October 2, 2018
- Bus Route: Fisterra to Santiago de Compestela
My Camino officially ended yesterday and it all feels a bit surreal. After getting up day after day and walking toward something, I didn’t have to make any miles today. Nonetheless, I found myself awake super early. With a hot cup of coffee, I sat in my hotel room and just watched the sun rise over the beautiful ocean view as I said goodbye to the Camino Finisterre.
What a wonderful way to end this adventure. I’d highly recommend that every pilgrim continue along this additional 90 kilometer stretch instead of stopping in Santiago. The past three days were the ideal end to this journey. No crowds. No tourists. Just open space and the ocean.
The bus ride back to Santiago
Out of an abundance of caution, I purchased a bus ticket back to Santiago while walking to my hotel last night. You can purchase a ticket from the bus driver when you board, but advance tickets are also sold at the small kiosk across the bus station in Fisterra. I’d read in several forums that the morning bus to Santiago tends to depart completely full, and with only 3-4 buses going there each day, I decided not to risk getting left behind.
Don’t get me wrong. Fisterra is a lovely city, and I could certainly spend another day here relaxing on the beach or sitting in the cafes and enjoying the views. But, I also want the bulk of my memories about this city to be what I experienced yesterday when I traveled to Cape Finisterre. So, I decided to take the morning bus back to Santiago and visit that city a little bit more instead.
I’m definitely glad I had the forethought to buy my advance ticket now. I showed up at the bus station a half an hour before the departure time and there was already a crowd of close to 80 people already standing there. As I waited in patiently in the gaggle, the group continued to grow larger and until it nearly doubled in size.
As it turns out, two different buses were arriving at the same time, so the entire crowd wasn’t attempting to squeeze on the one bus going to Santiago. But, there were definitely a significant number of prospective Santiago passengers without tickets who were turned away.
Marco was on the bus with me, so we had a chance to catch up in our broken Spanish. That was a nice distraction during the three-hour bus ride back to Santiago.
When we arrived at the bus terminal in Santiago, everyone disembarked inside a concrete parking garage that reminded me a little bit of the New York Pork authority terminal. As I stepped off the bus, I was suddenly hit with the intense feeling of vertigo. The garage felt like it was spinning, and I had to work hard not to throw up.
I didn’t feel sick at all while we were on the bus, so it seemed strange that it was washing over me in waves now. I slowly moved her to the edge of the terminal and acted like I was digging through my pack for something as I waited for everything to stop spinning. I haven’t moved faster than 3 mph pace in a month, so the only thing I could figure was the my body was reeling from the sudden transition from the bus’s speed.
Santiago redux
After five or ten minutes, the dizziness subsided and I was able to make my way back into Santiago’s city center. It’s bizarre how different this city felt the second time around. When I was here just a few days ago it seemed so crowded and loud, and somewhat claustrophobic. But now, with the entire Camino behind me, I was able to take in Santiago is the right state of mind and really enjoy the sights.
I revisited the cathedral and spend time in the nearby museum. I strolled through the hedgerow labyrinth in the Parque de Belvis, walked through shops, and even got a serving of gelato on the way to my hotel. Instead the chaos I’d felt during my first visit, I suddenly felt relaxed and calm. Returning to Santiago without all my mental baggage was a good choice, and I’m glad I didn’t leave Spain without coming back here and reconsidering its significance.
I’m now at peace with this journey and really looking forward to getting back home and sharing it with my family and friends. My return flight departs from Madrid in a few day, so tomorrow I intend to take the six-hour train ride to Spain’s capital city to see what it has to offer. I’m already making a list of all the sights I want to see there, including a visit to the famous Prado museum.
