We made it 24.1 km from Scala Hotel to Santiago Sept 29

Hola - after 12 days of walking - averaging 24 km/day - we made it to Santiago!!! We stayed at a very nice hotel last night -probably one of the nicest ones (had an outdoor pool etc.). Breakfast was included in our accommodations so heading downstairs to the buffet - oh my gosh!!! It was almost terrifying - all the people, no order, chaos - as everyone was trying to get their items and cafe con leche and sit down to eat. There were several bus tours staying at the hotel - so all of those folks had to eat and get on the bus by a certain time, we just wanted to eat and head out before the Peregrino masses from Padron and further were on the trail. We did not linger long and were on the trail by 7:35 am. The air was crisp, cool and moist again this morning, as we walked in the dark and the fog. We had walked 14 km (about 10:30) before the fog lifted. Most of the pathway skirted the main thoroughfares and kept us going through forested areas and on less travelled roads. As we arrived in Santiago, the sun was baring down on us - we were all thankful we had left early and walked when it was cooler. At about 1:00 pm, we arrived at "ground zero" and all of us planted one foot on the Camino shell. What a great sense of accomplishment - 12 days of walking, achy bodies, some blisters, popped knees and a few tumbles later, but we all made it. The look on people's faces when they saw the beautiful church was one of awe. The renovations to the front outside of the church had now been completed and it looks beautiful - the detail, the carvings are a must see!!!. We quickly found our hotel, checked in and handed in our stamped (passbooks) credentials so we could get our certificates and then toured around. We joined in the pilgrims' mass at 7, seeing many familiar faces of those we met along the way, everyone was happy to have arrived. Our group was particularly happy to have to seen the last of Dave's butt - not matter how much he tried to walk slowly and have others take the lead, it was not his nature to do so...so he was in front most of the time. We will put away of hiking poles, retire our backpacks and enjoy tomorrow (Sunday) without having to wake up early or have a particular destination for the day. We have made arrangements for a private roof tour of the cathedral after we take in a mass at noon. I wonder how we will manage without having another 24 km walk tomorrow - our feet and our bodies will be thanking us I am sure! Buenas noches, gracias and hasta luego! Till our next journey - where ever that will be.

Day 12 - 25.07 kms Caldas de Reis to outside of Padron - Sept 28

Buenos tardes - This is actually day 11 walking (we counted our first day in Porto as day 1). We are starting out earlier and earlier - today we were on the trail at 7:45 am... Partly because of the noisy night and everyone was up early. We had bustling traffic on a busy street outside of our room, that ceased a bit around midnight, but then the street cleaners and garbage pick up crew came out at 3:00 am. To top this, church bells chimed every hour - two different churches letting you know what time it was...the bells tolled 45 seconds apart. At midnight, after 12 loud chimes from one church, 45 seconds later there was another set of 12 loud chimes. I imagine if you live here, you get used to this, but for the pilgrims that are not accustomed to the bells, it was mostly a sleepless night. The air was crisp and moist, there was a foggy mist that covered the vehicles and streets. Many Peregrinos were already out on the pathway out of town. We walked mostly in the forest on a hilly terrain, passing several vineyards again and families out harvesting the grapes. There are many Peregrinos heading to Santiago and the line up at the cafes, for the coffee/morning snack and washrooms, is long. We passed folk we had not seen on the trail and many we have met, there is an excitement in the air as we are getting closer to our destination. Our booking agent, Marilyn, had conveniently booked us into a very nice hotel in Scala, outside of Pedron. With an early start, we may be ahead of some of the larger groups of pilgrims. Tonight, we reminisced about our journey and tasted the wine from the tavern owner (from a couple of days ago). It was delicious as were the snacks everyone brought. What was the best was the conversation in the room, the frank discussions and the laughter! The memory of the hot chocolate that Marilyn ordered that was so thick that she dunked her croissant into it, or the ripe grapes taken off the vine and devoured and the great seafood. Many great memories of the wonderful experiences we shared. It has been estupendo!

