Wednesday 20th June- Arca to Santiago de Compestella

I woke up at 230ish to some family noise down the hall. I didn't get back to sleep. I wrote in my journal and deleted photos in the bathroom until 530 then dressed and went out and waited outside the cafe along with an italian pilgrim for it to open at 6. 11 pilgrims passed us by before the cafe opened. Those eager early birds wanting to do the last 20 kilometers to Santiago de Compestella.

We were the first ones in the cafe then 5 more came in. I had a cup of tea and wrote in my journal and watched the early morning pilgrims going up the street. at first there were only a few about 13 or so. I ordered eggs and fries and watched the news... kindof. At 6:10 there was even one gentleman pilgrim walking barefoot. That is dedication. I sure hope all his sins are forgiven. My Italian left at 620 and said 'ciao'.  Sigh... At around 7 the family went by. I finished my tea.

 Around 710 I went back to the hotel to see if Maureen was up . She was so I packed and was ready to go by 730. We were eating our continental breakfast of toast jam and tea at the cafe when I mentioned that maybe we should go early as the bus might come early. We walked down the road and just as we got to the bus stop, fifteen minutes early, the bus came. It only cost 1.40 Euros to go to Santiago de Compestella. Maureen had thought about getting off and walking in from about 5 kilometers but I thought 'what for?' and she couldn't get the bus driver to understand  where she wanted off and the ride was only a twenty minute drive to SdC so  before we knew it, we were walking in Santiago de Compestella.

We strolled down a lovely road next to a large park, along John Paul the Second Way, around the corner and past the church of San Francisco (St Francis), turned left and went straight down some wonderful narrow cobblestoned streets and then onto the large square where we found the Cathedral. The very large square in front of the cathedral with very large old buildings on each and every side was almost empty of people but I could imagine that it could hold alot of people.
We tried to find our hotel even though we were early and wouldn't be able to check in anyway.  I had gone on line before coming to spain and looked at a google map and was sure of where I was going but I turned us the wrong way, (my kids would laugh at that as I am prone to doing that) and we wandered around for awhile before finally finding our hotel with the help of the front desk staff at the St francis church hotel.

 The Entrecercas is a very nice little hotel very close to the cathedral.  Just across the square around the post office, turn left and halfway up the street Entrecercas which is not on most maps as the street is so small. We entered and they were very happy to see us but we were only booked for one night by some error, probably on my part, with the computer booking and filling in the notes section of the reservation form. They were upset that the computer system had failed somehow.  The hotel was booked up solid but they promised to see what they could do. They said we could leave our backpacks there and we could come back at check in time as we did not have the room till one. We did that.

We found our way to the credential office and stood in line for over 30 minutes with many other pilgrims. I was not even going to try for the completed certificate since I had not walked the last 100 kms of the walk (although while in spain I had in fact walked at least 300 kms if you combined my walking in all the parts of spain that I had been to). The man behind the counter seemed surprized that I only wanted a stamp in my credential to show that I had reached the end.
That will be my souvenir  and someday I will come back and walk the whole camino for the at least 100 kms to get the certificate.
   We went back to the big square in front of the cathedral where there were a few more people and we encountered a gentleman pretending to be a statue dressed as St James, the original Pilgrim. I gave him 2 euros as I think being a statue is very difficult. Our eyes met and he knew that I knew. He inclined his head ever so slightly.  It had already rained once that day and the sun was coming out and making it very hot! Poor guy. The Cathedral itself is a huge building. very ornate.

 We went into the cathedral passing an older woman who was on her knees at the door, praying and crying and with a small basket in front of her.  I think I gave her some small coin and entered the vaulted entry. We wandered around admiring statues of Santiago and many other saints and bishops and popes and Mary's. I saw the silver box where he (St James) is kept. I lit many candles and said many Hail Marys and our fathers.

We stayed at the cathedral for the 12 noon mass for the pilgrims. The place was packed with standing room only. there were nuns singing and doing readings and there was the list called out by country of how many pilgrims had completed the camino. France 3, Germany 4, USA 2, Canada 1 etc, etc. Very close to the end of the mass they, three or four priests, swung a very large censor full of incense over the pilgrims and the congregation with blessings and clapping from the congregation, like a great show it was very much appreciated by everyone in the church. there was lots of people greeting each other like long lost friends and stories being swapped about what had happened to each of them since they parted earlier in the journey. Quite moving really.

