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!

Day 6 - 18.63 km Caminha, Portugal to Oia, Spain

Ola - our shortest journey to date - only 18.63 km - a walk in the park so to speak :). Our day started off with a great breakfast from the hotel and then a short 900 metres to where we took our short boat ride from Portugal to Spain. We paid 5 euro each to take the boat - that basically only held 6 people + the captain. Okay - we recognize that this is not Canada, but no life jackets, not enough seats for everyone and not much to hang on to. However,the captain quickly laid his jacket on the front of the boat for us ladies to sit on (the boat was wet from the morning dew) and he insured that we were safely seated before proceeding. It was such a pleasant ride, so peaceful and picturesque and the water was relatively calm. Once we reached Spain, we opted for the shorter more steep climb through the woods that ended in A Guarda. The forest was quiet, shady and had a soft dirt road for us to walk on - a treat for us and our feet! Once we went through A Guarda we went along the coast for about 4 km - it was so picturesque, the sound of the waves greeting the shore, the birds and the warm sun on our backs....just perfect!!! Some of the pathway reminded me of the west coast trail on Vancouver Island. We came along a path that led to an enclosed circular area that housed a place to keep trapped lobsters until they are needed by the restaurants or for sale. It was really neat to see how this was made/used - pretty creative. There was only one cafe from A Guarda to Oia and if you can believe - no bathrooms there - only a dozen houses or so and one makeshift Cafe, but the coffee was good and the "borrowed" buns with cold cuts and cheese from the morning buffet breakfast was tasty. We shared our snacks and learned that if you needed anything, Sandy had it in her backpack (a knife, crackers, etc.). We noticed that there was a long stretch that was damaged by a forest fire and new growth was just coming through - the eucalyptus trees seem to be the first to grow. We travelled along one of the major roadways for a ways today, but there was a wide pathway for us to walk on. We saw more cyclists today than any other day - they even have a part of the roadway designated for them. We think it would be a great place to do a bike trip. Once in Oia, we had plenty of time to rest up, do a walk about town and relax. After 4 long walking days covering over 100 km - today's 18.63 km felt like a great break. Our hotel was so quaint - it was so cutely decorated with old style furniture, the door had one of those old fashioned large keys, the light switches were on a little toggle that you turned and even better, it was near the centre of town. But we will see how well we will sleep with the festival starting at 10 pm! We had a late meal again as the restaurants would not serve us until 8:30 pm. We enjoyed fresh seafood in our Paella dish and others had fresh cod and Hake - all excellent. There was a festival in town tonight and it seems that the whole village and more came to enjoy the live music and fireworks. The teenagers under our window seemed to take great pleasure in finding out who can talk the loudest and make the most noise. We decided that the music sounded a lot better than the teenagers below, so off to the concert we went. It was totally awesome - who knew you could make such great music from some bagpipes, an accordion and drums - is sounded quite amazing. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves and it was so orderly - no one pushing others to get closer to the stage, people clapping and some dancing to the music - a great experience. It is now past midnight and although tomorrow is only around 20 kms - we need to have our suitcases out by 8. It is also Sunday - a great day to reflect and be thankful we are here in the sun verses the snow and rain back home. Buenas noches!

Day 5 29.3 km from Viana do Costelo to Caminha

Ola - we had a long day planned ahead but started the day with detour - our eyes were fixated on looking for the Camino signs and not for stairs signs that could take us under a busy roadway, so instead we walked an extra km to find a way across the 4 lanes of never ending traffic. We travelled the day in varied terrain again - in the woodlands, giving our feet a rest by walking on trails laden with pine needles. It was a hot day, the hottest so far! We found a elevated scenic beautiful spot to have a picnic lunch. Just as we were commenting on the peaceful oasis - the hired hands showed up to do the mowing and tree trimming, and completed their work just as we decided to leave, as much as we tried to ignore the noise, it did take away from the zen we were trying to create. Lunch consisted of buns, meat and cheese "borrowed" from breakfast - instigated by the one who frowns of those who take one or two grapes off the vine. Needless to say - he scoffed that down without hesitation - his ethic line is a tad skewed. However, the rest of us followed suit by "borrowing" from the breakfast bar and enjoyed our meal as well - I guess our ethics line is skewed too! This is a day that seemed to never end - we walked and walked and walked!!! Then when we finally thought we had reached our destination, a tried to find our hotel, we found we had not reached Caminha yet - it was still another 3-4 kms to go. You cannot imagine the disappointment on everyone's face, another 3-4 kms to go!!!!! Finally, we made it and were able to take the packs off our back, shower and ice our feet. We enjoyed the scenery, the forest and the coast, meeting others along the way - some in worse shape than we were (very sun burnt legs). The day ended with Casal Garcia white wine from Portugal and Portugese Port - a nice way to unwind and end our last day in Portugal. Tomorrow, we take a ferry and cross into Spain - it promises to be a shorter day, but we will see! P.S. According my Garmin - we did 44,556 steps today from the start to just getting into bed - not worrying about our caloric intake :)) Boa Noite!