Day 11 - 24.71 km Pontevedra - Caldas de Reis Thurs. Sept 27

Hola - today we walked 10.1 km in the crisp cool air before we stopped for coffee and something to eat (this was not really planned that way - but it worked out well). The coffee was perfect and the bocadillo made with fresh bread, cheese and ham or bacon (freshly fried) was delicious and really hit the spot. They serve the bread/sandwiches just plain - no butter (mantequilla), mustard, mayo or anything else, just plain - and it tastes amazing. The journey today took us along many vineyards and more farming communities. Many of the folk were busy harvesting their grapes - several different kinds (green, small dark blue ones and purple) - all tasted like grapes should taste - full of flavour! We stopped at this one place for a quick break and found the owner crushing grapes in a large vat. He offered Gerry an opportunity to crush some of them with this plunger-like device, Gerry obliged. The owner then offered us some juice from the freshly squeezed grapes - it beats Welch's grape juice by a landslide, so delicious. We purchased some of his wine and will taste it tomorrow. The trails are getting busier with many more pilgrims on the Camino heading to Santiago. We met a group from France, Germany, Balitmore and even Edmonton. It gave us great pleasure to pass the gentlemen from Edmonton! We had found that the most prominent country represented on this Camino is CANADA!!! We have met quite a few fellow Albertans and people from Ontario and Quebec. In Caldas de Reis, we saw a bridge built by the Romans - with a small creek running under it. It was cool to see the rock structure and that it was still standing and being used. We found an eating place beside the bridge and once again enjoyed a delicious meal. The tomatoes and lettuce in the salad were freshly picked and was served plain - so tasty. One place where we stopped for a beverage as we entered town - served us wine in bowl (like a small cereal bowl) - something new and different. We enjoyed several bowls - it was local wine - very good. It was a super day - we arrived into the community by 1:00 pm, so had plenty of time to relax, tour the community and dine. We only have two more days of walking until we are in Santiago - we are hoping that our hiking shoes last and our blisters and achy body parts hang in there!!! Buenas Noches

Day 10 - 20.1 kms Redondela - Pontevedra - Sept 26

Hola - our day started with TEXAS size croissants - oh my word - they were huge -with a sprinkle of sugar on top - a great way to start our day. However, Dave prefers cinnamon buns because he does not like to pay for air (croissants)! The first 5 kms started with quite an incline and and several more along the way. The forest route was shady and absolutely beautiful, we also had rocky climbs. Who ever said you don't hear a tree fall in the forest, they were wrong, oops, sorry that was Marilyn. Never seen someone so dirty in an instant! Luckily - no injuries, however, she just lathered herself with sunscreen so the dirt just stuck to her! Thankfully, we are with a group of helping hands, nurses, doctors, plumbers, etc. Marilyn was in good hands. We are back in grape country - my favourite. The grapes are so ripe, that when you take one off the vine, the juice runs over your hands, no I did not touch one :)). The grape harvest is in full swing, we saw many people picking grapes, they have not automated that yet, lots of manual labor. We took a scenic detour that wound along a stream - very picturesque and peaceful. We encountered many more pilgrims today as the trails all merge into one towards Santiago. Upon arrival, our priorities were to remove our footwear and find something cold to drink. Dave, though really like chips and managed to scoff down a few bowls - apparently - he loves chips! When you order coffee or a beverage, you also automatically get a snack (included with your beverage)! Who knew that it only took 2 beers to unleash secret stories - so funny! We toured Pontevedra and actually paid to walk more stairs to tour the Catholic church in the centre of town. It is a pretty city and all the locals come to the city square to visit, play and shop - there was quite a lot of people walking around. The temperature today was about 30 degrees C, so we are quite thankful to have gotten in at 1:45 or so. Tomorrow is a longer day and we are nearing the end of our journey - only 3 more days of walking. So very thankful that all is well with everyone and can share this experience with each other. Tomorrow we are heading to Caldas de Reis. Hasty luego, buenas noches.

