Snowies Alpine Walk

 

Photo Kelli Hughes

51. Santiago de Compostela

 We made it! Windswept, saturated, mud stained but we made it. Yay!! 

What a day. What a journey!

After 51 days of walking and 1500+ kilometres I have arrived rejoicing at the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. 

It’s been another atrocious day weather wise so I really don’t have many photos to share, but here’s a few snapshots taken when the rain eased enough to get my phone out.

First, David and his umbrella at the cathedral, looking a little worse for wear (the umbrella, I mean. David looking cheeky as always.)

David has been a great walking companion these past weeks, and so too Eva. Both have maintained a great sense of equilibrium and humour despite the, at times, trying conditions. I am grateful for their company, and also Matthieu (who we will meet again later this evening - he has arrived from the Primitivo). And, of course, dear Sarah, and Sarah L, and Andy, with whom I shared many of the earlier stages. Thank you fellow pilgrims.

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The star in the field - Compostela.

And another of David. He really does like that umbrella, and he certainly got an opportunity to use it these past few days, though sometimes it was too windy to risk it.

I’m sorry there aren’t more photos to share of this stage but really, the weather had the final say. And that’s what it’s like with the Camino. It’s bigger than all of us, and helps remind us of our place in the scheme of things - fragile fellow human beings; small, graced and ever journeying onward.

And to you, dear reader, thank you so much for your company, your interest and encouragement. It has been a privilege and a joy to share this journey with you, and humbling to have your care and support.

Buen Camino, amigos.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

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50. Sabados to Santa Irene

Stage 50!! Wow! It began and ended in saturating rain, the walking bit anyway. In between, the weather was pretty good - overcast and occasional drizzle but really pretty good. 

Before that it was pretty good too. That’s because David invited Eva and myself to head over from the monastery and join him in his pension for breakfast (the owner of the Pension generously said it was okay). So, here’s the breakfast room with a cheeky looking David and a picture of the monastery in the background.

After breakfast, at around 7am we launched out into the darkness - the wind howling and the rain billowing. This is going to be a long day, I thought. But as I said, not long later the weather settled for a time and it was quite pleasant. Mind you, it didn’t get light until about 8.30am. 

The sun almost peeked through a one point (around midday), just as we were walking past this beautiful tree.

Sometime later, we caught up to a few others that we’ve got to know on the walk - Filipe from France, Ruth from Spain and Richard from Germany.

Not long after that we joined the Camino Frances and many more pilgrims - all looking tired and like drowned rats. I guess we were looking the same to them.

One of my culinary quests on Camino (not very sophisticated) is to find a chocolate moose and today it happened - in a little cafe not long before we reached our destination. It was delicious!!

And for your viewing pleasure, I’m going to try something new and include a little video of the path this afternoon. If you click on it you will feel even more a part of this walk. Grabbing a pair of flippers and a snorkel is advised!!!

So I’m in a lovely small (15 bed) albergue in Santa Irene tonight. I’m not sure who Santa Irene was but she was clearly influential in these parts. There’s story goes that the waters of the local Fountain of Santa Irene had the power to cure the plagues and ills of the pilgrims. Might try and fill my water bottle there tomorrow !!

There’s a shared pilgrim meal here tonight, which will be lovely. And then tomorrow- Santiago de Compostela!! One thousand five hundred and twenty eight kilometres down and just twenty two more to walk. The feet are a bit worse for wear for having walked in wet boots this past two days but rain, hail or shine I hope they’ll get me there tomorrow. Stay tuned!!

Buen Camino, amigos.

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