Day 30 photos!

Started early ended early! Here I am in the hostel kitchen just about to depart. I was sooo tired. Someone closed all the windows and doors in our too of 20 people. It made for a rather hot, stuffy and stinky night.

The weather was perfect. No stars out due to some fog and little moonlight. The path was steep short uphill followed by the downhill with limited flat regions. So really par for the course so far!

The path was well marked today! I'm pointing to the golden arrow from my last post. An arrow typically painted on a wall, rock, or the ground marks the path to take for most of the route. You can see a seashell and arrow at my legs the shell is another path marking tactic.

After we passed the airport (in the dark still) we got one of our first views of Santiago de Compostela! Still had 4km to get to the Cathedral. It is always hard going on cement or asphalt. Very hard on the feet.

Getting that final stamp in my pilgrim passport!

We are finished!! Now to explore the city :) our certificate says we walked 775km in 30 days. Wow that is a LOT!

The Cathedral is the main pilgrim stop. We plan to explore more in the next day or so.

The Cathedral is also home to the remains of Saint James.

I get to finally sleep in!!!! We have a hotel here for 2 nights it seems luxurious. Tomorrow we plan to visit Finisterra. I hear there is a monument to the boots of the Camino. I hope to add mine to the pile. Oct 1 we plan to tour mire Santiago and head to Portugal on Oct 2.

Day 30 - Complete!

Just finished my shower and I feel wonderful! We left Saint Irene at 5:35am and arrived at the perigrino office at 11:15am 24km. It is now 1:41pm it took us 90 min to get our compestela. We are staying at Hostel Suso a nice room to ourselves with a shower (no bath) and double bed! Now to find lunch!!

Day 29 - Where is the Golden arrow?

Started the day at 5:55am from Melide. It was a bit warmer but light rain.

This made for a dark walk even with my nice head lamp. There were several times we had to pause and literally hunt for the arrow marker. It is like Where's Waldo but more dangerous. This made for fewer photos this time.

Here is Boente at night the first town we walked through.

Just before Ribadoso we crossed this bridge. The bridges really are awesome here!

And this is past Ribadosa looking back at it.

Another bridge this one going into Salceda!

Crossed this major road in Brea the town right before St. Irene where we are hanging our hats tonight!

We are 21 km from our walking end - Santiago de Compestela . This is by no means the end of our adventure rather the beginning of another one :). Our reward for completing this trek is a special document called a compestla written in Latin. We will hopefully get a photo tomorrow. Our Albergue is nice but no Wi-Fi or food so we are relaxing at the bar and getting some dinner. We are VERY excited for tomorrow. May the weather be perfect!

Side addition today I walked to the Jesus Christ Superstar soundtrack. I thought it fitting.

Day 28 - octopussy!

Started out not too cold but too early :) 5:50am ended In Melide around 1pm. Beautiful day filled with intermittent fog and planty of sun.

The road takes on many faces. Ups, downs, cars...

Often the road is unstable. Rocks shift so easily especially on the downhills. Someone posted this on a tree.

The bigger city we passed through today is Palas de Rei. They had a nice church. One of the main attractions for each town is the church. We don't always go in though.

They also had this great fountain but it was no potable water. :( . Next to the fountain was the town coat of arms! We forged ahead since it was about 10am and we still had 13 km to cover.

We stopped at this biergarten in Coto for a quick snack. Friendly pets! There are a lot of animals on the Camino. Some pets some not. This kitty was playing with a puppy and another kitty.

I'd like to think this tiny hut is some cats home!

Here is a medieval style bridge into Melide.

Walking into Melide we passed this lady. I loved her backpack buddies!

Lastly, Melide is known for their Pulpo or octopus! So after we checked onto the Albergue I went to a highly reccomended Pulpurai called Garnacha. Bastian isn't a fishy fan so he stayed back so sorry no photos today. I will just have to describe this delicacy in Text. First these must be larger octopods the chef takes the tentacles and cuts them in about 1/2 inch pieces. Than they boil the pieces. Plop them on a plate season and add butter and sea salt. What a unique flavor and texture! Because the pieces are so big there is less skin and more meaty inside. Though the suckers have a unique taste and texture. It is just something to be experienced. The color was a lavender to darker purple. Smelled fishy. Up until know I'd only had small tentacle creatures in calamari. I'd get it again but the serving size was HUGE and all I got was pulpo! It needed something else. I'll post photos when I can pull them off my phone. Until then here is a photo from the internet

Day 27 - going with the flow

Long walking day from Barbadello to Ventas de Narón so I opted to send my pack ahead. This mornings photo you can see my new day pack! These are cheap compactible and light weight! so if someone wants a souvenir I can pick them up easy!Found internet which I shocking this town is an Albergue, a bar, a restaurant (all in one), some homes and lots of livestock. Not even a store!

It was still dark when we hit the 100km left sign! (we started at 107.5).

The views were fantastic again. The rolling hills and fog really make a dreamy scenery.

One of the towns ( I can't recall the name) had this little church and graveyard.

And a giant pumpkin!

This was the neatest souvenir shop! Punk Pat I can't recall the town but there is facebook info on the bottom right of the photo. I bought myself a sweatshirt and my mom a little something too...

The walk into Porto Marine was spectacular! We crossed this high bridge that went over a river with stone ruins? Than up this steep staircase into town.

Porto marine's Cathedral

View outside of Gonzar. We pushed on to Venta de Narón. Not much here but there is an adorable lamb!

Tomorrow Melide which is said to have the best Pulpo (octopus)!

Sarria

When pilgrim enter Sarria as we get into town we have this lovely staircase to ascend!

There are three churches you pass all but one was closed at noon while we walked through. We did not get any good photos of them. The road winds up through town and eventually overlooks the city

There have been a lot of ok stone bridges on this trip!

We made it to Barbedelo about 1:15pm. Then walked through town to our Albergue which is actually a 1/2 a kilometer OUTSIDE town and of course up a hill. But the view is spectacular! Lots of places to sit out. I actually lounged in the sun napping a little for about an hour. Reminded me of being on the beach just insert the smell of sea with cow and the sound of waves with birds!

Lastly this Albergue has a separate building setup for worship.

Day 26 - 107.5 km left but who is counting...

Time flies... Actually I was just thinking wow it feel like a lifetime ago that I left the USA. This morning I got a chance to talk with my brother and some of his poker buddies via Skype. It is always awesome to catch up with people! We ended up leaving at 6am. Two paths left town we opted the shorter scenic one.

A shell shaped Fuente the water seemed questionable so I dod not partake! Between Albergue Ecological and San Xil.

Completely out in the middle of no where there stands this vending machine (and a security camera). We did not partake but it was tempting.

We left at 6 am did not see another person until 9am and did not pass food (soda machine not withstanding) until this point. However this food place is off route and may not have been open (it was 8 am and we had run into a lot of closed locations). Here I contemplate the downhill walk to the food. We decided no - bad decision we did not find food or a bathroom until 10am and 13km.

Some streams have rock bridges! This is when the rocks are helpful

Sunrise eventual happened... It warmed up nicely! And showed spectacular views!

A donativo oasis just after we found our first cafe.

Tomorrow Gonzar ( but I've been calling it Gozar) will likely be without internet for a few days!