Day 9 - 17.03 km Vigo to Redondela Sept 25

Hola - Today was the best journey by far - we walked a bit in the city to get out of Vigo - then we walked in the forest - - we saw many spectacular views again - the beautiful blue water, the houses with red clay tiles and bridges - it was amazing! We had a steep incline to get into the countryside, but once we got there, we walked on a plateau - a dirt pathway that wound above the villages and towns below, giving us those spectacular views. One downfall of today's journey - no bathrooms or cafes once we left Vigo. On the trail - we had no real traffic to speak of - there were no cars, very few bikes coming towards us and just a few pilgrims. One of the gals in the group had to use the washroom - her partner assured her that it was a good place to go - so off she went. All of a sudden, out of now where, a group of pilgrims appeared, several bikers and then off course a car which had to slow down right where she was, as it was a narrow pathway! The good thing is, no one saw her face, she did not look up until she could hear NO ONE!!!! We had a steep descent into Redondela and with the help of Gerry's GPS, we were able to find our accommodations. We had arrived early as we only walked just over 17 kms, so we could not get into our apartments, so set out to find a place to have our big meal of the day (menu Del dia) - it was 12:45 pm. We asked if we could have the meal - and guess what - you cannot order until 1:00 pm! We learned several things these past few days. If you want your big meal during the day, you need to order before 4:00 pm and now we learned it was only offered after 1:00 pm...small window, but better than waiting until 8:30pm to start your meal. The food we had was delicious again. For 9 euro - we had a 3 course meal! The service was great and the people were friendly. Today, our accommodations consisted of 2 apartments (3 people in each (one for the males, and one for the females). When we were finally able to get in, it was great place - lots of room and a washing machine. Our clothes smell wonderful again. We went to the local market and picked up some baguette, cheese, olives, meat, wine and other snacks including an ice cream treats, for our evening gathering at the end of the day. Some went to rest early, and others when to a pilgrim mass - what a well kept church - on the inside. Friendly priest and nuns and it was by far the fastest mass I have ever been too - I think it was 30 minutes from start to finish - but very nice in Spanish. The highlight for us was the peaceful walk we had today, not as long as other days, and so, so picturesque and quiet - off the main roadways. For me, the highlight was to talk to family members back home - we really miss sharing with them he adventures as they happen. We are all so thankful for the ability to be here, in this wonderful friendly country, with beautiful scenery and history. The religious tone to the journey and of course the temperature add special value - especially in comparison to back home (rain and cool temperatures), yes we are pretty fortunate. Another estupendo day! Gracias.

Day 8 - 28.01 km from Biona to Vigo Sept 24

Hola - today started off right a 0800 hours as we headed out of Biona to Vigo - we selected the coastal route that was to be more direct to our Hotel Compstella in Vigo. We stumbled upon a rather large market that was being set up along our route. We bought some fresh produce (including tomatoes) and stopped for coffee. The croissants are so light and fluffy - they even sprinkle a bit of icing sugar on them (as though the butter inside is not enough), but all of us scoffed them down. We marvelled at the length of the beaches, the white sand and the beautiful blue water. We wound our way along the coast through villages and towns, up and down, on sand, boardwalks, paved roadways, slate and sidewalks. The scenery was like a painted picture - so pretty! We met two fine gentlemen from Kent, UK - and chatted with them as we walked along - interesting gentlemen. It was a hot day, made even hotter when walking in the open and in the cities!!! Finally we arrived in Vigo - thinking we were close to our hotel - wrong!!! It is like walking through Calgary - we were at the city limits and then walked about another 6-7 kms before we found our hotel - thank you Gerry for your GPS on your phone. We walked, talked and then walked in silence determined to get there quickly. We knew we had to get to the harbour where cruise ships dock to be near our hotel - finally got in close to 3:10 pm - and the temperature just kept going up (it was about 30 degrees C). We quickly checked in and the women waited for the men to shower before we headed out to find supper. We found out that we have to order by 4 pm or wait until 8-8:30 to have a meal. So we selected a quaint little outdoor restaurant and asked the waitress if we could order the menu Del dia, it was 4:04 - she said yes! We had two options for the first course and 2 for the second and it included one beverage and dessert. Craving a salad, a few of us order the ensalada de gulas - not sure what that was - but we had to order in a hurry. The others order calamari. Then it arrived - on my word! What did we order??? The lettuce was covered with a type of shredded something - it was silver and white and when mixed with the olive oil and lettuce - not too bad, we ate most of it. Then the calamari came out for the others - it was in a blackish sauce with rice and it was three huge lumps. It appeared that the rest of the calamari was neatly tucked into its butt - the tentacles and everything were inside of it. Well apparently the sauce was good. We went out on a limb and had the local delicacies without even knowing it. The main course - some had fish and others had meatballs - all were delicious. For dessert, some chose the Carmel custard, others had cheesecake and I chose the ice cream - which turned out to be the best selection. The two waitresses were happy to serve us and we were grateful that they did. We spent much of the evening going our separate ways and touring the area around our hotel. The cathedral was beautiful and quiet - it was a nice place to reflect. The streets were busy with tourists and locals. We returned to out hotel still curious about what the Gulas actually was, and Dave couldn't wait to tell us that we were eating young eels, on my gosh!!! We needed something to settle our stomachs and the gelato did just the trick. For a day that was to be rather a shorter one - it did not turn out to be short and the temperature even made it seem longer. Tomorrow is supposed to be 32 degrees C, but the journey should be the shortest distance we have to travel one on day on this Camino - we will see! Adios, buenas noches!