Day 4 - 27.2 km from Esposende to Viana do Castelo

Ola - another georgeous day of 25+ weather walking more interior than on the coast. Walking through the delightful woodlands, with the smell of eucalyptus trees and other outdoor smells, we enjoyed the shade and the change of terrain. We walked through many villages, saw more vegetable gardens, grapes (and yes, most of us abstained from eating them) and more farmland. The smell of the country was all around us (barnyard, silage, etc.). We saw a whole driveway covered in shucked corn drying to be made into cornmeal or for POPCORN!! We found many villages and even larger centres had tractors driving right through town! We made several small stops along the way and were always greeted with friendly staff - one cafe owner was so excited we were there, he treated us to local cookies, stamps and special memorabilia. One of our favorite stops, was the was the one for ice cream - it tasted so good in the hot sun. We had the most interesting day - Gerry, we found, has a special way with animals - a type of donkey whisperer you might say. When he saw this forlorn lonely donkey, he went over, petted it and talked to him. The very next thing you knew, the donkey wanted to come home with him and was quite annoyed when the tethering would not let him loose. I think Gerry has a gift with animals. We are learning a lot about other members in our group. Dave, with the agility of a 20 year old lept to his feet to help a young, good looking damsel with the water spigot, almost pushing the others aside. When we needed help, he simply told us to push the spigot harder, maybe it is all about age??? Nevertheless, who said that chivalry is dead? We were pleased that Dave could assist this young lady get the much needed water in the heat of the day. Today, we had sunburns, heat rashes, scraped and stiff limbs, still no one complained of the distance we travelled. We did 27.2 km from the hotel in Esposende to Viana de Costelo, but really - according to my garmin - by the end of the day did 46,400 steps (this is from the morning until we retired for the evening)!!! The terrain varied and we definitely had more of an incline and a bit more rocky than our previous day but we still walked a fair amount on cobblestone. We enjoyed the pathways that we're off the beaten track in the woodlands, more shade and easier on the feet. In the distance we could see Santa Luzia monument, high on a hill over looking the city as we entered Viana de Costelo. We were relieved to be so incredibly close to our final destination for the day - but as we started to cross the bridge, it felt like it would not end. You could not really admire the view as you had to pay attention to where you were walking as it is a very busy bridge - I am certain it was at least a km long!!! We went up the tram to the Monument of Santa Luzia and the view from there was spectacular - it is a very picturesque city along the ocean, the red tiled roofs of the buildings and homes below added to the beauty of the scenery below. We could actually identify where we started our journey today and marvel at how far we had walked. The day ended with tasting local fish, octopus and salmon. The meals were incredibly delicious and abundant. Their supper mealtimes start at 7:30 pm, so for us Canadians, it is a late meal as we head back to our rooms to get the much needed rest for another long day tomorrow (even further distance than today). We are still enjoying each other's company and the journey. Boa noite!

Day 3 - 25.3km Vila do Conde to Esposende

Ola - another absolutely beautiful day on Day 3 of our Camino. We walked 25.3 km today and varied scenery under the bright sunlight. EVERYONE was up and ready at 7:30 am and started our day off with a fabulous breakfast at our hotel in Vila do Conde and then a new trail for all of us along the Portuguese Coastal route. We spent a better part of the morning walking along a scenic coast, meeting more Canadians along the route. The boardwalk seems to be a common way for the local folk to commute from one village/town to the next and is much safer than walking along the busy roadways. We noticed that in several places on the beach, seaweed was neatly arranged to dry to be later rolled up into large dome-shaped bales. We learned that the locals clear large areas, digging into the terrain and use the dried seaweed as a fertilizer base for vegetable gardens. We saw acres of tomatoes, cabbage, garlic, onions, pumpkins, squash, zucchini, beans, lettuce and so forth (some in various stages of growth). This method appears to work as the gardens appear very fertile and the produce looks delicious. It was all we could to, to not slip down and grab a few tomatoes - but there are those among us that frown from this kind of activity - so we abstained. There were workers in these garden fields on their hands and knees pulling weeds. Tough work!!! Speaking of tough work, we saw how the cobblestone paths were made. Two men were working on a cobblestone pathway and it is all done by hand, right down to hammering the stone into the right size pieces and placing them into a pattern. They were not wearing gloves nor did they have knee pads on their knees. We have a great deal of appreciation for the work that goes into making the cobblestone streets and pathways - all manual labor. What hardworking people!!! We finally found our way to the hostel in Esposende. Fortunately for us, Marilyn our travel booking agent, we were checked into private rooms in the hostel, with our own bathrooms (verses bunk beds and shared facilities). We basically had the patio to ourselves and enjoyed some very fresh mini bread loaves and local wine as we reviewed the events of the day. We found that you cannot judge a book by its cover as we selected the place to have our supper. The outside of the restaurant did no justice to the delicious fish and lamb we enjoyed inside. The vegetables tasted like they had just been picked and prepared freshly from the gardens we passed today! We learned that one in our group developed a sensitivity to their socks and another had their eyes so fixated on the scenery that they are now sporting a tender shoulder as they walked right into one of those large green garbage bins. Most of us have found that the boardwalk or dirt road is easier to walk on than the cobblestone pathway/street, More padded insoles would be helpful as we adjust to the terrain from the roadways. We had some connectivity issues with the local WIFI and I ended up in the eating area of the hostel to try and get a signal. I ended up meeting 7 people on the Camino from Poland - when I found that out, I tried my Polish with them and was surprised and what I knew and could speak. We ended up visiting for several hours (long past my bedtime). What fun - that is what the Camino is about too - meeting people from all over the world. That's all for tonight, till tomorrow.

