Camino de Santiago Routes

The rays of the pilgrim shell are oftentimes likened to the many routes of the Camino de Santiago.  The routes of the Camino may start in different places, even countries, but ultimately, they converge at the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, Spain.

When you follow the pilgrim shell, generally, the hinge should always points towards Santiago de Compostela, just like the movement of the clam shell in the water.  This may not be the case in some signs, so in doubt, just look for and follow the yellow arrows.

The Camino Frances

The most popular of the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage routes is the Camino Francés, or French Way, a 775 kilometer (482 mile) route, which takes an average of about 32 days.  The route starts in the French side at the town of Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port at the foot of the Pyrenees, and crosses over to the Spanish side in Roncesvalles, Spain.  The route is the most popular and well-travelled of all the Camino de Santiago routes, and passes through the major Spanish cities of Pamplona, Logroño, Burgos, Leon and ends in Santiago de Compostela.  Due to its popularity, this route has excellent infrastructure, with albergues, restaurants, groceries, pharmacies, and teller machines in great supply, specially in the last 100 kms (62 miles).  This route is also very well-marked with camino shell signs and yellow arrows, so there is no getting lost as long as you pay attention.

The route is beautiful, passing through the different regions of Spain -- through Navarre, Rioja, Castille y Leon, and ending in Galicia.  The lovely and varied scenery and landscape accompany and lift you up along your walk.  You will pass through high windy passes, lush muddy forests with chirping birds, wide green pastures, undulating hillsides with tended vineyards, rocky paths -- which you appreciate when it is time to walk beside flat country roads and loud busy highways with fast trucks and speeding cars.  The altitude changes often, from plains to hills and mountains, also resulting in unpredictable weather -- snow, wind, rains, cold, heat.  There was one day along our walk (April) when we experienced cold, rain, hail, snow, sun -- all in a few hours.  How wonderful it is to arrive in your destination to a hot shower, a warm pilgrim meal, welcoming smiles and a comfortable albergue bunk bed!

Passing through these different regions of Spain also means changes in culture, dialect and culinary specialties.  As sure as the landscape changes, the food changes too!  Be sure to try the different specialties of the region.  I remember the trout in Roncesvalles and the chorizos of Pamplona in the Navarre region, the tapas and wines in Logroño of La Rioja,  the Cocido Maragato in Astorga of the Leon region, the Caldo de Gallego in Galicia.  The Pilgrim Meal, ranging in price from 7 to 12 Euros, usually offers the region's specialties, includes a glass or even a bottle of wine, and is always a good bet for a deeply fulfilling meal.

In 2013, about 70% of all pilgrims went through the Camino Frances route.

There are several routes that feed into the Camino Frances.  This means that you can also begin your pilgrimage starting with these routes and later connect with the Camino Frances.  Some of these routes include the following:

• Camino Aragones, 164 kms (102 miles), or about 6 days, that starts from Somport in the French Pyrenees near the border to Spain, crosses over a pass then connects back to the Camino Frances at Puenta la Reina/Gares in the Navarre Region, which leaves still about 656 kms (408 miles) till Santiago de Compostela;

• Le Puy Route, 736 kms (457 miles), or about 32 days, that starts from Le Puy-en-Velay in the French Pyrenees, close to Lyon, France and connects back to the Camino Frances in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, the normal start of the Camino Frances.  The Le Puy Route is the most popular Camino route in France, and is marked clearly with the red and white waymark symbols of the GR65 (Grand Randonée network of France).

The Camino Finisterre, to "the end of the world"  

After the Camino Frances, pilgrims also sometimes continue on to the Camino Finisterre.  Truly, when you reach Santiago de Compostela, it seems you do not want the pilgrimage to end!  This 90 kilometer (56 mile) route takes from 3 to 4 days, from Santiago de Compostela to Finisterra, and particularly, the lighthouse of the Cape Finisterre, where if you are lucky, you witness a beautiful sunset from one of the westernmost points of Europe.  That is why Finisterre was called the "end of the world" and pilgrims stop here, as you cannot walk any farther west.  (See also my blog post:  on arriving in Finisterre.)

