Tuesday May 7, 2024
- Starting Point:Padrón (km 247.4)
- Ending Point: Santiago de Compestela (km 271.3)
- Distance Walked: 23.9 km (14.8 miles)
- Route: Central Route
Today is my final day on the Camino Portugués. I woke up with just 24 kilometers left to walk before reaching my goal – Santiago de Compestela.
I was wide awake before 6 am. Perhaps it was the nervous energy of this being my final day, but I wasn’t the only one excited to get moving. Most of the pilgrims in my albergue in Padrón were also up early and looking to leave before the sun was up.
It was another brisk 45-degree morning when I began walking out of town, and I felt a sense of serenity as I watched the sun coming up over my right shoulder.
During my final day of the Camino, I’m usually more contemplative- thinking about what I’ve learned about myself after days upon days of walking by myself. However, this has been such a short Camino that I’m not sure there were any big, deep revelations.
Nevertheless, I do feel that this extended time alone with my thoughts has given me better mental clarity. I’ve formulated a clearer vision for many of the things I’d like to see and accomplish in the next 6-12 months.
Back at home, it’s too easy for me to get caught up with the day-to-day routine. I tend to lose track of my short- and long-term goals. This Camino not only reminded me of those things. It allowed me time to think about prioritizing what I really want to get done in 2024 and – more importantly – which items on my agenda need to drop off my list.
For example, I have several hikes I’d love to take on this year. But there’s one trail that’s been on my radar longer than most: the Colorado Trail. This 500-mile trek winds its way through the Rocky Mountains from Denver to Durango.
However, the high elevation of the Colorado trail traverses means there’s a very narrow window when a thru-hike is feasible. That timeframe becomes even shorter if it’s been a high snow year or if winter comes early. Yet, I always find myself occupied with other hikes or family obligations each August. This year though, I am going to prioritize that hike and finally make it happen!
I’m also going to try to focus on more micro-adventures instead of long trips.
- I’d like to explore my backyard a bit more by hiking some of the county high points in my home state of Oregon.
- I want to take a summer camping trip on the Oregon Coast with my sister and our teenage kids.
- I’d also like to spend more quality time with my son, who only has one more year living at home before he goes off to college.
Bread delivery & wildlife
Once the sun was up, I made my way through a handful of small villages set about one kilometer apart. It was still early, and with little traffic moving about, I noticed the same driver repeatedly passing by me in a small white van.
At first, I thought might be lost. He would go up one road, then reverse course and returni to the paved lane I was walking on. A few blocks later, he’d turn off the lane again, only to return to it again minutes later. It was all very curious. What the heck was he doing?
When I caught up to him the third or fourth time, and I got good look at his van. That’s when, I figured out exactly what he was up to! He was delivering bread to people’s homes from the local bakery. He was like a paperboy – but with bread. Genius!!
One more climb
When I got to Picaraña – roughly 8 kilometers into the morning – I felt ready to stop for breakfast at a cafe. I was one-third of the way through my distance for the day and deserved a stop. Unfortunately, every other pilgrim clearly had the same idea because the place was inundated with pilgrims.
Once fortified with not one, but two coffees, it was time to get back to the grind. The final physical challenge was just ahead: the long, 8-kilometer climb to O Milladoiro.
There was a good bit of wildlife along the way and including a rabbit hopping up the side of the trail in the forest. And 2 large long lizards that were bigger around than a banana.
The number of pilgrims walking ahead, around, and behind me seemed to have expanded by an exponent of ten. There were pilgrims everywhere! And many of them were walking three and four across the Camino as they excitedly talked about their journey to Santiago.
Most of the pilgrims peeled off the route to grab a coffee at the top of the long climb, but I opted for a less obvious detour into O Milladoiro in search of a less crowded cafe and bathroom situation.
Barely a block of the Camino, I found a bar filled with locals and nary a pilgrim. Bingo! It was now 11am. I had a mere 6.7 kilometers left to go and the day was warming up. So I used the pit stop to quench my thirst with today’s new food item.. un caña of Brewdog Punk IPA.
This Scotland-based craft beer won a silver medal at the 2023 World Beer Awards in the American style IPA category. As an American who loves her IPAs, it only seemed fitting that I sample whether the award was merited as part of my pre-celebratory Camino break.
Santiago
After leaving the bar, I had a mere 6.7 kilometers left to walk. This final approach into Santiago de Compestela was novel to me though. My prior two Caminos approached the city from the east, with a walk past the airport before dropping down into the city.
This time around, I would be walking into Santiago from the southwest, and it was nothing like I expected. The outskirts of the town had less commercial sprawl and store-lined streets in this direction. Instead, I walked adjacent to the University with lots of young people hanging out, and up to Alameda Park.
When I got to Alameda Park, and the shade trees were a blessing. It was now a warm 23 degrees (73°F) on this sunny day. I was just a stone’s through (and one busy boulevard) away from the old part of the city with the catherdrals bell tower just barely visible ahead.
Off to my left, my left a giant ferris wheel was set up in another park. It must have been new – or maybe a seasonal carnival attraction – because it hadn’t been here on either of my prior visits to Santiago in October 2022 and October 2018.
There was a throng of people filling the narrow city streets that led to the catherdral, and my environment suddenly felt chaotic and overwhelming. It wasn’t just the pilgrims crowding together. Tons of tourists who’d arrived by tour bus were there to see the city.
My experience during the final few hundred meters of my Camino left me filled with claustrophobia. The crowds were thick. The afternoon was warm. Nobody seemed to know where they were going. I couldn’t wait to get into the open plaza beside the cathedral.
When I finally arrived, I barely glanced at the familiar cathedral towering above me. There was no point in vying with the crowds. I already knew the best time to enjoy this special place was tomorrow morning just as the sun was coming up. The tourists would be at their next location, and the pilgrims would still be sleeping off their celebrations. I’d have the place to myself!
After checking into my albergue and showering, it was time to eat. I found a small place serving Galician food that was quiet and uncrowded, then I ordered a glass of Tempranillo wine and a bevy of appetizers, including caldo de Gallego (Galician soup with potato and greens) and big plate of pimientos de Padrón.
My third Camino was officially in the books. Porto to Santiago in eight days!