After mass we found our way back outside and the square had filled up considerably. I noticed that there were people on an upper balcony and really wanted to get up there before we left the city. we went back to our hotel and they said that they would try to find us  a room with two beds for two nights.  what great people!   If they couldn't find us a room for the next night, we did have a room booked for the next night at the seminary at the top of the hill across the river. In the mean time we put our things into our small room with only one bed and lots of character and off we went shopping and exploring.

The hotel gave us a little map of SdC that helped us alot to find our way around. lots of tiny streets. Most of them lane-ways really, for walking only no cars. there were lots of people out now and moving along was getting slower and more difficult. but that is the fun of it really. some of them I recognized from our walking, some i knew had done the walk by the way they limped or favoured one leg or foot. some were still coming into town with their backpacks on.

So many shops not enough time! Jewelry, clothing and souvenir shops galore! Witches are big here. lots of little souvenir witches. I asked one of the shop ladies about it and she said that witches were good luck and there was a witch for everything. one for love , one for kitchens, one for relatives one for everything. Maureen found a cute one for my friend Diane who is Wiccan.

 Lots of fun little streets only for walking with lots of little shops and restaurants. Great restaurants. We went back to the church of st francis and went through their museum on the Holy Land that is attached to the church. It is still run by the Franciscan monks. We talked with one monk who told us that the convent that had been attached to the church at one time was now a hotel and the proceeds from the hotel helped the order maintain the church and its ministry. It was the oldest convent in spain and was started by St francis himself or his immediate followers. A convent at that time and place did not mean a nunnery so much, but more of a hostel for religious pilgrims and kind of seminary.

Had lunch at the las Vegas restaurant around 2:30  just beside our hotel  for 48.70 euros. It was pretty tasty if a little slow. Cheese, tomato ensalada, bread and mushrooms and garlic, (they always use canned mushrooms?) and an Estrella Beer.  the restaurant is very close to the police station. there are a lot of police stations in spain. On the way back from St Francis we stopped into 3 shops.  One for almond Cake (2 euros) a wine and chocolate shop, how great is that (12 Euros) and a cookie shop .... yuummmm, so good.
When we wandered back to our room we found out that we could switch rooms with a lady dentist who had come in for an orthodontists convention in town that week. She had a triple room and was happy to switch to a single. Thank you, thank you, thank you! Maria from western Italy. We had to wait for a little bit while they prepared the rooms. the girl took one of the beds out of the big room that was going to be ours and set it up for us. then she went and reset up the little room upstairs that we had put our things in but nothing else I guess she had to change the sheets even though we had not slept  there. poor thing was working like crazy.

We waited in the small morning breakfast room in the hotel. They provide breakfast but no other meals. Odd as there was a very well stocked bar on the premises. early morning drinkers? There was this great print of a painting on the wall and when I asked who painted it the owner said he did. I knew he was joking. Then we were in and comfy in our big double room on the main floor facing the street and with not as much character as the quieter smaller room upstairs with only one bed.  But who really cares about character when you want your own bed. Wrote postcards, watched tv and fell asleep a little after 9.

Tuesday 19 june - Arzua to Arca

Woke at 530. Got ready quietly and slipped out. Walked along the street and found a cafe that was open and had internet. went in ordered a tea and after an explanation on how to use the computer with the pay method booked a room in Santiago do Compestella at a seminary. Hope they take girls. I had to do this as it seems I only booked one night in SdC and we were staying two. Anyway, with that accomplished I headed out.

Finding the trail was actually very easy. Just follow all the other  pilgrims and at a little after 7 a.m. I was on the Camino, the pilgrimage, the Way.  The weather was cloudy but not cool. On my own I kept a good pace and enjoyed the scenery of the country side. Unlike the north coast route that we had been walking on, there were a lot of other pilgrims on this route, of all ages and fitness levels.