This route passes through Negreira, Olveiroa, Cee, Corcubión and ends at the seaside town and beach of Finisterre. The traditional end of the Camino Finisterre is another 3 kilometers (1.8 miles) from the center of the town of Finisterre, to the Cape Finisterre Lighthouse.  From here, you may also opt to go further on, from Finisterre to another beautiful seaside town called Muxia, adding another 29 kilometers (18 miles) to the route.   There is a famous church here called the Santuario da Virxe da Barca which is located by the rocky coast.  Sadly, this church was destroyed by a fire due to lightning last December 25, 2013, according to a Wikipedia article on Muxia.  A legend tells that the stones near the church are from the stone boat of the Virgin Mary, who was said to have appeared to apostles who had lost hope of being able to convert the locals to Christianity.  Muxia is also famous as the site in the final scenes of the movie "The Way."

From Muxia or Finisterrre, most pilgrims take a bus back to Santiago de Compostela. You can also get a Compostela certificate in Finisterre.

At "the end of the world" - Camino Finisterre

Camino Portugues

The Camino Portugues, or the Portuguese Way, starts from Portugal and ends in Santiago de Compostela, Spain.  The route can start from either Lisbon (610 kms or 379 miles), Porto (227 kms or 141 miles) or Tui (119 kms or 74 miles).   From Lisbon, the way takes about 28 to 30 days, from Porto, about 12 to 14 days, while the route from Tui takes about 6 to 7 days.  The route goes northward from Portugal, and is the next most popular route after the Camino Frances, with about 14% of pilgrims passing this way in 2013.  There are a considerable amount of albergues and restaurants, with a portion of the route passing beside motorways.

Camino del Norte

The Camino del Norte, or the Northern Way, runs for 815 kms (506 miles), or about 35 days, starting from Irún, Spain, on the border with France, passing close to the northern coastline of Spain westwards into Galicia, through the cities of San Sebastian, Bilbao, Santander and Oviedo, then joining back into the Camino Frances at Arzua.  From Arzua, it is another 40 kms (25 miles) to arrive at Santiago de Compostela.  This route passes through some portions of the Via Agrippa or Old Roman Road.  It is also becoming quite popular and the route has been described as very beautiful as it passes right by the Spanish coastline.  It is said to be more difficult hiking with albergues spread farther apart (from 20 to 25 kms, or 12 to 15 miles apart) in contrast to that of the Camino Frances (about 5 kms or 3 miles apart), meaning that more planning is needed to ensure that you are at a town with an albergue at day's end, specially at the beginning portions of the route.  Not all albergues are open year-round, so it would be better to go in summer.  There are also not as many waymarks as in the Camino Frances.  About 6% of pilgrims in 2013 passed this way.

Via de la Plata

The Via de la Plata is a 705 km (438 mile) or about 31 days, pilgrimage route from Sevilla to Astorga, Spain.  From Astorga, it is another 259 kms (161 miles) or about 11 more days, to Santiago de Compostela. This route first goes north from Sevilla to Zamora passing through Merida, Cáceres and Salamanca, then continues on to Astorga to rejoin the Camino Frances to Santiago de Compostela.  This route follows an old Roman road (the Via de la Plata).  It is a less frequented route thus you can expect less albergues and facilities along the way, and only about 4% of all pilgrims passed this way in 2013.

Camino Primitivo

The Camino Primitivo, or the Original Route, 270 kms (168 miles), takes about 10 days starting from the town of Oveido to Melide, This walk rejoins the Camino Frances at Melide, and is described as a challenging route with lots of hills, with more unpredictable weather patterns.  From Melide, it is still about 53 kms (33 miles) or about 2 to 3 days to reach Santiago de Compostela.  About  3% of all pilgrims passed this route in 2013.

