Yesterday I said that I was one of 990 other pilgrims to arrive at Santiago that day. Apparently that was the mid day figure. The update posted this morning gives the daily figure as 1,732.

Compostela and Certificate of distance with Santiago Cathedral as a back drop.

Padron had one more trick up it’s sleeve. Having turned in at ten, me alone in a dorm for 8, 10:30 another 5 pilgrims arrive. Lights on, noise. Then just as all was returning to calm a band struck up nearby in Padron. They only knew one song it seems with a heavy base line but they played it with gusto till 2:30.

Away by 8. The last 25 km into Santiago, a lovely walk and suddenly round a corner the cathedral in sight.

Look hard, it is there.

I booked in at the Alburgue near the station and after a rest I made my way to the Cathedral. I hugged the statue of St. James in thanks and descended to the tomb where the remains of St. James lie. There I left the shell that had been given to me as I left Mirfield. The prayers and petitions of the people in good hands.

The shell is bottom left.

Then up again to the Pilgrims Mass at 7:30 pm in a packed cathedral.

Celebration meal (OK Big Mac double cheese burger and chips made large with Coke, don’t tell my brother). Then back to the Alburgue for hopefully a bit more sleep than last night.

An early walk down through the deserted streets

8 am finds me at the office of accreditation to convert my passport of credential stamps to the official Compostela. Then breakfast.

At 10:45 my family met me in the Square, they had created a large welcome banner and made a fuss which was lovely, I’m just glad I had had the time by myself the previous evening otherwise I would have been in bits.

A great day with the family in Santiago, thronged now with Pilgrims. The number of pilgrims booked through for yesterday was 1,744 and today (Sunday 17th June 2018), along with me a further 990.

There is a lot to mull over, a lot to do in line with the thoughts of the past 4 weeks. I will keep you posted, but for now, to Giles’s house, a hot bath and an evening of family and sun.

May God bless you as I feel he has blessed me.

Last stop before Santiago itself. The walk towards the city was grey and cool, the heat and sun of the past few days now hidden behind thick cloud. The weather matched my mood. Bubbles of emotion welling up from nowhere, making it hard to breath. If I’m like this two days out I’m going to be an emotional wreck by Sunday.

Into Padron, shower, rest, meal and as I set out to explore the sun breaks through to a glorious evening.

Warm weather Camino is so different. In the wet and cold you stay in the Alburgue and curl up in your sleeping bag to try and keep warm and dry. When it is sunny and warm. You arrive, shower, rest, eat and then explore the town dipping in and out of the bars and cafes or just sitting in the sun soaking it all in.

The Botanical Gardens.

The view from the Convent del Carmen over the city showing the bridge Puente de Santiago.

I don’t know what this chap is famous for but to judge by the statue it must have taken a lot of … courage.

Tomorrow, the aim is to get as close to Santiago as possible for the last night ready then for the entry into the Square and Cathedral on Sunday morning.

A peaceful night to all.

Pontevedra is another delightful town. After settling in at the Alburgue, having a meal and a couple of hours sleep. I set out to explore. I followed the arrows into the town, into the church, past some fountains and squares and down  where a number of bridges cross the RioLerez and give the place its name

Santiario de Peregrina, 18th century pilgrim chapel. Looking up into the dome which is built over a floor plan that is based on the shape of a scallop Shell.

Wandered slowly back and found a barber shop, 6 weeks since the last time so took the advantage as it was offers. Newly shorn out into the streets at about 8 pm. Crowds gathering to find there evening meal the place was now thronging with people. Time for bed for me though.

The next morning followed the arrows through the now familiar streets but this time on over the bridge and towards Caldas de Reis. Met up with an American couple quite early on and we walked and talked all the day. It’s amazing how much quicker the miles slide by when you are talking.

i must also say that today is the first time in about a week that I felt in good health. The antibiotics have worked their stuff and I am very thankful for that.

Caldas de Reis, another river town, sat by the river for my evening meal before a short walk around to the Church of St. Thomas a Becket and then the supermarket for a few provisions.

 

Tomorrow Padron. Then Santiago is in reach.

 

Another beautiful walk through woodland high above the coast with a constantly changing view of the Vigo bay.

I was here first almost exactly 24 years ago and we parked our caravan in a small village just off the route. This is pretty much the view as I remember from then.

I like to get a good two hours solid walking in before the first stop. Started at 8:30 and once out of Vigo it became woodland all the way, no sign of the regular cafes found on other days. 10:30 on the dot, the first cafe comes in sight, I think it also sold shorter bicycle pumps.

I am now booked in at one of the Alburgues in Redondela, newly opened, very swish and a sign of the heavy investment being made on the Português Camino. In a short time I think this route will begin to be as busy as the French one. Having chosen it for the relative quiet I’m not sure how I feel about that. The numbers of people from around the world walking Caminos has increased dramatically over a few short years. Perhaps it will have its own regulatory mechanism as it becomes more crowded or perhaps Disney will buy the franchise and put golf trolleys trundling between the Alburgues.

For now I am just happy that at the end of a long days walk I am made welcome (in varying degrees of comfort) for something between €5 and €15 head.

An improvised teapot at the Alburgue in Redondela. And a lovely cup of tea it was too.

Tomorrow I have my sights set on Pontevedra 31 days since leaving Mirfield.

Janet, Giles and I all started today’s walk together. Sadly Jan is not recovered enough to complete the last 100km as we had hoped but she joined me for a couple of km . We were guided by Giles until the yellow arrows started to show the way.