Matosinhos to Villa do Conde - 24 km ,Sept 18,2018

Ola - we did mention that we were leaving at 8:00 am - well not everyone got the message, however the luggage was out in time for the pickup and we made to the tart bakery just as fresh tarts were out of the oven...definitely not a disappointment - which pilgrims have tarts for breakfast - well we all did and one of those very small cups of coffee, even the McDonalds in Matosinhos' largest coffee was our small...but very good all the same. We took the metro from Porto to Matosinhos and started our trek from there today. What a great day for a walk along the beach. Most of the 24 km we travelled today were on a very well kept boardwalk close to the shoreline. The silky sand stretched for miles - the strong waves coming in though made one think twice about attempting a swim in the ocean (although I do not believe that anyone brought their swimming attire). The day started off with a brilliant sunshine and a great view of the ocean, although not a distant one, as the fog was not that far from shore. Along the boardwalk were stretches of rather tall stalks of some kind of cane/vegetatigon - it was a kind of wind breaker for the locals. The rocks, view, and scenery added to the enjoyment of the day - walking the boardwalk, much easier than walking in the sand! We had lunch in a popular restaurant in the south part of Angeiras. We shared some very delicious olives (loads of garlic) and some of the local dishes (vegetable soup - potato base) and fish soup. However the highlight for some was the garlic shrimp and for others (me included), was freshly grilled sardines - much better than the canned version back home. All the food was good (except maybe the blood sausage), but what I noted was that there are no salt or pepper shakers on the table, the only condiments were olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Our lunch break stretch out quite a bit and meant that we arrived at Vila do Conde rather later than anticipated at 4:30 pm. By then the fog rolled in quite a bit, though it was hard to tell as the misty spray from the ocean coated the lens of our glasses/sun glasses and by the time we got in, you could hardly see through the coating on the lens. For those of us that travelled this stretch before, we occasionally had that déjà vu feeling and were able to get the group to the hotel without even getting directions. We dined at a great restaurant that offered a pilgrim menu for an amazing 5 euros (2course + tea/coffee (small cup of course)) and it offered beer or sangria at a discounted price. It was tasty meal and filled the gap. All-in-all, it was a relaxing day along the beach, visiting and getting to know each other, while finding our rhythm. Our new pilgrims were surprised at house fast the day went! We met up with some Canadians (one from Edmonton and 2 from Ontario) who are doing exactly the same coastal pilgrim we are doing. We will surely meet up with them frequently throughout our journey. One thing to remember - as you hand wash your garments, they do take a long time to dry - even when you hang them from your balcony - best have extras to wear the next day! Oh yes - hanging out the clothes is acceptable in this part of the world - everyone does it - including the pilgrims. Eu Adorno (I love it here). Till tomorrow - a longer trek - maybe we will all meet at 8:))

Gathering at Porto - Sept 17, 2018

Ola - after having taken various routes and bumps along the way (including a broken down plane - causing unplanned overnight stays and other delayed flights - we finally all gathered in Porto, Portugal by September 17. We have 3 newcomers to the pilgrimage and 3 more experienced (some might say veterans, other might say "just not quite new") to the Camino experience. We have Gerry, Lise, Ben, Dave, Marilyn and Sandy on this Camino experience. We had an exciting day in Porto (managed 26,500 steps today, tomorrow it will be in kms). It was a foggy and rather chilly morning, the fog cleared and the bright sun brought warmer temperatures in the afternoon. We got our first stamp in our passbook at the cathedral, toured along the river, both sides, walked the high and low bridge, and saw Portugal's incredible history depicted on mosaic tiles at the railway stations. One would not expect to see this kind of fabulous art in a train station. Who does that? Simply stunning...you walk around with your mouth wide open as your eyes fixate on the story beautifuly displayed on the walls in front of you. The old world architecture is really stunning - it is a beautiful city along the banks of the Douro River. The churches, old stone buildings and cobblestone streets and friendly people greet you as you venture out. Thankfully they are happy to help you out, as we learned that none of us are good with selfie sticks. We had several highlights today - we stumbled upon a tart factory - with fresh out-of-the oven Portugese tarts. The crust - incredibly flakey - and the warm custard-type filling - mouthwatering! Yup, we will for sure stop there on our way out of he city. I wonder if a six-pack will travel well in my backpack? Secondly - we tasted our first Franceshina sandwich, made our of a thin pizza dough folded over, filled with ham, cheese, roast beef/pork and served warm with a unique gravy made with tomato and beer. Very, very good! Definitely worth the trip to Porto. Oh one thing to note, the tea comes in rather large cups and the coffee in very small cups - no McDonalds or Tim Horton's large coffees here. You can order a double Amnericano - but that is double the coffee strength not double the size! Think I am switching to tea!!!! It will be an early evening, as we are trying to adjust to long flights, time spent in airports and a loss of 7 hours. We head out at 8:00 am tomorrow. Boa Noite (good night).

Day 13, Sat Oct 10 - The Thirsty Pilgrims finally arrive at Santiago de Compostela