Camino Ingles

The Camino Ingles, or the English Way, is a 155 km (96 mi) route of about 7 days, that starts from Ferrol, Spain, passes A Coruña then goes on to Santiago de Compostela.  This route is "Y-shaped" and got its name because it was said that during the Middle Ages, English pilgrims arrived by boat from Britain and started their walk in Ferrol.  From Ferrol directly to Santiago de Compostela, it is about 110 kms (6 miles), or 5 days, and from A Coruña, about 75 kms (47 miles), or 3 days.  To receive the Compostela, you should have walked at least 100 kms (62 miles), thus you have to either start from Ferrol, or start from Ferrol, fork up to O Coruña then continue on south to Santiago de Compostela.   The route forks at Hospital de Bruma.  About 2% of all pilgrims went this way in 2013.

Here is a nice overview map showing some of the major Camino Routes. (From the Pilgrim-FAQ website.) Thanks to http://www.pilger-faq.de.vu/.

Here is a link to other maps provided by www.pilger-faq.de.vu: Camino Route maps.

For more details on these routes, including itineraries, see the Eroski Website (in Spanish).   Also available on the web is a guide to the Northern Routes: Camino del Norte and Camino Primitivo, and a map for these northern routes.  There are also lots of information on route planning, with maps and planners provided by fellow pilgrims at the Camino de Santiago Forum and corresponding main site Camino de Santiago Website.  Another informative website is Confraternity of Saint James with a comprehensive map of the different routes here.

