We've been walking quite a bit the past few days. The weather has been variable, but most days we've been out walking. We try to change it up each time though we visit many of the same places along the way. Way points. In an effort to remove the same old feeling we've changed directions, deviated and sometimes just let our feet figure it out. The last three days were like that, and they turned out to be really nice walks. We've now arrived at 900 kms walked during this virtual camino and no doubt we will walk many more this summer. We've already walked far enough to complete the Camino Portuguese a couple of weeks ago and on Monday we would have completed the Camino del Norte. In another 100 kms we will have walked the length of the Via de la Plata and 200 kms from now we will have walked half the distance of the Via Francigena to Rome. One step at a time.
We stopped at one ocean view that we like to visit a couple of times each week, year round. It's never quite the same. Thankfully always changing. Sometimes calm and other times wild. Always beautiful. This is where Annemarie always likes to stop and take a personal moment.
We've walked through this valley many times this past two months and it too is always changing at different times of the year. The light and textures is always changing, sometimes quite unbelievable. Perhaps one of my favourite places to walk.
We've walked to and depending on the tide have crossed this beach often as well. Annemarie loves to walk down here. It too changes each time we visit. Yesterday the tide was super low and the spring storms have pushed the sand shoreward again. The Canada Geese families are growing quickly as well. It's always fun to watch them develop, even knowing that their droppings are going to make a mess everywhere they go. For the moment that's forgotten. They just help to make the place interesting.
This sail boat that sunk during the winter storms along our coast looks just so derelict. What a shame. I wonder what the owners are thinking? There are still four other vessels in similar condition along the beach. None of them look salvageable.
As I stood quietly beside a fountain small birds took turns bathing in the fresh moving water. At one point each of the metal lily fronds had a bird playing. I wish I'd had my camera out a moment earlier. It would have been quite the shot.
The bees working the geraniums are so intent on their business that they let me come very close.
Out on the camino, in 2013 our last stage into Santiago was wet. We went out into the dark and it was awful. The trail was almost impossible to find.
Parts of the trail weren't even walkable and we had to deviate in places where the trail had literally turned into fast moving streams.
In 2018 I was just past the half way point on my last stage as I walked through Azura where we began in 2013. I was now enjoying one of the most beautiful days since Annemarie had left in Logroño 20 days earlier. Though my day had started in the cool dark fog, it was now sunny and warming to a welcome 12 degrees. It was wonderful. For now and all the way in most of the photos will be from that special day in 2018.
Around past the airport where there had been a fast flowing stream in 2013.
At this point you always seem to think that you're almost there, but you're not.
The view looked familiar. We couldn't see this in 2013 because of the rain and low cloud, but having walked into this area from the south three other times those hills had a familiar look to them, so I knew it couldn't be a whole lot further.
Funny what the mind can conjure up. As we approached we passed Jen and Karen, both draped under their ponchos looking pretty wet. I thought that I'd snapped their photo, but as I look through the few I took on the walk in I now realize that it was just a powerful image that stayed in my mind. There isn't a photo. It was too wet.
Then Monte Gozo on the outskirts of Santiago. One of those iconic places. I'd read about it before our walk in 2013, but with the abysmal weather my photos were pretty poor. In mid-November 2018 I arrived early afternoon and I had the place pretty much to myself. I was able to finally see what Annemarie and I had been unable to see. I stayed an hour and it turned out to be the place where I ended up reflecting on the 1500 kms crossed in 51 days that Annemarie and I had walked for Alzheimer's awareness. After this the walk into Santiago was more or less, dare I say it, routine.
The two pilgrims pointing towards Santiago. Ha! We had no idea where this statue was in 2013.
I laughed when I realized how far into the park and down the hill from the original monument these two were. No wonder we couldn't locate them in 2013.
By now it was getting late in the afternoon and I still needed to walk into town.
In 2013 I vividly remember the many pilgrims hurrying towards town from here on.
The streets were busy and full of excited pilgrims, but in 2018 I was alone as I walked into the city centre. It was a bit strange.
And before I knew it, I was walking past familiar places on the way to the famous Praza Obrdoiro in front of the Cathedral's main entrance.
And down the tunnel along side the cathedral where the bagpiper often plays.
And into the square.
This was taken in 2016 when Rob and I walked in off the Camino Invierno. The scaffolding was still up. Fortunately it was all gone in 2018, but they were just beginning the work on the inside.
Everyone sent me a photo from their 2013 arrival.
Ken.
Ken's memories;
Walked into the Praza Obradoiro and turned around, saw what I thought was the cathedral. The two main towers, one off to the right. Walked over the check the sign. “Pilgrim mass 12 noon.” Shock and disbelief. I’m here. I found my hotel on the map, but don’t care about that until this afternoon. Think I found the pilgrim office but let’s get the church over with first. The good news (aside from my safe arrival, uninjured, not like the French woman in my room last night who could barely walk this morning) is the weather. The wind and rain that kept me awake last night--it was like a hurricane--are gone. Just the usual drizzle and squalls now. Any pilgrim can deal with that with good humour. Dinner with Geoff and Annemarie and Jenn and Karen tonight.
Neil...hey, no fair! This was taken after he'd cleaned up.
Annemarie and Geoff.
Some of the gatherings in front. Beth from home who bravely walked in on what turned out to be a broken bone in her foot. Returned home to a cast.
The California family and Beth.
2014 Via de la Plata.
Avec mon ami Didier.
2016 the Camino Invierno with Rob.
2016 Camino Portuguese with Neil and Sarah.
2018, Camino For Alzheimer's Awareness.
I think most of us have come to understand that while arriving into Santiago is special and the completion of a long pilgrimage, it's often more than that. Perhaps a life altering change of direction as it was for me, and I suspect as it was for those who also walked this virtual camino. In fact I know that it was. At the same time it's also simply a way point on our individual journeys. Brilliant that we've all stayed so closely connected and were able to virtually re-walk the camino together. A real gift.
In the next day or so I'll post some nice memories from Santiago before we walk onwards to Finisterre.
Buen Camino!
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