Buenos Dias - Day 13 - our final leg of our journey - a short 12 km to Santiago de Compostela. Again we left in the dark (despite agreeing to leave later) to get to Santiago de Compostela. As we entered the city, we followed the golden shells embossed in the sidewalk, that mark the way to the Cathedral. WOW! It was an amazing site, at first I thought I was taking pictures of the cathedral, but it was only one of the small chapel like buildings, when we entered the square where the cathedral was, I was in awe! Even though part of it is under construction, it is breathtaking. It kind of reminded me of being in Rome. A quiet moment to realize that we were there and enough time to wipe the tears from your eyes, we still had things we needed to do before we could say we completed the journey. We needed to get our official certificate for doing the Camino trail. We stood in line for almost 2 hours to get the certificate. Your stamp book is reviewed carefully to identify if you actually walked from where you said you did (my lady told me I should have gotten a stamp in Leon where we started, I informed her the whole other side was stamped.....oh - good job was all she said when she turned it over). They write your name in Latin and had you the certificate. You can buy a tube to roll it in for transport and given that it had started to rain, it was an ideal purchase. We walked a minimal of 312 km on this journey from destination to destination (this did not include our site seeing when we arrived at our destination for the day). Some walked more than others, but everyone walked the last day into Santiago. We even made it in time to partake in the pilgrims' mass at noon. The inside of the cathedral was beautiful, the service was special and the nun that was singing sounded like an angel, they even had incense at the end of mass! It was a bit breathtaking. The only downside to all of this, despite all the signage about not taking pictures, some pilgrims insisted of doing this to the point that they shoved a selfie stick in front of one of our colleagues (obstructing their view) just to get a picture. Cameras were flashing constantly through the service and there seemed to be a lack of respect for the religious ceremony going on...too bad for that. The Camino gave things to us many things - we saw beautiful sites as we walked through all the villages, breathtaking views, learning about the culture and learned some of the language, the amazing people we met, the spiritual aspect (personal to each of us), the great food and wine, the friendships we established with each other, the blisters, rashes, swollen joints, many hours of physicial exertion, a sense of pride and accomplishment, a life-time experience, and for some a new or found attire (a hat). And the camino taketh away - a lost hat, a few pounds that everyone shed, the ability to sleep in a noisy room, torn capris, worn in/worn down and now worn out hiking shoes and sad farewells. I do not know how to describe our feelings, it was great that we arrived, but there is a sense of sadness that it is over. Our group has developed a very special relationship and an openness that is rare to find when you combine 7 people together that may know each other a little (well let's hope that Dave and Kathleen know each other after 37 years) just colleagues that you know from work or heard of. We appreciate the organization that Marilyn did to arrange the trip, book the hotels, arrange for the luggage transfers, the recommendations and all the plans made in advance. We are now in the the San Martin Pinario Hospederia, a very large complex - I believe a former place where the nuns lived. We had an amazing meal, after the noon mass, of fish (a type of flounder), potatoes, fresh bread, dessert, appetizer (omelet with everything including turnip tops or green beans and ham (my choice - was delicious)) in the establishment and relaxed in the lounging area in the evening as we reviewed the events on the journey. For anyone contemplating this sort of journey, it would be highly recommended by 7 of us. We would have a few suggestions for you to prepare for this journey (a would encourage you to listen to our advice). Do lots of walking on uneven terrain (gravel roads) in hiking shoes, with a backpack ~15 pounds or so, practice up to 20-22 km, try sleeping in a noisy environment, bring some warm clothing, lightweight rain gear, hiking poles, a good camera, research about the Camino Trail - the spritual aspect, and bring some great companions to experience this adventure with....and if you are lucky, bring a masseur with you:)) I have enjoyed writing the blog of our journey and hope that those of you reading it also enjoyed and learned through us. Thank you to Meg, Gail, Amanda, Marilyn, Dave and Kathleen for allowing me to have this great honor. Adios et Hasta luego, Sandy

Day 12, Friday, Oct 12 - the last long day

Hola mes amigos - this is the last big walking day we have - it was 32.4 km for some of us (those that did not take a short-cut through Pedrouzo). Our journey today was from Arzua to Lavacolla, a twisty up and down day. We left in the dark and were treated to seeing a brillant orange/red sunrise - it was a beautiful site. We stopped at about 6,5 km for a coffee and a bit of breakfast, and again like the tortoise and the hare, we were thankful to be one of the first to arrive (we should have use the one bathroom at that time). Some stood in line for quite awhile to use the facilities, others continued on the journey. I enjoyed the solitude of being alone, thinking of why I was on this journey, what it means to me and what I will learn from it. I am sure many people are doing the same, contemplating their journey as we near our final destination of Santiago. I remember seeing a young man weeping in the Basilica in Astorga- I wonder how this journey has or will change him and if he has or will find inner peace. It is truly a sentimental journey for many. Today, we again were honored with the strong pungent eau de farma as we walked through several farmyards and villages. We are still very much in farming community as the tractors are plowing the fields and farmers are ensuring that the silage is well protected for the next coming months. There were several places where the grape vines were overflowing with clusters of grapes (I restrained myself though) and the kiwi hung abundantly from the branches. The apple trees were strategically placed a distance from the pathways and where ever we went, we could see a gentle brook/stream flowing nearby. Many pilgrims are getting more weary - you could see it in their gait and hear it in their expressions. Myself, being the early morning riser, I had a spring in my step (at least for the first few hours) and soon became like the other weary travellers making this incredible journey. We had agreed to meet some of our colleagues in Pedrouzo for lunch and our group dutifully followed the camino trail, while the others took the shorter route. While we waited for their arrival on the outskirts of town, we seen some pilgrims (who looked very familiar) saunter to the rest-stop. Being the very polite engaging folk we are, one of us, and I will not mention who, thought that one of the female pilgrims looked just like the one we met yesterday(Susan) and immediately proceeded outside to give her a big hug, welcome her and inquire about her journey for the day. The colleague was greeted warmly by this pilgrim with a crushing hug. After a few exchanges, it became apparent that this was not the Susan from yesterday and the conversation ended. It was quite comical to experience this and the story was quickly shared with the rest of our colleagues. Once we all arrived from our 7.5 hour journey, we toured the town, the local grocery store and tried to decide where we will eat our supper meal. We all decided on this restaurant that was open at 5pm (many others did not open until 8 pm) - it had many different Paella dishes (rice with different kinds of seafood or vegetables) and was close by. Again, we were treated to a unique kind of experience - the breaker blew several times while our meal was being prepared, we visited in the dark, ate in the dark and again so much enjoyed reviewing the day's events and some of our life stories. For those of you not on this journey, you are often in our stories and we carry you very close to us as you are always a part of our conversation. It is very apparent that we are all grateful to have had this unique experience. As we look around, we feel very fortunate that outside of a few minor aches and pains, we are all well and healthy and able to enjoy the journey. We have learned a lot about each other and relish the great memories we will have. Tomorrow, we only have 10 km to do and should arrive in Santiago de Compostela at about 10-10:30 am. We will get our offical certificate and make it in time for the pilgrims's mass at noon. We will have the rest of the day to tour the city and share in our final supper before Dave and Kathleen leave for Madrid and Barcelona on Sunday. We feel as sense of accomplishment and a sense of sadness as we are nearing the destination. Soon, we will all be heading back to our lives and this will only be a memory. But what a great memory it will be! Adios, hasta luego. Sandy