Wiki References:  Way of St. James, Way of St. James (route descriptions), Muxia

Pinay Pilgrim's Camino de Santiago Packing List

Pinay Pilgrim's Camino de Santiago Packing List

Item	Quantity	Description
Equipment
Backpack	1	30 liters volume or more, lightweight with good suspension, hip belt and sternum strap. Try out with at least an 8 kg load at the shop before buying. I used the Deuter ACT Trail 28. Check out Deuter, Osprey packs.
Pack raincover	1	Preferably integrated into backpack.  It rains quite a bit.
Water bladder	1	1.5 - 2 liters, should fit in backpack.  Easier to sip water while walking. i.e. Platypus, Camelbak
Drybag	1	12 liters or more, waterproof, and with compression valve.  Put your clothes inside to keep dry, and compress (take out air) for a compact package during your hike. This can also be used as a pillow. i.e. Ortlieb, Sea to Summit
Hiking boots/Trail shoes	1	Well-broken in, Goretex, preferably with ankle-support, i.e. Lowe (boots), Salomon (trail shoes)
Small knife	1	Lightweight #4 Opinel (can be bought in France/Spain) or basic Swiss knife. For cutting cheese, ham, bread
Spork	1	Integrated spoon/fork for light weight
Folding mug	1	Lightweight plastic, available at camping stores
Nalgene bottle	1	500 ml bottle, aside from water bladder in backpack, for fast filling in fountains along the way. Can double as hot-water bottle
Travel towel	1	Small and lightweight, fast-drying. i.e. Sea to Summit
Sleeping bag/Bed liner	1	Preferably bring a sleeping bag, specially for cold weather - very light weight (i.e. light down fill weighing less than a kilo);  Lighter bedliner/sleeping sack for warmer season
Headlamp	1	Choose a small and light headlamp. Very useful for going to the washroom at night!  i.e. Petzl, Black Diamond
Whistle	1	For emergency
Small tweezers	1	From Swiss knife
Tying rope	1	About 2 - 3 meters, for making clothesline or tying on stuff to your pack
Clothes
Hiking pants	1	Comfortably loose, with belt, as you may lose some weight. Sturdy, non-cotton, synthetic polyester material for easy washing, drying. Preferably with zip-off pants so you can also use as shorts i.e. North Face, Mammut, Marmot
Extra Lightweight Pants	1	To change into, very lightweight easy washing material
Long sleeve top	1	In cold weather, to use when hiking as another layer. Nice if light wool/woolblend with zip-up top, that stays warm even when wet, and dries fast. i.e Icebreaker, Smartwool, Odlo
Short sleeve tops/Tech shirts	3 -4	One for hiking and two or three extra changes.  Lightweight, quick-drying, i.e. I used Icebreaker 150 merino wool tops -- they were great for cold and even warm weather
Light Wool bottoms	1	Only in cool to cold weather, to use under hiking pants as another layer. Nice if light wool/woolblend, that stays warm even when wet, and dries fast. i.e Icebreaker, Smartwool, Odlo
Extra lightweight shorts or light cotton dress (for ladies)	1	For walking around once you get to hostel, for sleeping, and for changing into from your shower.
Sleepwear	1 set	(For cold weather) I used light wool thermals, top and bottom. For warmer weather, just use the extra short sleeve top and the lightweight shorts
Sports bra (for ladies)	2	(For ladies only) One for hiking, and an extra one to change into when the other one is washed. Dryfit/quickdry material.
Underpants	4	Lightweight, polyester, quick-drying.
Hiking socks	3 - 48	One for hiking and two to three extra changes. Socks should be washed everyday to prevent blisters. One to double as a sleepsock in cold weather.  Wool socks preferable. i.e. Icebreaker, Smartwool, Woolpower
Sports Sandals	1	Lightweight and supportive sandals, to change into, shower with and walk around with (to rest your feet) when you arrive in the hostels, and in a pinch, to use for hiking. i.e. Teva or Crocs
Fleece sweater	1	For cool to cold weather, pullover with zip top to save on weight. I used a relatively thin fleece and added layers when it got too cold, i.e. Odlo
Lightweight gloves	1	Lightweight and warmth retaining, wool or polypropylene
Lightweight skullcap	1	For cool to cold weather, wool or polypropylene material. i.e. Odlo
Hiking hat	1	For sun and rain. Sun can be extremely strong, and it rains pretty hard too, so it's nice to have a waterproof or Goretex hat. i.e. Outdoor Research
Rainjacket	1	Very important piece of clothing.  Choose a lightweight Goretex. i.e. North Face, Marmot, Arcteryx
Rainpants	1	Choose a lightweight Goretex. i.e. Montrail, Marmot
Windbreaker	1	Lightweight and easily packable, i.e. Arcteryx, Marmot.  Use with light wind, and layer under rainjacket when cold
Buff or scarf	1 - 2	Use a Buff scarf, very useful to cover head, neck
Sunglasses	1	Important for strong Spanish sun
Reading glasses, small screwdriver	1	Bring if needed
Important Stuff
Money Belt/ Fanny Pack	1	To hold important stuff that needs to be accessible, i.e. cash, credit cards, passport, cellphone, medicines for the day (I always have arnica globules), sunglasses, reading glasses, comb. Make sure it is waterproof, or put things in ziplocs. I also bring this when I shower (or put them in another stuffsack). Find a sturdy fanny pack.  The zipper of mine broke so I stuffed most of my things in my pockets or my money belt
Passport, Residence Card (and photocopies)	1	Put photocopies in your backpack, store soft copies/pdfs in your smartphone
Health Insurance card	1
Cash		Bring enough, you can also withdraw along the way. Always have some cash, as not too many places accept credit cards.
Debit/Credit Card	1	There are ATMs in bigger cities where you can withdraw cash
Cellphone and charger with EU plug adapter	1	A smartphone is great to have, although you need to charge everyday. I sometimes charge my phone at lunch stops. Do not leave your phone as it is charging, as there have been cases of lost phones. I did not bring a camera and used my smartphone for taking photos, and uploading my blog to the internet.  I have seen pilgrims with extra power packs/batteries, and I would bring one next time (as they are quite lightweight now).
