End of the Road

Jane & Charlotte:

Well we got here!  We were totally exhausted upon our arrival yesterday afternoon.  The last day of walking was not really any different from all the many, many preceding days, but in fact it felt different -- longer and more wearisome.  It was almost as if our bodies knew it was the last day of walking, but instead of being enervated they just objected.

We arrived in front of the cathedral in the mizzling rain, queued at the Pilgrims´office to get our compostela and checked into the Parador Hotel -- bliss! Sleep -- bliss!  Bath -  bliss!  One glass of cava -- zonk!

Today was a better, but more emotional day as we went to the pilgrims´mass and met some of the people we had met along The Way.  We were both surprised at how emotionally teary we felt.  We were not the only ones like this - quite a few people were quietly weeping at different times.  Everybody had been on their own journey for their own reasons and now it has perhaps ended, perhaps continues, perhaps begins.

Some folks we have met along The Way are continuing to the coast - to Finisterre (once believed to be the actual end of the world).  We have no desire whatsoever to continue walking.  In fact a mooch round the shops was just delightful.

In one of our early blogs we gave you five words from each of us that described how we felt about The Camino Way at that time.  We have now individually determined on five words each that describe what the Way has meant to us at its end.  Here they are:

Charlotte: painful, indescribable, unique, arduous and over.
Jane: exhausting, adventurous, transient,emotional and confirmatory.

Are we different, better, nicer people after having completed this 500 mile (did you get that? 500 mile!!!!!) pilgrimage?  Well, you´ll have to let us know.  We look the same.


This way to Santiago!

The oh-so-necessary coffee and cake break.

"I am sure this is still the way."

4.7 kilometres from the cathedral -- might as well have been 10.7!!

What a facade!! -- I mean the cathedral.

Euphoria!

Well -- would we advise any of you to do this trip?  We are not sure -- it has been very strange.  NOT like walking in the Lakes or the Dales -- a little like the West Highland Way but with more towns and more deserted villages and six times longer.

We have learnt an auful lot:

about packing

Camino fashion

wild flowers

making and leaving friends

climbing out of top bunks

Spanish landscape

Spanish weather

impromptu laundry

the lingo

how much we miss and love our family and friends.

This is our last blog from Spain and we want to really, really sincerely thank you for bothering to read it and to leave comments, texts and emails. Thank you.

There has been a delightful, easy little greeting that all pilgrims use that can mean "hello", "goodbye", "go carefully", "enjoy yourself" -- almost anything you like.  We must have heard it and said it 1,000 times so we say as our farewell to you all:

"Buen Camino!"

The Virtual Pilgrim

Jane:  Hi everyone!  This will be our penultimate blog as we get into Santiago de Compostella tomorrow (hopefully).  We are rather staggered that we have actually got this far - and some of you might share that feeling about us - but here we are.  The reality is that we have felt hugely bouyed up by the support we have received throughout our huge adventure from all our friends and relations that we know have been following the blog, making comments, sending us texts or emails or simply wishing us well over the ether.

In addition to all that (oh so appreciated) support, we have also felt very supported by The Way itself.  There is a sort of pilgrim presence that follows you along The Way and spurs you on when you flag and helps you solve the inevitable problems that occur.  It is difficult to put this "presence" into words; to try to describe  such an ephemeral support is not easy. When we have felt low (not often, but it has happened now and again) the "presence" of The Way has at times surrounded us with support or sent "messages" that gave us courage.

The pilgrim "presence" has given sustenance, shelter and spiritual comfort, in particular at times when we have struggled both physically, emotionally and mentally and in particular when we have doubted our abilities and strengths to complete The Way.  The Pilgrim "presence" has smoothed our path, etherally offered words of advice and solace.  We can only give you a flavour of this very real support and comfort in the following few photos:

The "presence" at first was shadowy and descrete:

Gradually the " presence" would peer from afar, guiding our feet.

We both felt surrounded by the "presence":

The "presence" often felt like a wise advisor:

At other times the "presence" was there in the background -- to be lent on if needed.

The amorphous support offered by the "presence" gave us heart when days were long.