Day 11 - Thursday, Oct 8 - Menu del dia for the pilgrims

Buenas Tardes - our journey today was from Palas de Rei to Arzua - a whopping ~ 31 km. Our hiking shoes are now worn, worn in and soon will be worn out! What a pleasant day, a bit warmer than the past few days and we got to wear our sunglasses again - finally! We are back to seeing more grapes, kiwi, pears, apples and walnuts, but still very much in cattle country. Yesterday we even saw a John Deere tractor dealership - can you believe that? There are more pilgrims on the trail, some we have met before, many we have not. We are bit like the tortoise and the hare - we leap forward early in the morning, passing many already on their journey only to be passed by them later as we stop for refreshments and then pass them again further down the trail. We have travelled almost 270 km already with only two days to go. Although none of us will admit this, we are all a bit weary, especially after todays' longer journey, and looking forward to our arrival in Santiago. It is a true test of ones' mental and physical endurance. We discover as much about ourselves as the countryside we are walking through and appreciate the opportunity to be here and doing this journey. Yesterday, we passed a little 12 century church. A blind priest there felt his way around the outside of the church to point out an original carved sign of the cross that was placed in the wall when the church was built. The fact that this church is still standing is amazing. They often have a mass in the villages for the pilgrims, yesterday was no exception, it was mostly in Spanish with a bit of English. It confirms the importance that the pilgrims play in influencing the local economy and that we are recognized for the journey we are making. There have been so many spectacular cathedrals that we have seen. Some are very plain and some quite elaborate, each with it's own history, quite remarkable really. We learned that Melide is the place to enjoy octopus. So we tried it for lunch. Let's just say, some enjoyed the dish immensely, others not so much. Something about those suction cups at the end of the tentacles that is just not that appealing. They cook it in a big pot and sprinkle olive oil and paprika over it and serve it with toothpicks - it is the local delicacy, I will not be requesting the recipe to try it at home. Oh, remember, we talked about on day 10 realizing that we could ask for butter to go with the large pieces of bread they serve us at every meal, well we tried that twice today and neither restaurant had butter to go with our bread, go figure. As we were trying to locate one of our colleagues that took the bus to Melide, we noted that there were two Camino signs going in different directions. The one we followed lead us to some road construction. One short, seemingly friendy Spanish fellow tried to direct us to the Camino trail (we realized that we were almost out of the city and wanted to back and try the octopus). Initially, he was gently pointing the direction of the Camino and tell us where we had to go in rapid Spanish, we were trying to thank him and tell him that we wanted to go back and eat. Soon he was trying to shoosh us out of the city, waving his hand toward the trail and raising his voice as if to say, you fools - are you stupid or what? -- the Camino is that way! Finally he gave up and shrugged his hands at us, probably thinking, why bother! We saw him a bit and he was still shaking his head at us as we were heading back into the city for lunch. It made us wish that we spoke more Spanish so we could explain better what we wanted to do. Someone in the group mentioned, halfway through the day, that the trek was quite flat to that point. Well it quickly changed after that with some quite steep inclines, it had all of us huffing and puffing by the time we got to the top. Finally, after 7 and 1/2 hours on the trail, we reached Arzua. It seems to be quite large, although it is only a population of 6300. After our showers and clean clothes, we gather in one of our rooms to discuss the events of the day before we head off for supper. We have learned that the handle of the plastic spoon placed in the neck of a wine bottle, will prevent the cork (and many cork pieces) from getting into your glass. Well, ideally, you would have removed the cork from the bottle, but as this did not happen and the cork was plunged into the bottle, this was a good improvise. We decide that the restaurant that offered home cooked menu del dia was the place for us to have supper. We studied our choices, the first plate (so for us in Canada - that may be an appetizer), well you can expect it to be anything from a omlet with mushrooms, to spaghetti, noodles with mushrooms and prawns, salad or soup. The second plate - would be your main course, here you could be offered white asparagus with cheese, eggs with chorizo, ham or bacon or even tongue, pork, chicken, or beef (to name a few options) and then dessert. The cook enticed us to come in and she readied a table for 7. Then the waitress questioned us to see what we wanted for the first course, and proceeded to tell us what was recommended - vegetable soupa. We wanted to know what our other choices were and asked her about the options posted on the outside of the restaurant - only to find out some of those items were for yesterday's menu del dia. She then again (in her broken English) proceeded to recite again what our options were for today. One of the colleagues went to chat with a group of non-English speaking patrons to find out what they had and if it was good. All of us were ready to leave and find a new restaurant, but the report from the other patrons enticed us to stay. We were glad we did as the meal was delicious and although we may not have gotten what we originally wanted, all of us left satisfied and full. We got a picture with the cook and the waitress and a big thank you. She invited us for breakfast tomorrow. The whole episode left us laughing about what happened and the outcome. The bonus is that we met a retired nurse (Susan and her husband Brian) from Saskatoon and heard about their journey. Now we must rest as tomorrow will be an equally long journey, but will bring us one day closer to Santigo. The weather is supposed to hold out until Saturday afternoon (we will be in Santigo by then). Buenas noches, hasta luego, Sandy

