A day in Madrid

Picasso, Miro & Dali enthralled me at Reina Sophia this morning. Lots of education and inspiration... And a relax in the gardens 

Farewell Sicily!

We've had a great time and the food has been amazing - even in national park cafes!!!

Mt Etna

Glorious views from south side of Mt Etna. Last major eruption covered this area and lava like huge earth works all around us. Sophie and I held each for fear the wind would blow us into the minor craters!

Layers of history

Despite the heat we had a great day clambering over Greek/ Roman/ early Christian ruins in the Valley of the Temples below Agrigento yesterday.

The modern city is on a ridge and looks down on the temples and out to sea. Our room is on a tree-lined promenade with the vista below.

Roman urchin

Site of worship of Demeter and Persephone. Hints that this is where Persephone disappeared into the earth.

Sicily segue

Sophie joined me in Palermo yesterday and we visited the  Palatine chapel, covered in stunning mosaics.

Last minute thoughts on Santiago

Now that I am off the Camino I remember a few of my favourite things and my last day in Santiago:

Tartes de Santiago- very yum!

Meeting up with Sue whom I hadn't seen since my 2nd night out. Both of us slimmer, fitter and browner!

Santiago in pilgrim dress- odd that he would be on pilgrimage to his own tomb...

More pilgrims arriving in front of the cathedral.

Santiago!!!!

Yesterday afternoon I walked into the huge square in front of the ginormous cathedral in Santiago! It was a very long day but sunny, through a surprising amount of forest (eucalypt and oak). 

Last night I met with many of my companions from the first half of my walk including a Croation chap I met in St Jean and haven't seen since; my "Angel" Ingrid who translated at the medical centre when I was so sick; and a remarkable  Australian lady Sue whose husband died in Leon. She has walked on for him and he has been given a Compostella too.

Today I hope to find the pilgrim's office and gain my Compostella, the certificate that I have finished, and see some of my friends from the second half.

First sighting of Santiago 

A happy star dance!

Some of us outside the cathedral 

Gardens

I passed lots of beautiful gardens as well as forests in brilliant sunshine today. 

Loved the house painted pink to match the tall camellia out front. Next door had the tallest lemon tree I've ever seen - and was painted yellow!

 Everyone's spirits up including these chaps dressed as knights - just caught the last of them passing the cafe where I had my second (or was that 3rd?) breakfast ..

Big business in restoring old houses and barns here but I think this one might be beyond help...

Mud, mud, more mud

Miserable day squelching through the mud yesterday. Difficult to sit for a picnic or a rest when everything is saturated, too. But as usual, Camino magic prevailed and I happened on a donativo and one of the hospitaleros gave me a bowl of soup she'd just made. A Brazilian friend sat down opposite, some Queenslanders I've walked with came in and we all decided to stay. Not only did the hospitaleros wash and dry my muddy clothes they served us more home made food, engaged us in some games and we talked about what we'd found on the Camino late into the night (9pm!!! Terribly late for pilgrims!)

La Fuente, the albergue 

Cheery pilgrims 

Mud

Thought I glimpsed a roo in the oaks then the scent of gum trees wafted over - must be nearly time to go home!!!

Agricultural matters

Thought Scott, Dad and Jim might be impressed with these incredibly solid fence posts scrounged from a nearby monastery that had seen happier days:

Also this nifty barn door closure, sort of like a cocky's gate?

These are the Galician seed silos. Seem pretty small even with their tiny fields 

Also saw some "pretty" purple flowers in amongst the grasses. Never many of them. Conditions must be better for them in Australia! 

A bird of encouragement...

Every morning at about the 1km mark I start to wonder what on earth I'm doing: I've slept poorly or my knees are already aching or the path is thick with mud or strewn with rocks or it's pouring rain or blazing sun.... Whatever, it's a long way to my daily destination. Just then a little bird appears on a branch, a fence or a wire and sings me an aria. I wish I could send you a pic of my little angel but he's too quick and cunning to catch on my camera.

Today it rained a lot and the mud was thick and sticky and I thought the walk might never end ..... but it did... I showered, washed the mud off my clothes and boots, and am now enjoying a nice hot chocolate and a yummy tarte de Santiago- highly recommended!

I passed the 100km to Santiago mark today. Proof below!

A day in the life of a pilgrim

In case you're getting sick of the stunning, stupendous, incredible scenery I thought I might let you in on an ordinary day for this pilgrim.

I left the albergue late this morning, about 8.15, because the cafe didn't open for breakfast until 7.30 and I cannot miss my cafe con leche day-starter. The Fillobal cafe also had porridge advertised and I couldn't miss such a novelty in Spain! This is the cafe and albergue as I left:

Once I had stocked up at the sopermercado in Triacastella I set off for a long stretch over a mountain and through beautiful forests, stopping for a couple of picnics and to admire the views, flowers and hamlet houses fairly often.

Along the way I refilled the water bottles at a village fuente (fountain).

As I came off the mountain today I walked into this donativo, a stall of fruit, drinks, bread and oil available for pilgrims for a donation. It was open for the first day, indeed the first hour, this season and was hosted by an Australian,Simon, from Wentworth. Of course, I had to spend an hour or so chatting with him before reluctantly setting out again.

While at Simon's I met Patricia from Colorado and we fell into step for the next few kilometres chatting about our lives and Caminos. We stopped for a cafe con leche and empanada a few villages along.

Patricia's husband was keen to keep moving on to Sarria so I farewelled them with a "buen Camino", plugged in some walking music and set off on the final leg to my albergue in the middle of nowhere before Sarria. Then shower, laundry, plan the morrow, chat with other pilgrims, a community meal and sweet, sweet sleep!

This is a semi typical dorm (but not tonight..I have treated myself to a room on my own!)

Galicia

After filling my water bottles at the village fuente I left Laguna de Castilla and the province of Leon in light rain and a swirling fog. Passing into Galicia the fog gradually cleared revealing luminous green vistas and a multitude of German pilgrims starting their Camino in O'Cebreiro.

I also sat a while with a medieval pilgrim on Alto de San Roque gazing out toward Santiago, less than a week away now.