Journal/Notebook	1	Very light/small. To write emergency numbers/contacts and other scribbles.
Pen/Pencil	1
Travel Documents	1	Booking certificates, train and flight tickets
Guide to the Camino (app on your smartphone, printouts, or a guidebook	1	Load a camino app into your smartphone if you are bringing one! Check out my Android App Camino Pilgrim! :-)  You can create your own schedule, check out facilities in localities, albergues and look at their location on offline maps (even when there is no wifi).  You can also bring printouts of itinerary, distances, hike profile, list of albergues), or bring a guidebook. Refer: Guides, Books and Apps for the Camino. If you do bring a book, make sure it is lightweight!
Pilgrim Passport	1	You should have one to be able to stay in pilgrim albergues! Get this from one of the bigger towns on the Camino, i.e. Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, Roncesvalles, Pamplona, Burgos...
Pilgrim Shell	1	Nice to have to show you are a pilgrim. I made one for myself and my sister from a scallop. I bought 2 big Jakobsmuscheln, cooked and ate them -- yum! -- dried the shells, drilled 2 holes along the hinge part and put a string through it. You can also find them for free ( I saw them at the St Jean-Pied-de-Port pilgrim office), or for sale in albergues along the way.
Toiletries
Toiletries organizer	1	Important to organize your toiletries. Find a lightweight organizer, with mesh pockets, a little mirror and a hook for hanging. i.e. Eagle Creek, Deuter. I also put my medical kit in here.
Deodorant	1	50 ml in a plastic bottle is enough for one month
Toothbrush and toothpaste	1	Bring a 75 - 100 ml toothpaste tube, you can buy along the way
Moisturizer	1	50 ml/50 g in a plastic tube, should be enough for a month, for your face
Sunscreen	1	Small plastic tube, can buy refills along the way
Soap	1	In a soap case, or if liquid, in a 100 ml refillable plastic bottle
Shampoo	1	In a 100 ml refillable plastic bottle, refill along way
Comb	1	Small
Lip Balm	1	For chapped lips
Soap	1	In a soap case, or if liquid, in a 100 ml refillable plastic bottle
Nailclipper	1	Small
Toilet Paper	1	Half a roll for emergency (remove inner cardboard part). Usually, hostels have them in supply
Sanitary napkins	1	(for ladies) If necessary
Hand Tissues	1
Earbuds	1 pack	Enough for the hike
Laundry soap	1	If liquid, in 100 ml refillable bottle or a small pouch of detergent for daily washing. At some hostels, when you use the washing machines, they provide some detergent
Medical Kit
Blister tape	1 pack	i.e. Compeed is best, you can buy these in pharmacies along the way. Compeed also has a blister stick which some people use to prevent blisters
Foot ointments/Muscle pain ointments	1	50-100 ml tube i.e. Voltaren gel, Hirschtalg/Milchfett (in Germany). I used these quite a bit to relieve painful feet at the end of the day, and to prevent blisters/pain at the start of the day. See also my blog entry on:  Caring for your feet and Legs during the Camino
Ibuprofen	6 pcs	For aches and pains. i.e. Voltaren, Alvedon. Use sparingly as it is not so good for the liver.  I also brought Arnica globules (homeopathic medicine from Germany) to relieve pain and swelling
Paracetamol	6 pcs	For fevers and pains. i.e. Biogesic, Tylenol, Advil
Antibiotics	21 pcs	For infection, one cycle is 3 times a day for 7 days, use only for emergency. I used them when I had cough, colds that did not go away for 5 days.  Always finish the cycle of 21 tablets.
Antihistamine	4 pcs	For allergies
Diarrhea medicine	4 pcs	For diarrhea
Betadine/Iodine	1	Small plastic bottle, about 15 ml. For external use, for cleaning and disinfecting blisters, wounds
Cotton	1	Just a few cotton balls, store in a little plastic bag
Katinko/Anti-itch cream	1	Bring a small pack of pain and itch relieving, mentholated cream. i.e. Katinko, Vicks
Bandaid	6 pcs	For wounds
Special Medicines		Bring any/all special medicines you may need as they may not always be available on the way. i.e. Asthma medicines, blood pressure maintenance doses, etc
Vitamins		Bring enough of the vitamins you need. Vitamin C always useful (repack in small plastic bags)
Oral Rehydration Tablets/Salts	2	Used as fluid replacement for dehydration, after bout of diarrhea/vomiting. Can also be made with one teaspoon of salt and six teaspoons of sugar added to one liter of water
Miscellaneous Items
Sewing kit	1	Needles, thread, buttons, i.e. bring one they provide in hotels
Safety pins	6	For pinning wet clothes to backpack to dry
Earplugs	1	Important! For noisy nights in albergues, to be able to sleep.
Extra ziploc bags	4 - 6	For all sorts of uses
Food to bring along way
Energy bars	2	Bring along a few
Dried fruits and nuts	1 pack	Bring some, then buy along way
Bread, hams, cheese	1	You can buy food along the way for quick and fast lunches/snacks along the way.
Chocolate bars	1	For energy, bring some, then buy along way
Other Items you may want to bring (not necessary)
Walking poles	1 set	If you need extra support for walking. I used them but discarded them later. Note that this is not allowed as cabin baggage for airlines
Camera	1	A smartphone does the trick, others may prefer a small camera or even an SLR
Rain Poncho	1	I preferred to use a rainjacket/rainpants combination (which also doubles as cold weather gear for me) and a raincover for my backpack, but others prefer to also bring a poncho for the rain and to cover their packs. I noticed that when the wind blows, people have a hard time with their ponchos. Because of the wind, it is not a good idea to use an umbrella for the rain.

