melancholy knowing our journey was over. We spent most of the day and evening in the square and surrounding streets meeting up with many of the friends we met along the way.

The last few days into Santiago were through rolling farm country interspersed with quaint little villages. Even if you have no interest in hiking the Camino, Galicia would make a beautiful vacation destination. The countryside is lovely and the food and wine are delicious (and cheap!).

Santiago itself is a gorgeous city, well worth a visit in its own right. The cathedral dominates the city, but the rest of the old town is terrific to explore. There are many bars, restaurants and shops in addition to historic buildings around every corner. The market is especially worth a visit, either to wander the vendors’ stalls or to relax with a glass of vino in the food hall.

After a day’s rest in Santiago we continued on to Fisterra (what Europeans believed was the end of the earth until Columbus proved otherwise) and Muxia, another 120 kms.

This segment was partly unplanned. We had planned to leave Spain earlier but forgot to book our flights. Flights within Europe are cheap, but not when you try to buy the tickets two days before travelling. To get reasonably priced flights we had to stay an extra week, not a major inconvenience when you’re retired!

We used four days to walk to Fisterra. It was a hilly route through dairy farms and forests. Suffice to say it was not the highlight of the Camino! Thanks to more poor planning we ended up doing a 36 km walk on one day to finally find a beautiful beachside hotel in the town of Corcubion.

Fisterra is a pretty little seaside village. The main attraction is the lighthouse at what was once believed to be the end of the world.

We then used two relaxing days to walk from Fisterra to Muxia, the second of the traditional ends of the Camino. Those two days were two of the nicest on the Camino – partly because we had ideal weather but also because the countryside is gorgeous. We celebrated the (almost) end of the Camino with an amazing seafood paella and a bottle (or maybe more) of local wine watching the sunset from the remote village of Lires.

Our Camino officially ended in Muxia, Spain around noon on June 25th – 40 days after we began. An amazing experience and indescribable way to begin retirement.

What Makes the Camino Special?

Spain’s scenery is gorgeous, but honestly not much different than some of the spectacular scenery in Canada, or Germany or Australia or anywhere else for that matter. What makes the Camino special is the people you meet along the journey. We met terrific people from all over the world. You have a mutual objective and are facing the same challenges so language, nationality and age mean little. A bond develops, even with people with whom you have no shared language. Sometimes it is little more than “Buen Camino” and a smile when you’re tired. Other times it is miles walking beside each other followed by a shared bottle of wine. (There is a saying: “No vino, no Camino!”).

Because of the monotony, searing heat and long stretches with no villages or services, many pilgrims choose to bypass the Meseta. They bus from Burgos to Leon. They are missing the best part of the Camino. It is on the Meseta that the best relationships were forged. If you do the Camino, do not bypass the Meseta.

Everyone has their own reason for walking the Camino, some very personal. For that reason we have chosen not to include pictures or names of the people we met. For fellow pilgrims reading this, know that it is you who made our Camino special.

Could You Do The Camino?

With a little preparation and basic fitness, almost certainly. We encountered pilgrims on crutches and vision-impaired pilgrims being guided by friends. We met many pilgrims in their 70s and saw pre-school children with their parents (not wise in our opinion). We met pilgrims recovering from cancer and from strokes. We met many pilgrims whose physical fitness, honestly, we wondered about at the beginning. We saw many of them days or weeks later still walking, proving our doubts misplaced. The biggest barrier to completing the Camino will not be physical, it will be mental.

For women concerned whether you could do it alone, you can, with ordinary precautions. We met many, many women walking alone (or at least who began walking alone). Most joined up with other pilgrims, either for the day or even for the duration. Even for those wishing to walk alone, it is easy to pace yourself to ensure there are other friendly pilgrims in reasonable proximity. You can do it!

To view a photo essay summary of our Camino experience check out the online version of our coffee table book: https://www.mixbook.com/photo-books/interests/camino-frances-22577521?vk=jCQoFikyAuPNroXm4vQx

Next Stop: Ireland

For more photos check out our photo gallery: