We left Puente Ulla at 0600. Yesterday was cloudless. Having left the higher altitudes the temperature is climbing into the 80s. We had a 4 k walk uphill out of the Ulla river valley before the path leveled near the alberque. The up hill climb was not bad since the morning was cool and the day fresh. Most of the way was through forests, farmland and suburbs finally delivering us into Santiago. We met Justine about 8 k out of Santiago. She did the Frances from Leon and then the Plata from Ourense. She is from Connecticut and the third American we have met. As soon as we approached the church, an English couple wanted our picture as true pilgrims. In front of the church another woman came up and asked to take our picture. We went over to get our Compostela, a proof in Latin that we did complete the walk. When we came out of the office, we saw our good friends from Italy, Nora and Alberto. They passed through Salamanca while we stayed an extra day. It has taken all these many days to rejoin them What a joy to see them and embrace and kiss. They speak no English and we speak no Italian; however, we experienced the same challenges and felt the same joys. We walked up to our hotel and met Renata on the way and experienced the same pleasure. She is off to Finisterre in a day or two. We had lunch together and did a final walk through town. We are sure that in the next few days we will meet other companions and our greetings will be the same, hugs and kisses. Though, in many cases, we only said a few words to one another during our shared journey, a bond is formed, a community is created because we walked 1000 k together. We walked through the same mud in the same rain. We detoured up rain soaked hills when our camino became a river. We staggered up and down mountains. We walked under the same moon in the morning and sun in the afternoon. We all experienced the beauty of Spain and the kindness and the generosity its people. How could we not care for each other.Today we looked for others that had shared the Plata adventure with us. Surprisingly as we were about to enter the Compestela Office, we heard our names being called out. There was Nora and Alberto sitting at a table across from the office door. We had seen them the very first night while awaiting the opening of the alberque. We hadn't seen them since Salamanca. They were the only ones from our beginning group. We gave then congratulatory hugs and kisses with slight tears. The rest had been absorbed by the ever arriving pilgrims from other caminos. We planned to remain in Santiago for the Sunday 1200 service in order to watch the flying incense. Since we had experienced Santiago last year when finishing the Frances, http://www.caminowalkabout.blogspot.com, we had to plan some side trips to Coruna and Ferrol to check them out. Both are on the North coast of Galicia and are very attractive cities. Coruna has the Hercules Tower and Ferrol has an outstanding history as a seaport. Both received pilgrims from the North. Both were staging areas and beginning cites to start the Camino English. The tourist office in Ferrol supplied us with a travel guide and the necessary papers; so, we decided to walk the camino Ingles. http://www.caminowalkaboutingles.blogspot.com
 |
| Joan and Justine with Santiago just beyond |
 |
| Stu and Joan with camino friends |
 |
| Yes!! |
 |
| Looking pretty good after 1000 kms |
 |
| Joan and friend Renata |
 |
| View from Pension Badalada |
 |
| Cozy room at Pension Badalada |
 |
| Great place to stay |
We left Puente Ulla at 0600. Yesterday was cloudless. Having left the higher altitudes the temperature is climbing into the 80s. We had a 4 k walk uphill out of the Ulla river valley before the path leveled near the alberque. The up hill climb was not bad since the morning was cool and the day fresh. Most of the way was through forests, farmland and suburbs finally delivering us into Santiago. We met Justine about 8 k out of Santiago. She did the Frances from Leon and then the Plata from Ourense. She is from Connecticut and the third American we have met. As soon as we approached the church, an English couple wanted our picture as true pilgrims. In front of the church another woman came up and asked to take our picture. We went over to get our Compostela, a proof in Latin that we did complete the walk. When we came out of the office, we saw our good friends from Italy, Nora and Alberto. They passed through Salamanca while we stayed an extra day. It has taken all these many days to rejoin them What a joy to see them and embrace and kiss. They speak no English and we speak no Italian; however, we experienced the same challenges and felt the same joys. We walked up to our hotel and met Renata on the way and experienced the same pleasure. She is off to Finisterre in a day or two. We had lunch together and did a final walk through town. We are sure that in the next few days we will meet other companions and our greetings will be the same, hugs and kisses. Though, in many cases, we only said a few words to one another during our shared journey, a bond is formed, a community is created because we walked 1000 k together. We walked through the same mud in the same rain. We detoured up rain soaked hills when our camino became a river. We staggered up and down mountains. We walked under the same moon in the morning and sun in the afternoon. We all experienced the beauty of Spain and the kindness and the generosity its people. How could we not care for each other.Today we looked for others that had shared the Plata adventure with us. Surprisingly as we were about to enter the Compestela Office, we heard our names being called out. There was Nora and Alberto sitting at a table across from the office door. We had seen them the very first night while awaiting the opening of the alberque. We hadn't seen them since Salamanca. They were the only ones from our beginning group. We gave then congratulatory hugs and kisses with slight tears. The rest had been absorbed by the ever arriving pilgrims from other caminos. We planned to remain in Santiago for the Sunday 1200 service in order to watch the flying incense. Since we had experienced Santiago last year when finishing the Frances, http://www.caminowalkabout.blogspot.com, we had to plan some side trips to Coruna and Ferrol to check them out. Both are on the North coast of Galicia and are very attractive cities. Coruna has the Hercules Tower and Ferrol has an outstanding history as a seaport. Both received pilgrims from the North. Both were staging areas and beginning cites to start the Camino English. The tourist office in Ferrol supplied us with a travel guide and the necessary papers; so, we decided to walk the camino Ingles. http://www.caminowalkaboutingles.blogspot.com 
Posted via Blogsy
Hey Joan and Stu,
ReplyDeleteTaking a few minutes from my visit to Madrid to say ¨hi¨. How cool that you decided to jump onto the Camino Ingles. So Portugal´s on the back burner for now? Buen camino!
Hi Joan and Stu
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for sharing your expercience of the Via De La Plata - it has done much to dispel the unconscious fears that I have. I am leaving South Africa for Madrid on 13 September 2012 to walk from Seville to Santiago on my very first Camino. I'll walk alone for some of the time, but will have friends joining (and departing) along the way. Having read your blog, I still have some fears, but am now looking forward to experience whatever it is I'm supposed to encounter on my Camino.