Camino - Epilogue

Having arrived in Santiago we were joined by the ladies, who flew in, for three days of  being just tourists (and getting the required PCR test to be allowed back home) but one more Camino experience remained. It is the tradition, both medieval and contemporary, that after arriving in Santiago de Compostela (and thereby completing your pilgrimage), to visit the Galacian coast at one, or both, of two sites. The first is Muxia where by legend the stone boat that brought St James to Spain landed. There is located the church of  Sanctuaria da Virxe da Barca (the Virgin of the Boat) and a coast with tremendous surf. For those who have seen the film “The Way” is is the location where Martin Sheen throws his son’s ashes into the surf in the penultimate scene. We did not walk (like the film) or cycle but hired a car having learned from my previous visits by bus!

It is a strikingly beautiful and dramatic place.

MUXIA

From Muxia we drove the half hour or so to Cape Finesterre. The pilgrims’ reason to visit here was see what they believed was the end of the earth  (in French “finis terre”) - the most westerly point of their known world. In fact it is not the most westerly but the second. The most westerly point of mainland Europe is, in fact, Cabo de Roca in Portugal.

It is a lovely cape with a lighthouse and a Camino marker with 0 km to go on it. The village of Finesterre has a beautiful fishing harbour with wonderful seafood restaurants. This is, after all, the Costa del Marisco (seafood coast of Galicia). Derek and I had a great meal of lobster paella and we returned to Santiago for our final night and the filling in of all the COVID related forms for our return. 

FINESTERRE

 

We each collected our “Compostela” our certificates of pilgrimage, from the pilgrim office as shown in the first picture. I don’t know why Derek’s is different to mine but I suspect he filled in a different reason for doing the Camino than I did as I know they result in different Latin documents. Options are religious, sporting, cultural and, I think, other. Our names had to be translated to Latin equivalents. I’m not sure how Derek translates to Theodorium but hey it suits him! The second picture show the evidence of our journey in my collection of seals from the journey on my Credencial. Derek has an identical collection. The last picture shows the final act - our cycles in their cardboard boxes being loaded onto the flight home. We have had great weather, great fun, plenty exercise, and wonderful experiences. 

A last note.  I heard from Christian who wants to ride the  Caminho Português from Lisbon to Santiago next year with us and I have agreed in principle. Not then the end just a stage! 😀🚴🏿‍♀️🤞🏻