Fully-packed Backpacks

The list above contains all the things I brought with me for a 35-day Camino during Spring (March-April), with temperatures from 5 to 15 degrees Celsius. I used each single piece I brought!  The only things I added were an extra pair of shorts for sleeping and one walking pole that I bought halfway through but discarded later.  I weighed each piece I brought (with a kitchen scale).  When I started, my backpack without water weighed about 4 - 5 kilos, and with water and food, about 7 - 8 kilos. My weight then was about 55 kilos and I had lost 5 kilos by the end of the Camino and felt great!  Also refer to how I planned my packing at What to bring to the Camino?  A Packing List for the Camino de Santiago.  My pack also was acceptable as cabin baggage (note that per EU air regulations, a knife with not more than a 6 cm blade is accepted as hand luggage so the Opinel #4 was okay). You can also very easily buy this folding knife or a similar one in France/Spain then just leave it, as it does not cost much.

Remember that for a comfortable Camino, the total weight of backpack and contents should not be more than 10% of your body weight. Choose the most functional and lightweight equipment. A comfortable broken-in pair of hiking boots or trail shoes is very important for a enjoyable hike, together with good socks.  In the list above, I noted the brands of the gear I brought.  Test them all out before you go. Pack your backpack and hike a few kilometers with what you plan to wear -- you will be bringing this pack for 800 kms so make sure each piece counts.

When cold, use layering -- noted here from the inside/closest to the body going outward (top: short sleeve tech shirt, longsleeve wool, fleece jacket, windbreaker, rainjacket; bottom: wool thermals/bottoms, hiking pants, rainpants; buff scarf, fleece cap and mittens). These layers were enough for me up to 3 degrees, even snow, and I generally always feel cold! :-) The extra changes were used when my clothes got wet during rains - it rains quite a lot in spring.  Make sure you keep your extra clothes in your pack dry with a drybag or plastic bags.

You should have a basic medical kit with you as specified in the packing list above, but you can resupply at pharmacies available in bigger towns along the way. Remove all unnecessary packaging to minimize weight.

Good luck and Buen Camino!

Interactive Story Map of my Camino de Santiago, Spring 2013

Here is an interactive story map on my Camino de Santiago pilgrimage, that I made for a maps course on corsera.org.  Below is the first page screenshot and a link.  This is a precursor to my planned Android app -- coming soon. Hope you enjoy the map!

Story map on Camino de Santiago Pilgrimage, Spring 2013

Lessons from the Camino

Along the Camino are hints on the art of living.  Here are a few I have learned along the Way.

Open your heart wider.
Do the things that make you happy. 

Go with the flow.

Follow the yellow arrows.