 Even a family with the father pushing a big wheeled stroller with two small children in it. he was spanish and she was from northern Europe and traveling for 2 weeks the camino for his holidays. When we got to some of the bigger hills I slowed down and only stopped once or twice.

Sometimes pilgrims would pass me with a buen Camino and sometimes I would pass them with a 'buen Camino'. I  chatted occasionally with some of the pilgrims. one gentleman was from Newfoundland and was doing the camino for the second time with his french friend.
This section of the camino has well maintained gravel paths, with  the occasional streams that ran alongside.
When the path wound to the other side of the streams, little bridges of  wood or wide slab stepping stones were there to cross over.
Every two or three km there were markers on the side of the path annotated with the distance to Santiago de Compestella. I guess that they start a count down from about 150 km away so the pilgrims know how much farther they have to go. Lots of  flowers and butterflies, birds and forests farmers fields. Really beautiful. Took way too may photos today so will have to start going through them and deleting the bad ones. I love digital.

I walked for about 8 kms and stopped at a little cafe where there were lots of other pilgrims too. An agua, a restroom stop and then some of my omelet from last night with tomatoes for breakfast. It was about 830 so I was making good time without killing myself. the countryside was full of those little country roads and sometimes our path would take us there.

 Sometimes we had to walk along the highway but the paths were much better than the times we had walked along the hi-ways up north, wider paths and some were even paved. occasionally the camino would go through an underpass so we did not have to cross the hi-way.

There were fountains and shrines for the pilgrims to stop and admire. there were chickens along ghte road probably not for the pilgrims but that reminded me of the stories that I had read about the camino prior to starting the trip.
 I walked for about  8 kms more and stopped at another little cafe right on the hi-way. An iced tea and washroom break (nice washroom) and I was rejuvenated.  The sun had been making attempts at peeking out every now and then and I sat outside at the little tables watching other pilgrims and the occasional car and truck go by. I left my book 'Wicked' at the cafe for some other pilgrim to pick up or the owners if they read english. Good book.
I went about another 5 kms and stopped for a lunch of fruit at a well by the hi-way. Lots of pilgrims with some stopping to fill their canteens and water bottles at the well which was more of a water spigot really. the well was probably underneath.
I continued on and came to Santa Irene which is not a town but a refugio, alone, by the hi-way. A very nice refugio with crisp clean sheets and a nice back yard with tables and chairs and a clothes line. I figured that it was too early, only just noon, to stay in a place where I could not go exploring so I made a reservation for Maureen with the young lady who did not speak very much english and continued on to the town of Arca, that someone who was passing by said, was only about 2 or 3 km away.

A talking sign confirmed the existence of Arca and gave a few of us a good laugh too. It was in fact only 2 km to Arca and upon entering the town I booked a room in the first place I came too.  50 Euros for a brand new with an almost no character room with two double beds, but clean and with tickets for breakfast at the cafe next door.  after I dropped my pack in our room I headed out to explore the town.

I figured that Maureen would be at least 3 hours behind me and so I could explore the town and then head back along the trail and meet her before she got into town. I knew that she probably did not get out of Arzua until around 930 or 10 so it would take her awhile before she would be even close to town.

The church was down the road and then off to the left at the end of a long curving road. It was locked so I took a few photos around the outside and then saw a young girl in an upstairs window in the building next door. I asked her if she knew where I might get a key and she said for me to wait there. She came down and opened the church for me.
Very nice. small church but with a most unusual wall behind the altar. a huge golden scallop shell had been crafted as the backdrop to the altar. It was very pretty. the church was bright and cheerful.  I spent about 30 minutes there said a few more hail Marys for Bill and lit some electric candles.

Headed back into town passing three older folks weeding thier garden at one point I considered offering to help them weed but then how does one extricate oneself from assiting before the job is done? so I didn't offer any assistance and just kept walking to the one  main street which is the hi-way that runs right through town. As I was walking back who should I see but Maureen.