Day 10 - October 7 - Aroma Del Dia

Wednesday October 7 - Day 10 - NO RAIN today!!!!! Glad to not have to put plastic bags on my feet again. As we venture out, it is cool and foggy. Today we have to travel about 25 km and everywhere there is signage depicting the KM to Santiago de Compestela. Excitement is mounting as we travel along. We see several tour buses drop off passengers and then pick them up again several km down the pathway, some just jump of the bus to get their passbook stamped and back on they go, no walking for them, had we only known it would that easy (although I believe that not one of us would agree to do the Camino this way, given what we have experienced, seen and shared). We are seeing several pilgrims from when we started the journey, but many have joined in, in the last 100 kms. Walkers need to walk 100 km and have two stamps (from different locations) in their passbooks each day to get the certificate at the end. The cyclists need to travel at least 200 kms and get the same kind of stamps in their passbooks. We have noticed that we are quite a speedy group despite our age - we are passing pilgrims much younger than us who obviously have not prepared the way we have for this pilgrimage. We are quite proud of this. It is refreshing to see what we have accomplished and that we have so little distance now to go to reach our destination. Despite some of our fatigue, there is a spring in our steps:)) The scenery for part of the journey, is not as picturesque as the past days. However, for parts of the journey today, I felt like we were in the Sherwood Forest, so lush, green, fresh and branches overhang on the pathway creating a tunnel effect. It was very cool to walk through that. We travelled through several farmyards and villages, with the fresh farm aromas and cow paddies to dodge. We travelled about 8km to our first village where we could have something to chow down. Although breakfast was included in our hotel costs, it was mostly carbs that we ate. As we continued, we decided to stop a little further along the way, and have lunch outdoors under the apple tree. It was quite pretty, however the barnyard aroma filtered downward to where we were eating. Another traveller came along and had her nose covered with her scarf, speaks to the strength of the aroma. However, us rural Canadians have experienced this and are not put off by this :)) The weather, although cool, was perfect for walking, we did eventually shed a few layers by the time we arrived in Palas de Rei. A hot shower or bath, depending on which luxury you had in your room that day, warmed you up and then out the door we went to venture around the town. It is only a population of 3500, kinda country, as we saw chicken coups in town, saw a lady selling freshluy steamed octopus with paprika and olive oil (and a little salt), amongst other things. Amanda and I ventured to a local pastry shop and sampled the most delicious layered dessert with whipped cream, custard and phyllo dough sprinked with icing sugar and a fresh cafe con leche (both were only 3.9 euros), absolutely delicious. We have been sampling more seafood as this is now more available on the menu del dia and are all enjoying this. Again, the best homemade rice pudding in town, delicious. As Canadians, we are not a demanding group, we eat our food the way it is served and do not ask for much and our compliments flow graciously to our servers. We have just realized, 10 days into our journey, that we can ask for butter for our bread, all these days, we have been served plain bread, when we could have just asked for butter to go with this. How were we to know?? As well, salt and pepper are not readily available on the tables, we have learned that you have to ask for this as well. We have had several meals where we were served homemade thick-cut french fries, I wonder if we could have asked for ketchup (we have not seen any served anywhere, but have not thought to ask for this), we may ask for this the next time we are served these, who knows what we will get. There is a beautiful church in the centre of town, the pilgrims mass is at 8 pm. All the windows are stained glass and I cannot wait to get inside. One of our colleagues is trying to arrange some activities when we arrive in Santiago, she is trying to arrange for us to go to confession there, we can book a time on Saturday...so far, she has not had any takers. Some of us have finally had our first blisters and others are all healed. Others are still nursing sore joints. But for the most part, all of us are doing well and still enjoying the journey, the company of each other, as well as meeting many pilgrims along the way. It is an incredible experience. We have met several couples that have started this journey more than one month ago in France - they are excited to be nearing the destination as well. Their stories have been very interesting, as have ours. Salud, Sandy Our next 2 days are long ones (about 28-30 km each day), but our final day on Saturday is only 10 km. It will be an early start and are happy to view the forecast - NO rain, yeah!

