This morning I woke up to the sound of wind. I looked out the window of my room and was pleased to see no rain. This lasted ... maybe fifteen or twenty minutes. It started to rain as I was putting my pack together. It wasn't as hard as the day before but it was still rain.
 |
| The way to Fisterra is that way. |
The walk out of the city was just like I remembered it except I didn't get lost this time. The next couple days would start and stop in the same places I'd stopped last time. There were fewer stage choices between Santiago de Compostela and Fisterra though there had been a few new albergues added since I was there two years ago.
We got out of the rain in a small cafe/bar where we had some breakfast. At the next town we stopped again, this time because we saw V
n in a bar eating breakfast. We said hello to him before continuing on. The rain began to lighten a bit as we walked on.
We reached a long hill after Auga Pesada that had nearly killed me last time. I remembered a lot of dirt trail climbing followed by a lot of pavement walking. My memory was not correct ... again. There was a lot more dirt trail climbing this time and much less pavement. Either way it was pretty tough. The mud was not as bad as I feared - it could have been a slippery mess.
 |
| It was wet in Galicia so everything was green. |
|
V
n caught up with us at the top of the hill and we stopped for a little rest and food. He joined us as we walked the remaining seven kilometers together. We crossed the bridge in Ponte Maceira that
I'd liked so much last time and it was still a wonderful little place along the Camino. The weather started to cooperate as the rain became more intermittent.
 |
About to cross the bridge in Ponte Maceira.
|
In Negreira we stopped at the same albergue I'd stopped at last time. The albergue had a box of newspapers for the pilgrims to dry their shoes with - it's nice when the hospitalera anticipates pilgrim's needs. I got out of my wet clothes, got into clothes that were sort of dry, and did my chores. We went out and found a place to eat some lunch and bought some groceries at a supermarket on the way back to the albergue.
 |
| A pilgrim statue in Negreira. |
That night we followed V
n to a place he'd passed during his explorations and had dinner together. Once again it was nice to exchange stories with someone new. He was a nice man from New Hampshire, I think. He was 71 but looked at least ten years younger.
The last time I walked this stage I'd felt much more content than I had been the entire Camino. I'd wondered if I would feel the same this time and I have to say that I did feel that sense of contentedness. I'm not sure what it is about the walk from Santiago de Compostela to Fisterra that makes me feel so satisfied but it does and I like it. This night, like many on the Camino, I fell asleep tired and content.
Pictures can be found in my
2013 Camino de Santiago Google Photos album.
Total Distance on Day 40: 21 km ( 13.05 Miles)
Total Distance Walked: 922 km (572.90 Miles) |
 |
Approximate Track of the day's hike.
[Click on map for a larger version]
|
No comments:
Post a Comment