Some beautiful wooded walks with  small rivers and waterfalls, steep in places eventually brought me to the view over Vigo Bay. I have seen it in better weather and the islands just off the coast here are ones we have visited and enjoyed a number of times over the years.

From there down into the city with its striking roundabout statues and harbour.

Giles and Jan popped over to see me settled. I got a stamp for my passport at the Church of Santiago.

Tomorrow I begin the last 100 km

505 to be exact. I am now at my brothers house in Nigran which is 505 km from Lisbon and 124 from Santiago so bang on schedule to arrive on the 17th God willing. Those of you with Facebook will have picked up that after getting 342 km on the journey my wife Jan had to stop accompanying me. We got as far as Sao da Madeira and we had to call my brother Giles to come and rescue her

Jan kitted out to ride pillion  to Nigran With Giles for a bit of RnR having strained something.

Having bid a fond farewell I continued on my way. Having got used to travelling as a couple it was very odd walking on my own  no one to share things with on the way or help look out for the yellow arrows.

Next stop the city of Porto with its fantastic bridge leading more or less to the door of the cathedral.

Stamp duly taken in the cathedral I found a Hostel for the night.

View from the Hostel over Porto.

Many people start their Comino from Porto. The next few nights found Alburgues full to the seams with people sleeping on couches and on the floor. Fortunately I had a bed each night. Many different nationalities but at this point the predominant language around me was German.

Dinner with some German Friends (fortunately for me nearly everyone speaks English)

A variety of sleeping arrangements  on route:

An old stone built farm house.

And a beach hut.

From Porto onward you can choose to follow the inland Spiritual route or the more recently developed coastal path. With Giles house right on the second path that was my choice.

I crossed the river Minho from Portugal to Spain by small river Taxi.

Up the Spanish Coast now. It’s odd how some things just side swipe from nowhere. Out of the blue from nowhere I came down with a urine infection. Once again Giles car to the rescue getting me out of hours medical care for antibiotics and back to health. 

One of the Churches at Baiona, coastal town near Nigran.

So 505 down, last week coming up and 124 km to go.

 

 

 

 

 

Phew. Too much living and moving to catch up. Here’s me thinking a Camino would give time and space. In a sense it does but you still need to wash, and wash your clothes (more importantly with the weather we are having is drying them, or trying to)  and eat and plan the next day. At the end of a long walk there seems so little time and then, first thing, you’re off again. The walking too takes more concentration than you might think. The arrows are there to follow but you can’t let your mind wander too far. If you do you  suddenly come back to the walk and wonder when was the last arrow, have you missed a turning. You go on searching for a scrap of yellow, is that one? No just yellow moss, is that? No an old poster and then relief, an arrow appears and you can relax. Or, slowly you just know you have lost the way, it has been too long, there is always something by now. You stop, you turn, you trudge back to find the last arrow and see where your daydream led you astray.

Golega is now well in the past. We have moved, visited the city of Tomar and toured the Templar Castle high on the hill overlooking the  town.

Onward then to Alvaiázere where the stamp for our pilgrim passport filled three spaces with ribbon and  wax and stickers. Then Alvorge where the Albergue was left for the pilgrims to manage themselves. It was the night of a local folk music and dancing fiesta so off we went to hear and to see. Supper that night was a kebab from a stand.

Alvorge to Condiexa a Nova. By the book only 18km, but in reality the walk was more like 30km, still don’t know how. From there to Combra, a river city with impressive cathedral, university and 2.large Botanical Gardens to enjoy.

Coimbra then to Mealhada and finally then to Agueda where I now sit 214 km from Lisbon and a mere 312km from Santiago.

Just popped out to Lidle for our evening meal and so to bed.

 

Most abiding memories of this section are a streaming head cold and pouring rain. There was someone coughing and spluttering at our first Alburgue and I blame them. Certainly a cold developed from that moment on and by today it was in its full glory. With head pounding through the Paracetamol and wet getting everywhere we trudged through the pouring rain. The guide book got soaked, our boots filled with water and this is the only photo that survives of that day…….

Even the coat has had enough.

At Golega though we found our Albergue which offered a twin room complete with an oil filled electric radiator. Most but not all of the clothes got dry by the next day.

Two days for this 30km stretch, we are not yet up to walking that far in one day. Having said that it was really hot and 15km a day seemed to be pushing it. This was made even harder for me as we were the last to leave the Albergue in Azambuja. I checked all my bags, switched off the lights, closed and locked the doors and then….realised my walking poles were still inside. Curses!

The first day took us as far as a Albergue called Quinta da Burra. All along the route there was a 15 foot concrete barrier to hold back the flooding River Tejo. The water level rises rapidly in spring. The Albergue was very comfortable though there was a pond in the grounds with lots of little green frogs with voices far out of proportion with their size.

Quinta da Burra.

Walking along the top of the river barrier.

After a good nights sleep and breakfast provided we set of in a cool hazy mist which soon burned off to another blazing hot day. On the flat plains by the river mile after mile of tomato plants in regimented rows, then vines, all with irrigation tubes running alongside them.

Santarem could clearly be seen on a distant hill and grew gradually closer. We ate our sandwiches in the meagre shade of a house before the final climb into the city.

We found our hostel with no problem and then out to explore. Visited the cathedral and took in the amazing view over the river Tejo.

The Cathedral at Santarem.

The river Tejo, our companion (though rarely seen) all the way from Lisbon.

A meal and then a taxi ride to the local sports shop for some more walking poles and to bed ready for whatever tomorrow may bring.