Needless to say, I was very surprised. It was 1:30....What was she doing here already? Turns out she took a cab to a coffee shop somewhere on the hi-way and walked from there. I think that it must have been the one where I left my wicked book. the timing would be about right. So we went to the hotel that I had booked and she filled me on her day. Woke up , church at 830, post office at 930  cab to coffee shop and then walked . Realized when she got to Santa Irene that I would have kept going. tried to ask the young girl if I had been there but could not get through so continued on to Arca and found me. just like that.

She wanted to see the church so she went there and I looked for the bus stop and a restaurant for dinner. I found the bus stop which consisted of a portion of the sidewalk with the words bus stop painted on it about three blocks from the hotel right across the street from the police station (which was not lokking like a police station at all). I went back to the road that led to the church and wrote in my journal on a stone step and took a nice photo of a lizard that was sunning itself on a rock.

I met an english gentleman pilgrim, Allan, who told me about his pilgrimage. He had gone all the way from St jean Pied la Port in France. We walked down to the church together and he told me that 5 pilgrims had died since he started walking. it was not something that they advertised but I guess every year there were pilgrims who died on the Camino. We met maureen at the church which was good as there was a stamp for pilgrims to stamp their credentials which I had not seen before so I stamped mine.

After taking another look around we came back around 5 and found a restaurant for dinner lazangas, veggie for me carne for Maureen. There was a Bazar gift shop across the street from the hotel and we popped in and picked up a few things. 8 braceletsand a pair of silver shell earrings (4.68 Euros) They had a pilgrim outfit and would take your photo for 1 euro so I did. goofy really.
We went back to the hotel where I had a shower and then deleted bad photos till my batteries died. plugged in my charger and went to bed around 8. slept well till around 2:30

Monday18 jun - Ribadeo to Arzua

Woke up at 4 am to Maureen snoring, so went  and read in the hotel hallway. There was a tolerably comfortable chair with a table and a good reading light. The only problem was that the light was motion activated so I had to keep moving my hand waving while I was reading. Reading while waving your arms around is much more difficult than one imagines, and more tiring too. I went back into the room around 530 and slept until 8 am.

 I had a refreshing shower and then Maureen and I went to ALSA, the spanish bus line, to catch the bus to Foz (Pronounced Fauth). There was no bus to Foz. So we walked to the train station about a mile away. There was no train to Foz. We had to get to Foz so that we could catch the bus at 1230 to Lugo where we would then catch a bus onto Arzua (pronounced arthua) and so continue on our camino way.

We walked back and had a quick breakfast of spanish omelet in the square in the center of town.  Then we walked back to the hotel. On the way I took that great tall elevator down to the marina boulevard while Maureen decided to walk down and we both went back to the hotel, finished packing, paid for the room and called a cab who showed up promptly at 1130.  It  was off  to the bus station in Foz, 27 euros,  where we met with another pilgrim going to Lugo. She had hurt her leg or foot or something and so was taking a day off of walking also.

The 2 hour bus ride made us glad that we decided to take the bus as it was mostly uphill. Really large hills.  Very pretty country... but very hilly. Lugo is quite a large city and we had some time to fill with exploring before our bus to Arzua departed.  There is this great walled city within a block or two of the bus station so we had to go there.
On the way we went through this lovely park full of statues and fountains, a stone frog fountain was very interesting. i had never seen anything quite like it. Just past the park was the walled city. The walls are about 10 feet thick with great gates and ramps and stairs that you can go up to walk on the top of the walls. Very medieval. Inside the walls is a city with shops and streets and the very large cathedral 'Santa Iglesia de Lugo'. Most exciting, this walled city within a city.
The cathedral was very impressive. Well the whole place was impressive.

Wikipedia says Saint Mary's Cathedral or Lugo Cathedral, is a Roman Catholic cathedral and basilica built starting from the early 12th century and has romanesque, gothic, baroque and neoclassical features. A first church existed in the site from 755, but in the early 12th century its conditions were such that  in 1129,Bishop Peter 3 commissioned the local master Raimundo to design a new edifice in the current architectonical style. This Romanesque structure was completed in 1273. Later renovations and restorations added elements in other styles, such as the Renaissance retablo at the high altar, which was destroyed in the earthquake of 1755 and of which today fragments are housed in the church.