Pay attention.
Look and really see.
Listen and really hear.

Listen to the chirping of the birds, the gurgling of the stream.
Feel the sun on your face, the cool breeze on your skin, the rain on your cheeks.
Smell the scents of the earth, the tilled ground, the wildflowers, the pine trees, the woodfires, the damp earth in the rain.

Be with yourself.
Be yourself.
Love yourself.
Forgive yourself.
Forgive others.

Do not judge.
Do not let others judge you.

Hug someone.

Compliment someone.

Be able to accept compliments.

Pray.

Travel light.
Bring only what you need.
You need less than you think you need.

Sing out loud.
Listen to music.

Be with people you like.
Do not be with people you do not like.

Communicate.
Learn another language, or two.

Trust.

Hold on.
Let go.

Listen and learn.

Give.
Share.
Accept.

Smile.
Laugh.

There are no shortcuts.

Enjoy the view.
Walk on.

You can do much more than you think you can.

Stop looking for happiness, it's right in front of you.

Day 30:Melide- O Pedrouzo(34.6 kms)

It is only 50 kms left to Santiago! I cannot believe I have been walking for 30 days now. The goal is so near.

As usual, we are one of the last to leave the albergue.  We are out of the door at 8 am, say a prayer at the church of Melide a few meters away, then after a pan neapolitana and a coffee, start our walk at 9 am.

Old laundry stop

From Melide, we reach the next town of Boente at about 10:30 am.  We stamp our pilgrim credential at the church as we found out that once passing the 100 km mark, which is around the Sarria area, one needs to have two stamps per day to get the Compostela certificate that you have finished the Camino.  At the church, we find that a pilgrim has left his credential-- not good as you need it to sleep at the pilgrim houses and as proof of finishing the Camino. We look at the name and see it is a man from Hungary, a pilgrim we had met before. We met him first when we saw him having problems, sort of dizzy and totally exhausted one day.  We asked someone to look out for him and told him to just hitch a ride to the next town (which we found out he did when we saw him later at another stop).  This morning we had seen him just outside the albergue and we had asked how he was doing and where he was going this day.  We brought the credential to look for him and we found him after about a kilometer of downhill trails, actually looking through his bags and remembering he had left his credential at the church. When he saw us waving his credential, he said -- you are two angels.

Galician landscape

Long and leafy trail

I leave a euro - the price for a small pack of strawberries at an unattended fruit stand along the Camino. Honor system here. They are delicious. We arrive in the town of Arzua and look for a place to have lunch. We are lucky to find the Restaurant de Peregrinos where we share a pilgrim menu of spaghetti carbonara, ternera asado (beef stew) and the super best blueberry cheesecake ever.  The generous servings were more than enough for the two of us.

Roadside fruit/food store - honor system

Rock crossing

Later, after more trails going through rolling terrain and through farmlands, we pass the Cafe Calzada at 3:30 pm and have a coke.  There are 2 men sitting outside who have gaitas, an instrument that looks and sounds like bagpipes.  I ask the man who looks like the leader if he could play something and he did. It was great! The music sounds Irish but it is actually Galician folk music. He tells me that some other people will come to play in 10 minutes or so as they were practicing for a fiesta for los gentes mayor in Arzua.  They do arrive in a few minutes and play some music which I record on video.  I ask the name of the band. They are called "As sobreiras do ulla".  The leader says it is in Gallego, the language of the Galician region of Spain.

 

 Gaita music by the group As sobreiras do ulla

Cafe Calzada with the gaita music players

After staying about 30 minutes there, we continue on to O Pedrouzo another 12 kms away.  We arrive at 7 pm and check in at Porto de Santiago, a very nice private albergue.  We put in some laundry at their washing machine then go for dinner at O Boi pulperia.  Dinner is a shared menu of pulpo (octupus), churasaco (grilled meats), a bottle of wine and an apple tart.

Churrasco!

We need to sleep early for our last Camino day -- a 20 km walk to Santiago.  We want to get there in time for the 12 noon pilgrim mass.