Day 9 - October 6 - The hunchbacks on the Camino

It is Tuesday, October 6 and as we head out from Sarria to Pontomarin - it is raining again. We are the hunchbacks on the Camino (all of us with ponchos or covers to protect us and our knapsacks from the rain). It is actually quite something, so many variations and colors, it is quite the sight to see, we look like hunchback whales with our covers draped over our back, turtles with large shells of various sizes, colors and shapes! Some of the travellers are discrete like us that wear our grocery bags between our socks and shoes to protect our feet from getting wet, but others wear the white garbage bags over their shoes and pants up to their knees! How they navigate the slippery rocks and mud with that I am not certain. We Canadians are more reserved and fashionable. Today was a great day for walking (outsite the periodic rain showers and drizzle), the temperature was perfect for walking (except those that have a windproof raincoat that does not breathe (I know what my kids felt like in diapers and rubber pants.....sweaty hot (and not the good kind of hot)! Our journey today was through many farmyards (we walked right through the farmyard, past the milking pallor with the music a blaring as they were milking) by the chicken coup as the roosters were trying to gather the hens, by the ostrich that wanted to bury his head and could not because of all the rock, and by many apple and chestnut trees. It was quite picturesque as we walked along. Out 25.69 km journey today was probably the best because of the terrain and the countryside. We had a few steep inclines and some slippery decents that were tricky, but all in all, it was a great journey today. The country side with the rock walls took us back to the 16th or 17th century. We could envision the King's men or the armies coming through these windy rock-lined pathways with their flags and horns. Moss has grown over some of the rock and it is even hard to believe that there is rock under that. These are OLD fences, quite unbelievable that they are still standing. Watch an old version of Robin Hood and you will get the picture of what we are seeing. We saw an elderly gentlemen chopping down weeds near his home with an handmade hoe and shared the pathway with a small herd of cows going to the next pasture. An middle-aged lady was carrying two small battery packs on her back that charged her cattle prod as she herded the cows onward. It was quite unbelievable. Needless to say, the cityfolk tried to stay clear of the cow's tails that were manure coated and prayed that they would not get swatted by these as the cows wondered by. Many of us scavenged the apples that fell from the trees onto the ground (me included), as you could often find several good ones amongst those that were severely bruised or damanged. They were delicious, crisp and obviously fresh and gave us the right boost of energy to take us to our next meal. We had only eaten a very light breakfast and felt that there would be several places to eat along the way. It was not until 12:15 or so that we found a place that we could order something to eat and have a place to sit, the food tasted even better as all of us were hungry. As we arrived at Pontomarin - over an amazingly high bridge (made me dizzy just to look down), we are excited to be here (we had been walking for about 5 or more hours), only to meet stairs into the town. Are you kidding me???? 50 or so stairs greeted us. Okay, so we put our heads down and started to walking straight up without watching how many more we needed to climb and before you knew it, we made it. Okay, now there is an incline to get to our hotel. Some of those with swollen joints were questioning their abilities, but happily, everyone today walked the entire journey and made it to our hotel. The next big decision we had to make was what time we were going to gather for our menu del dia. After our meal, we gathered in this lounging area and brought out the bottles of wine we had purchased previously and reviewed the highlights of the day. We decided that it would also be a perfect time to ice the joints that now are swollen and tender. One of the group went to secure ice for the white wine (dulce (sweet)) and for our joints. She took a grocery bag with her and came back with only three cubes of ice. This would hardly chill the wine, let alone ice the joints, but we managed to address what needed to be done. We shared stories, chocolate, nuts, chips and wine. Quite a feast I would say and we are still very much enjoying each others' company and companionship. We have now travelled 210 + km and are on our last 4 pages of our journey. We have passed the 100km marker to Santiago and are excited as the destination is nearing. Many of the pilgrims we have met today and those we have seen along our entire journey are getting excited, you can hear it in their voices. Tomorrow is supposed to be about 26 km as we head to Palas de Rei and there is NOOOOOO forecast of rain for tomorrow, although it will be cool. Hasta luego (see your later) Adios, Sandy

Day 8 Oct 5, The pilgrims feast

Monday - Ocober 5 - many of us awoke in the middle of the night to rain and wind - gail force, pelting against the building, wondering what our day will be like. Will we be walking in this all day, how cold will it be? We had agreed to meet at the hotel restaurant at 8 as this was to be a shorter day. This was the first time we noted that there was a breakfast buffet for only 5 euros (about $7.50) and this included coffee. It was delicious and we feasted. To our surprise the wind was warm and although the ground was wet, it was not raining. We donned on our rain gear anyway, as the forecast in Sarria and in Tricastela was for rain and the clouds looked onimous. Soon we were shedding our rain gear as it was quite warm (about 17 degrees) but quickly put them back on as the rain started again. We were soaked again as the rain came and went in gusts. By the time we reached the hotel, we had walked another 19.22 km - by tomorrow we will have walked well over 200km almost 2/3rds of the way. Many are still tending their blisters, and aching muscles. Some have found some new issues, swollen ankles, knees and for the light sleepers, getting a good night sleep is challenging. The hotel walls are not well insulated, cannot imagine what it would be like in the hostels (all those body noises too!). Today, we walked through several small farming villages, the barnyard is right next to their houses. The potent aroma from the cattle pens filled the air and made us hold our breaths as we walked by. It was a nice journey today, going up and downhill. Interestingly, the farmers keep their cattle on their land with electric fences, although I am curious to find out how strong the current is, I have not touched the fence. They also seperate their land from others, in some areas with rock fences... it is pretty amazing to think that someone piled all those flat stones on top of each other to make miles of fence. Lots of work! We are still seeing lots of apple trees, although not as many orchards as we have previously seen and I do not think we saw any vineyards (although the rain forced us onward). Chestnuts and walnuts line some of the pathway and with the blowing wind, many find their way to the ground. This makes walking treacherous - it is like walking on marbles. Speaking of treacherous, we were almost run over by a cyclist as we were going downhill. It is not a cyclist route and he did not alert us that he was coming, it could have been a serious incident for both the cyclist and one or both of us (he was going at a pretty good clip). We are still annoyed that he did not yell out at least! We are seeing seeing more and more pilgrims on our journey now, apparently the closer we get to Santiago, the more pilgrims we will see. We are starting to recognize some of several of the travellers as they are walking similar distances each day. It is neat to converse with them about their journeey. We all arrived safely though, Gail arriving earlier in the morning. She has toured the city (population about 17,000). She travelled with the lady (Linda) from Auckland today and found the companionship great. We decided to change it up and have our big meal at 2 instead of 7 or 8pm. Most of us had the the Menu del dia for 16 euros (our most expense pilgrim meal yet), but it was worth it. Hotel Roma did not disappoint us. The menu del dia usually includes a first plate, second plate and then dessert. Although, there were not many choices for the first or second plate, we had about 15 choices for our dessert. The crepes with chestnuts, whip cream and carmel sauce was decadent! Somehow, I thought that the chestnuts would be crunchy and flavourful, but they were soft and more bland, however, a great dessert all the same. So we feasted again. We are thankful that we are expending a lot of calories on our journey or we would be in trouble. We are averaging 35,000 to 53,000 steps a day as we often tour the villages/towns/or the city we are staying in. Tomorrow we are heading to Pontomarin about 22-23 km. It is supposed to be cooler (about 15 degrees) and rain. We are hopeful that the forecast is wrong as much of our footwear is still soaked from today (tried the small grocery bags between my socks and hiking shoes, no, it did not work, everything was wet)! I think we will all need new hiking shoes when we are done :)) Buenas noches, Sandy