The cathedral is on the Latin cross plan, with a length of 85 m. It has a nave, covered by a barrel vault, and two aisles, with an ambulatory and five apse chapels where I lit candles and said Hail Mary's. There are triple ogival mullioned windows. The apse houses a calvary sculpture from an unknown date.

The façade is a Renaissance design by julian Sanchez Bort, inspired by the Cathedral in Pamploma. Its construction was finished in the late 19th century, with the completion of the two side towers.

The northern entrance's narthex is in Gothic style, dating to 1510-1530. Internally showing a starred vault, it is formed by three archivolts with a lintel showing christ Pantocrator and with a pinjante (glove-shaped decorative pendant), the latter featuring a depiction of the last supper of Christ.

Right of the entrance is the Gothic Torre Vella (bell tower), surmounted by a Renaissance top floor finished by Gaspar de Arce in 1580. The sacristy (1678) and the cloister (1714) are in Baroque style, as well as the central chapel of the triforium (1726). The chapel of St. Froilán is in Renaissance style, dating to the 17th century. Notable is the choir (early 17th century). I love wikipedia. you will have to look up all those little things that you don't get as to explain all of them here would take up a lot of blog space.

the fact that it took hundreds of years for the cathedral to be finished to where it is now is a marvellous testament to the human need to improve, change, and update the things around him, don't you think?  I said lots of Hail Mary's for Bill and lit lots of candles, electric candles but candles none the less.  There was a priest who was walking along one of the rows who spotted us and asked us if we were pilgrims. We said that we were and he stamped our credentials. Yea! another stamp! Lots of stone and painted ceilings to marvel at. marvelous Carvings in both wood and stone all through the cathedral. The wonderful little Santa Maria in her cape which I have found in most of the churches I visit. maybe they thought she would get cold? But lovely anyway.

We made our way back to the bus station. On the way I looked for a post office to get some more stamps for my postcards and discovered the very small door along the side of a building across from the children's play area with the sign that they were closed until 3. I waited until 325 but they did not come back so went back to the bus station and at 3:45 we were on our way to Arzua. We got in around 5 ...not a long bus ride.

We found a pension( a type of hostel that is cheaper than a hotel) after a bit of a walk and discovered in our room the smallest bathtub I have ever seen. the place did advertise that the rooms came with a bath and they were not lying. I saw the bathroom first and knowing how much Maureen enjoys a good bath could not resist  telling her that she would 'love' this tub. We both had a good laugh over it.
Maureen decided to lay down for a bit and I went exploring the town. A small town but with lots to see. A really pretty if a little stark, church at the end of our street and further down I found some stamps at a grocery store.  I  also found a post office that was closed. they closed at 4. interesting the schedules of amenities in different countries.

I found a saddle makers shop where I went in and although I did not speak spanish well enough and he did not speak/understand that much english I think he understood my  sign language trying to explain that I have a granddaughter who rides so he gave me a key ring for her. either that or he thought I was crazy and just wanted to get me out of there.

I found two parks, one for adults and one for the kids with thier parents. This latter park also had the exercise equipment along one side for the parents to use while thier kids were playing. What a great idea.
I found a vegetarian restaurant? right next door to our pension. I was a little skeptical.  Further down the street my first camino gift shop. I bought a necklace, handmade ceramic with a yellow arrow on a white background like our little arrows that we follow.  I thought it quite appropriate. And of course some postcards.
Went back to our room and Maureen and I went for supper at the vegetarian? restaurant around 730. They had one thing besides salad that was vegetarian, yes, it was huevos espanol (spanish omelet). It is a good thing that I am starting to really like it. So I had that and Maureen had chicken. The food was good and so was the wine, a local wine I think. There was a big soccer game on that night and the two ladies who were taking care of us although very nice and very attentive, I think were more interested in the game.

Maureen and I made plans for the next day. I was going to get up early and walk on my own and Maureen was going to church and to the post office to mail some things off to 'lighten the load'. I wonder how many pilgrims send things to lightened the load?  I would meet Maureen at the biggest church in Santa Irene at around 5. Plans made, We finished up dinner,  packing some of the spanish omelet up for the next day and went back to our room early. I was fast asleep by 9 I think and slept very well.