Day 7 - 19.45 km Sept 23 from Oia to Baiona

Ola - it is darker now that we have had to turn our clocks ahead one hour (now we are 6 hours ahead of Alberta time). It is strange how some of the gadgets automatically update the time and not others, we found that out this morning when the iPad said one time and the iPhone (where the alarm was set) still had Portugal time - we had 28 minutes to get our suitcases at the door and we were ready in 20!!! As we were heading out (breakfast was not included in our accommodations) - the remaining of the fireworks were being set off - can you imagine this? Not only did the locals stay up late to enjoy the live music (as some of us did as well), now they there awoken by the banging of the leftover fireworks at 0800 hours! Thank goodness we were up and on the road by then. We had an amazing day again - with some coastal routes, little on the main thorough fares and the rest in the forest (our favourite is along the coast or in the forest, off the main thoroughfares). What incredible views of the ocean and varied terrain as we walked over the large hills (with quite the elevation) and looked back. WOW - for lack of a better word - It was awesome - I had to pinch myself to make sure I was not imagining this. The incline was steep, (I noticed that even the horse poop evidence stopped partway up the hill - perhaps the horses are smarter than we are). Nevertheless, we had an amazing climb and decent back into the villages and valleys. I believe we have left the cobblestone streets back in Portugal and the walking in the forest and on the trails is much easier on our feet. We were in the midst of some kind of tour de Spain cycle race and had to be on the lookout for bikers coming quickly onto the pathways, so we could step aside and not be run over - no one seemed to have a bell on their bikes, but they did wear helmets! We arrived at Baiona quite early in the afternoon and decided that we would like to have our larger meal at that time verse at 8-9 pm. As we were searching for our hotel, Gerry and his GPS had quickly located it - the restaurant we were going to eat at was right next to our hotel - we just needed to look up for the sign. We enjoyed the local food again - seaweed and scallop omelet, sole, octupus and grilled fresh vegetables, all super delicious!!! I particularly enjoyed the octopus and shrimp dish and grilled vegetables - so, so good! We had a leisurely afternoon, some slept, others toured the Fort - which had a walk way all around it - about 2 kms - the views from this level were simply incredible and the temperature made it even more enjoyable. We ended the evening, sitting on a sea wall, drinking local wine, eating bread and cheese and dessert while we watched the waves come in. We enjoyed the company of our colleagues and sharing stories with each other. We topped off the evening with a Gelato and headed back to our rooms... Most of us really need a good night sleep as the festival and noise kept us up most of the night! The weather, since we arrived at Portugal (Sunday) has been totally awesome - mid to high 20s and as we walk along the ocean, we are thankful for the breeze. The fog usually rolls in mid to late morning, so we have great ocean views first thing. We had some of our best coffee at a Albergue this morning and had several very small stops along our journey today. We think of those back home often and you know they are missed as conversations often revolve around our families. Oh yes, one learning from today - if you are giving instructions when you are half naked and say "DON'T come in" - ensure that the "DON'T" is plainly and loudly announced :)). Tomorrow is a longer day as we head to VIGO. Adios, Buenas noches!