Day7 Oct 4 - the pilgrims face rain and wind and succeed

Okay, an update from yesterday, yes we were all cold, up at this high altitude with impending rain coming in. Some of us decided to go the the pilgrims' mass at the local church. Note for you to remember, if the priest is askng who speaks English and you put up your hand, you will more than likely doing one of the readings in the mass, just saying. The priest was very inclusive of all the different nationalities in the church and it was very nice. A great way to end the day. Sunday, October 4 - Well, here we are - rain as was predicted- only it was supposed to be scattered, or at least only one or 2 mm----well we can all attest that it was in buckets! We started off with cafe leche with tostado (toast) at 7:30 am and then waited until 8:15 or so to head off from O'Cebreiro to our destination today at Tricastela, and really today was not as much about the journey but the destination. Kathleen shared a trick about wearing plastic bags around your feet and then placing them in your hiking shoes...great idea - your feet (and socks will stay dry, while your shoes/boots get soaked).  Off we went amongst the fog and light drizzle.  It was surprisingly warm, despite the rain. Headlamps are a bit of a taboo on the trail and very few people used them this morning. As we head out, we see sunlight trying to peak out amongst the fog and rain and a little rain shone on the valley below...it was a photographic moment if your camera was water proof. Off we went, we discovered that Meg is a fast walker when she is not taking pictures and wearing shorts and a poncho (over her knapsack), she looked like a seasoned hiker -well done Meg! We stopped at about 5km and viewed farmers milking their cows and slopping the pigs (reminds many of their younger days on the farm- only we were finished by 7 am - must be the Spanish way on Sunday - slower to rise). We had tea or more coffee, snacks and figs and off we went again. All of us had ponchos or coverings on our knapsacks, and a wise one amongst us (Marilyn) whose luggage was quite light, left her knapsack in her luggage and only had to worry about a few snacks. her hiking poles and something to drink...none of us thought of this (or had room in our luggage to do this)! The further we got on our journey today, the faster Dave got, never looking back to see where we were or checking on where Kathleen was or if she needed water (Dave was carrying their backpack that included the snacks and water), he was a man on a mission (who finally stopped at about 12 km). As I passed him, he encouraged me to carry on as he waited for the rest of the group to catch up. Just about then, I was feeling quite smug about how well the plastic bags wrapped around my feet, were keeping my socks and feet warm and dry. We were busy dodging the cow paddies, puddles and slippery sections on the trail and doing quite well. My regular lightweight pants (from Sport chek - they were not rain pants - no these would be at my house nicely tucked away with my golf gear), were still dry...I was impressed. Then out of nowhere - gale force winds picked up, blowing sleet like rain against us, throwing us around like puppets on a string. Many of us got blown into other people and fences and had a hard time keeping upright, the wind and rain combination was fierce. You can imagine one of our colleagues, with a very small bladder, trying to void in one of the bushes at this time....not sure where everything ended up, but at that point, I am sure it did not matter. Needless to say, our dry pants did not stay dry long.  Soon the water was seeping into the grocery bags around our feet and socks and making an awlful slooshing sound.  Not only were our feet and socks wet, we were keeping the water in the bags around our feet. We no longer cared about the puddles, now stretching the width of the trail or trying so desperately to dodge the cowpaddies on our trail. We only longed to get to our destination to shed the wet wear, shower and get some dry clothes on. I struggled trying to see, the steam coming from under my raincoat fogging my glasses and the rain pelting on them made seeing where I was walking quite a challenge, not to mention that I was also trying to use my hiking poles - very dangerous combination! I am sure many can attest to the same challenge. Meg's poncho was wisked away from her like some released kite, it is probably hanging on some farmer's fence post or on a cow horn. She is now in search of another poncho or a garbage bag to keep herself and her knapsack dry tomorrow. Amanda, the sheepherder in our group (also the youngest) kept going back and forth to check on others in our group and ended up wrapping some American girl's knee with here tensor and sharing her hiking pools with her. This young lady is very grateful and shared her gratitude with Amanda (they are staying at the same hotel as we are). Canadians are known as being friendly, compassionate and caring - great work Amanda! We are staying at this amazing hotel (Complexo Xacobeo) where we can get our laundry done (or do it ourselves) and at the end of the day, we are enjoying our clean dry clothes. We are able to put our hiking shoes on the radiators, which are now dry and ready for tomorrow! Our meal again was amazing, we shared it with a lady from Auckland New Zealand (also worked in health care). As we reflect on our day, we delight in sharing the memorable moments of the day, the amazing, some say the best homemade rice pudding they have ever eaten, the challenges of the wind and rain, the solitude of walking alone and the great meal we shared at the end of the day. We are thankful for each other's company and for the opportunity to be here. Tomorrow will be another challenge as the forecast for more rain continues. Oh yeah, if you were counting, today's km was 21.44. Tomorrow will likely be around 18-19 km and then we are back to 28-32 km/day for the rest of the journey. We are enjoying coming in early and having a restful afternoon. Till tomorrow, Sandy