daesdaemar
Camino-holic
- Time of past OR future Camino
- Camino Ingles - twice
Arrived in Santiago on August 31 after having started in Ferrol on August 27 (5 days of walking).
First, a day-by-day description - later, I will post some details that will hopefully be helpful:
Day 1: Ferrol to Pontedeume (25 kms) - Started walking at 7:50 AM and arrived in Pontedeume at 4:10 PM. No stops at all. I walked straight through with only a few moments stop in a couple of stores to pick up a drink or some fruit which I ate/drank as I walked. Nice day without any problems, but very tiring for me. I guess I was not in as good a condition as I thought and, of course, all the hills. Never saw another pilgrim on the route the entire day. Stayed in Hotel Eumesa in Pontedeume - 45 euros including breakfast. A bit high I thought, but this was their "Pilgrim's Special". Room was fine, but very noisy and hard to sleep. Main "goodie" for the day was walking through the forest near Fene. The smell was so incredibly good!
Day 2: Pontedeume to Betanzos (20 kms) - Started walking at 7:30 AM and arrived in Betanzos at 2:00 PM. Couldn't find the Camino path out of Pontedeume in the morning. Finally asked a couple of women who directed me to the Camino. First 3 kms were quite steep for me and I was exhausted only one hour into my day. Met four women a few kms out of Pontedeume who were walking the Camino in intermittent stages. Only had them in site no more than about 30 minutes throughout the day. Otherwise, was alone all day. Again, just stopped for a moment in a grocery store (mercado) in Mino for some grapes and a chocolate bar. Upon arriving in Betanzos, I sat at the first bar/cafe I found and had 2 cokes, a bottle of water, and a bocadillo with jamon/queso. Exhausted! Stayed at Hotel Garelos - 48 euros with breakfast, but quite nice. Main "goodie" for the day was sitting down at the bar in Betanzos for my cokes and water and cooling off/resting.
Day 3: Betanzos to Hospital de Bruma/Meson do Vento (31 kms) - Started walking at 7:20 AM and arrived at Meson do Vento at 5:10 PM. My right foot was extremely painful this morning and I was afraid I would have to abort and take a bus into Santiago. I prayed (it is a pilgrimage after all) and walked through the pain for a couple of kms. The pain settled down after a while and I managed to continue on. Late that morning, I ran across a group of men having a picnic near a fuente where I stopped for water. They invited me over for a couple of glasses of wine and some cheese. We had a very pleasant visit. I eventually made it to the Bar Julia at about 12:25 and had two cokes and a bocadillo with jamon. Stayed there about 25 minutes and then continued on to the hardest climb of the Camino Ingles. I simply slugged it out, one footstep after another, until I reached Hospital de Bruma about 4:25 PM. I got a sello there and laid in the shade for about 10 minutes. I was tempted to stay there, but I had no food or supplies, so I continued on the additional 2 kms to Meson do Vento. Stayed at Hotel Canaima. It was quite acceptable. The room, dinner, and breakfast were about 40 euros. Main "goodie" for the day were the four women pilgrims who I had met the day before. They popped up out of nowhere and saved me from missing a turn that probably would have ended my Camino. They disappeared right afterward, never to be seen by me again. I believe they were my angels.
Day 4: Meson do Vento to Sigueiro (24 kms) - Started walking at 7:35 AM and arrived Sigueiro 3:00 PM. My foot was quite painful again this morning, but I walked through it and after about 2 kms it settled down. Fairly uneventful morning walking alone. Stopped at the Bar Cruceiro for a couple of cokes and a bocadillo de queso. An afternoon of fairly uneventful walking (saw another pilgrim in the distance) brought me into Sigueiro where I stayed at the Hostal Miras. Very basic but fine. With dinner and breakfast was 40 euros. Main "goodie" for the day was when I went to the church that evening. After Mass, I went to the priest for a sello (which he gave me). He asked if I had received the formal pilgrim's blessing - which I hadn't. He took me to the altar and gave me the blessing. I walked out of the church pain free!
Day 5: Sigueiro to Santiago (16 kms) - Started walking at 7:00 AM and arrived Santiago at Noon. I was quite exhausted by today and in quite a bit of pain. As I entered the industrial outskirts of Santiago, I became very scared when I look down and saw my right knee was swollen twice the size of my left. I feared I had fluid on my knee and might not be able to finish. My walking pace slowed dramatically. I don't know how, but I made it into Santiago. I knew I had to get the weight of my pack off and get some rest if I was going to finish the pilgrimage. Luckily, the Camino Travel Center was on the way. I stopped there and sat for a short while and got some paper work done. I checked into the Hostal Giardas (nice for 40 euros) and got rid of my pack. I then sat for a while at a nearby bar for a bocadillo lunch. Thus fortified, I entered the Porto de Camino into the Old Town and made my way down to the Cathedral. I literally got a case of the shakes and tears in my eyes as the majesty of the Cathedral soared in front of me as I stood in the Square. I waited until I recovered emotionally and then went to the Holy Door (Porta Santa) to hug the statue of St. James and view his tomb. Then on to the Pilgrim's Office for my Compostela and the distinct pleasure of meeting Johnny Walker. Main "goodie" for the day was late that evening as I sat at the outdoor cafe overlooking the Cathedral having a Paella de Mariscos with an Estrella and a Coke for 15 euros. Not bad at all!
My Camino was entirely different than what I had imagined. I thought I'd have quiet days of solitude and contemplation. Instead, I quickly got into trouble with fatigue and pain. It became a personal struggle where I came to realize that I could only finish with God's help and put my trust completely in Him. I made it!