We often felt the pilgrim "presence" was virtually sharing a drink or two with us:

Everyday the pilgrim "presence" popped up and reminded us of where we were going and where we would return to;

Quite often the pilgrim "presence" remined us to rest and provided us with the will and way to find succour.

The pilgrim "presence" was always a robust support and we drew strength from his strength.

Throughout the jouney the support continued to surround us:

The very real nearness gave heart when heart was needed.

The pilgrim "presence" encouraged us to stride forth and believe we could achieve our goal.

The "presence" was ever there to be lent on and offer a guiding hand.

The " presence" looked ahead and seemed to offer advice to ease our onward journey:

When confused or puzzled the "presence" offered clarity and direction:

Both Charlotte and I have great gratitude and love for this constant pilgrim presence that has enabled us to almost complete this adventure of a life time, walking the Camino Way.

Of course some of you will already have realised who the Virtual Pilgrim is

Not Saint Jacobo but:

Our darling Henry!!!!!!!!!

Thank you, thank you, thank you a million times for enabling me/us to do this trip, holding the fort whilst also giving so much support both practical and emotional.

Love to all J & C

Tomorrow -- Santiago!

Mini-blog

Jane:  Hi folks!  Very tiring walk today but weather held off.  Long day tomorrow and we shall have to creep out of our dormitory (which is full of 16 year old Spanish children) very early to cope with the distance.  We are both very tired now and because we know the end is near, it seems to make each day a little harder.

To be positive, however, Charlotteś spork splint is working and whilst her wrist is very swollen and painful, it is not getting any worse.

We hope to do a proper blog in a couple of days as we need to share with a very strange and continuous occurance that we have not yet told you about.

This is very brief as circumstances dont allow for á longer blog.

Love to all. J & C

Not a holdiday but a journey

Jane: First an update.  My theory is that Charlotte could not wait to kiss the holy soil of Santiago de Compostella, or may be she just wanted to get some practice in -- anyway, I´m walking along and behind me Charlotte is lieing flat on her face on the path!  She said she was just admiring some fox gloves !?!  The result of this "little slip" is one sprained left wrist which is now splinted with one of our sporks and the crepe bandage Henry insisted Jane pack.  Charlotte is fine to finish, but Jane has to do up her buttons!

There have been a few comments from our nearest and dearest about holiday snaps (and how you cannot wait to see the full set).  We need to point out that this six week period has not been a holiday (we´ll have one of those when we return), but it has been a journey.

It has been a journey through four distinct provinces in Spain with varied scenery, weather, wines, wild flowers, farming to name but a few of the differences.  It has also been a journey of discovery for us: learning about Spain, about ourselves, about coping in adversity, about friendships.

There have been many occasions when we have not taken pictures so we cannot share all our experiences with you.  Sometimes it was simply too wet to get the camera out, too muddy to risk any unnecessary movement,  too steep to risk taking our hands off our poles, or too fleeting for us to capture that moment.  However, here are a few of the contrasting experiences our journey has exposed us to.

We started off on the little mountain train in France to St Jean Pied de Port and from the window we could see this amazing green river. These deeply green rivers continued to accompany us for much of our time in the early stages of The Way -- it felt more appropriate to a jungle than the Pyrenean hills.

This an example of some of the strange places we have had to lay our heads -- but at least we could sit up here!

Weather!!!!!!

But also an example of the fleeting frienships we have made.

Another deeply green river and a rather lovely bridge.

Communal meals with other pilgrims - always lovely experiences.

This is an example of the strange pilgrim practice of putting crosses on wire fences, particularly next to main roads -- always looked very macabre.

Some pilgrims clearly have too much energy.  All along The Way there are little art constructions -- usually small towers of round stones, or way markers decorated with stones and flowers, or large arrows made from pine cones, orange peel, or whatever comes to hand.  This was a rather more aesthetically pleasing example.  Charlotte and I were always too kn.....d to do much more than take a photo.

Many people do the Camino Way on bikes. A few will ring their bell or bellow "Beun Camino"as they fly past.  We are amazed that there appear to be no collisions between walkers and riders.  Cyclists are catered for as you can see from this bridge with its very useful bike ramp.

We have largely eaten "the pilgrim meal" each day. A three course set menu at a modest price.  We did, however, push the boat out in Burgos where Charlotte ordered the roast lamb.  As you can see, not a scrap of mint sauce, nor a vegatable in sight -- just a leg of lamb and a little lamb´s tail.

A view of the Meseta as we moved from the rolling hills of Rioja down to the flatter plains of this high plateau.

I know we have shown you storks before -- but we love them.

We loved the beautiful, gentle cows in the Pyrenees.  After that we barely saw any livestock anywhere.  We did pass many huge smelly hangers which we guess animals were being kept in.  It was a joy to move into Galicia where we have seen so many fat, well-cared for cattle including these ones with the most amazing horns. There was one mother with her hour-old wobbly-kneed babe and many others clearly carrying.  The Daddy was busy eating trees.

We have had to over-come some adversity on this journey.  One of our solutions was to get Charlotte´s pack carried from albergue to albergue.  You might now be able to work out why Charlotte got shin splints in the first place!! (her pack is on the left.)

Galicia is famous for its pulpo.  Here Charlotte honours her pledge that she would eat pulpo in Sarria.  We were ages waiting while the chef prepared the dish as it took hours to cook as it kept turning the gas off (boom, boom)!

Ever mindful of the needs of weary pilgrims who had walked 14 miles, the good people of Portomarin make you climb these!

So we have shown you many hills and mountains.  Here are some flats - equally beautiful in their own way.

More weather!  Perhaps we should explain the expression.  However exhausted we felt, we always said when taking photos, "don´t look so tired!"

One of the few dry days after a period of continuous rain.  The view also shows you the lovely variety of the meseta.

Very recently here in Galicia we have been walking on the original and very ancient Camino Way.  Often we are walking along hollow ways worn down by the feet of countless pilgrims over the centuries.  Sometimes the original walls are way above one´s head.  They are cool and atmospheric.

Jane arriving at Portomarin today and barly remembering the rule about not looking tired!

That´s all folks! Lots of love.  J & C.

Every Which Way

Jane: I am sure some of you have been wondering how Charlotte and I have managed to find our way almost 500 miles across norther Spain without Henry to point the way with his satmap.  Well it has been pretty difficult I can tell you. We have had to draw on all our collective map reading, trail finding and orienteering skills.  Thank goodness we both got our tracking badges in the Girl Guides.

We recognise the value that Girl Guide training has had, but we need also to thank Ray Meers for all his survival tips and in particular we are so glad we spent hours as children watching the Lone Ranger. Tonto´s tracking tips have proved invaluable -- many a time we have had our ear to the track listening for the distance tramp of pilgrims´feet.

Particularly useful have been such aids to direction as the sun, obviously, but when cloudy we frequently looked for the mossy side of the trees, put a wet finger to the wind, looked for the angle of bushes in the prevailing wind and occasionally came across the spoor of pilgrims who had gone ahead: the bent grass the broken twig, the tell tale toilet paper --- all helped keep us on the true path.

Just now and again, alert for signs, we might glimpse a small yellow direction arrow such as this one:

We have needed to keep our wits about us as when deep in contemplation it is easy to miss the descrete and simple way marks as you can see below:

If we were very lucky we occasional found little primitive indicators on the ground that suggested we were on the right path:

Once in a while we might find a larger sign:

Of course we also kept our eyes peeled in case we spotted any other pilgrims who might indicate the way:

In a very few places the local authorities have invested in the odd sign or two:

As you can see it has been very difficult to keep to The Way and our early training in trail finding continues to prove invaluable.  Every day we put into practice our fine our fine-honed inner compasses:

You may have guessed, you have to be a complete idiot to get lost (which we have managed to do just twice.)

 We have to thank this gentleman (above) for inventing the Camino Way yellow arrow system. These arrows are pretty much everywhere.

So, five days to go-  blog when we can.  Thanks for all your lovely comments -many a chuckle at this end.  By the way, Charlotte´s new favourite dish is pulpo (look it up) but only when she can sucker it off the plate!

Love J & C xx