First, a day-by-day description - later, I will post some details that will hopefully be helpful:
Day 1: Ferrol to Pontedeume (25 kms) - Started walking at 7:50 AM and arrived in Pontedeume at 4:10 PM. No stops at all. I walked straight through with only a few moments stop in a couple of stores to pick up a drink or some fruit which I ate/drank as I walked. Nice day without any problems, but very tiring for me. I guess I was not in as good a condition as I thought and, of course, all the hills. Never saw another pilgrim on the route the entire day. Stayed in Hotel Eumesa in Pontedeume - 45 euros including breakfast. A bit high I thought, but this was their "Pilgrim's Special". Room was fine, but very noisy and hard to sleep. Main "goodie" for the day was walking through the forest near Fene. The smell was so incredibly good!
Day 2: Pontedeume to Betanzos (20 kms) - Started walking at 7:30 AM and arrived in Betanzos at 2:00 PM. Couldn't find the Camino path out of Pontedeume in the morning. Finally asked a couple of women who directed me to the Camino. First 3 kms were quite steep for me and I was exhausted only one hour into my day. Met four women a few kms out of Pontedeume who were walking the Camino in intermittent stages. Only had them in site no more than about 30 minutes throughout the day. Otherwise, was alone all day. Again, just stopped for a moment in a grocery store (mercado) in Mino for some grapes and a chocolate bar. Upon arriving in Betanzos, I sat at the first bar/cafe I found and had 2 cokes, a bottle of water, and a bocadillo with jamon/queso. Exhausted! Stayed at Hotel Garelos - 48 euros with breakfast, but quite nice. Main "goodie" for the day was sitting down at the bar in Betanzos for my cokes and water and cooling off/resting.
Day 3: Betanzos to Hospital de Bruma/Meson do Vento (31 kms) - Started walking at 7:20 AM and arrived at Meson do Vento at 5:10 PM. My right foot was extremely painful this morning and I was afraid I would have to abort and take a bus into Santiago. I prayed (it is a pilgrimage after all) and walked through the pain for a couple of kms. The pain settled down after a while and I managed to continue on. Late that morning, I ran across a group of men having a picnic near a fuente where I stopped for water. They invited me over for a couple of glasses of wine and some cheese. We had a very pleasant visit. I eventually made it to the Bar Julia at about 12:25 and had two cokes and a bocadillo with jamon. Stayed there about 25 minutes and then continued on to the hardest climb of the Camino Ingles. I simply slugged it out, one footstep after another, until I reached Hospital de Bruma about 4:25 PM. I got a sello there and laid in the shade for about 10 minutes. I was tempted to stay there, but I had no food or supplies, so I continued on the additional 2 kms to Meson do Vento. Stayed at Hotel Canaima. It was quite acceptable. The room, dinner, and breakfast were about 40 euros. Main "goodie" for the day were the four women pilgrims who I had met the day before. They popped up out of nowhere and saved me from missing a turn that probably would have ended my Camino. They disappeared right afterward, never to be seen by me again. I believe they were my angels.
Day 4: Meson do Vento to Sigueiro (24 kms) - Started walking at 7:35 AM and arrived Sigueiro 3:00 PM. My foot was quite painful again this morning, but I walked through it and after about 2 kms it settled down. Fairly uneventful morning walking alone. Stopped at the Bar Cruceiro for a couple of cokes and a bocadillo de queso. An afternoon of fairly uneventful walking (saw another pilgrim in the distance) brought me into Sigueiro where I stayed at the Hostal Miras. Very basic but fine. With dinner and breakfast was 40 euros. Main "goodie" for the day was when I went to the church that evening. After Mass, I went to the priest for a sello (which he gave me). He asked if I had received the formal pilgrim's blessing - which I hadn't. He took me to the altar and gave me the blessing. I walked out of the church pain free!
Day 5: Sigueiro to Santiago (16 kms) - Started walking at 7:00 AM and arrived Santiago at Noon. I was quite exhausted by today and in quite a bit of pain. As I entered the industrial outskirts of Santiago, I became very scared when I look down and saw my right knee was swollen twice the size of my left. I feared I had fluid on my knee and might not be able to finish. My walking pace slowed dramatically. I don't know how, but I made it into Santiago. I knew I had to get the weight of my pack off and get some rest if I was going to finish the pilgrimage. Luckily, the Camino Travel Center was on the way. I stopped there and sat for a short while and got some paper work done. I checked into the Hostal Giardas (nice for 40 euros) and got rid of my pack. I then sat for a while at a nearby bar for a bocadillo lunch. Thus fortified, I entered the Porto de Camino into the Old Town and made my way down to the Cathedral. I literally got a case of the shakes and tears in my eyes as the majesty of the Cathedral soared in front of me as I stood in the Square. I waited until I recovered emotionally and then went to the Holy Door (Porta Santa) to hug the statue of St. James and view his tomb. Then on to the Pilgrim's Office for my Compostela and the distinct pleasure of meeting Johnny Walker. Main "goodie" for the day was late that evening as I sat at the outdoor cafe overlooking the Cathedral having a Paella de Mariscos with an Estrella and a Coke for 15 euros. Not bad at all!
My Camino was entirely different than what I had imagined. I thought I'd have quiet days of solitude and contemplation. Instead, I quickly got into trouble with fatigue and pain. It became a personal struggle where I came to realize that I could only finish with God's help and put my trust completely in Him. I made it!
