so i have mad 3 posts in the past 5 days and none and taken for some reason. I think i have it fixed so this will be a catch up. pics will post this afternoon. Thanks
A final leg into Santiago ended the blur of a ride I had today. Being about 70k out from Santiago is not bad but the fact that it is coming to an end so quickly is very disappointing. I write this with a few reqrets that are simple. I should have planned more time to ride the camino. The answer is I may consider it again in a different format. Maybe hike or maybe mountain bike it. I have to say the simple things you learn are so huge from the camino.
The people. They come from all walks of life and they all have something different going on that drives them and has brought them here. They all have a reason for doing this journey and everyone is very personal and some are even as simple as I was asked to hike it with a friend. Everyone seems to be loking for something different from their experience.
The landscape: like life it changes as a you go. It is a forever changing scene as you travel. One day your rolling in the mountains of France and the next the vineyeards of rioja to the more mountains with pine forests to wheat fields of the massetta to the wine fields of the highlands to the gallicia area which has everthing in between. Cherry fields, to olive groves, to peach orchards to poppy fields to pear tree fields to chestnut groves to wheat fields then vineyards which is ever changing. I witness hundreds of acres of kale on one day then over a climb and it is vineyards.
Simplicity: That is how I describe the people here. They live simply and they appreciate the jewels of the land they inhabit. Its truly amazing. Over a climb after OCobreiro I saw man moving his cows (bulls) from one field to another, he had a herding dog moving them around and he was talking to them as they proded along. Later that day I found out the leg of the cow is a piece of meat they smoke and use as a delicacy and I got to try it. It was really good. I think they may have inventing smoked pork in this country because it is great everywhere you go! When you go to a market they give you a sample, it could be a cherry, piece of cheese, meat, an apple or pear, there is always a sample and they will tell you quickly which one to buy and which one you can buy and wait a day on which is great.
Taking in the world. They enjoy slowing down and drinking good wine, good food and being social. It is truy amazing and underappreciated at home I think and I am amazed at the people watching. You walk by a café and the chairs face out. You are facing the world. I can honestly say I would not have met 2 men sitting at a café in Paris if it weren’t for the chairs. They were cyclists, John and Gene. Gene is from Canada and John is a local but they had finished a ride, I was looking for a bike shop and I just stopped and spoke with them. Incredibly nice and helpful and I have kept up with both of them since moving on to the Camino. Pretty awesome.
Siesta. I never got it but I do now. The days are different here. Sunrise at 6 and sunset at 11. No wonder they do siesta. Spain is hot. It is like the SC sun in Columbia in the afternoons. I personally think Columbia is the gateway to hell (sorry to all of you that love Columbia but that place is hot and I could go on with the politicians living there and so forth but I digress). Siesta is a good thing I am realizing I would say we need it more in USA but our days are shorter so not sure it works the same.
Santiago: What a neat old city. IT is a typical Spanish city which is fairly modern with the old town in the city center. The difference is Santiago has cathedral that is absolutely huge. It is larger than any one I have seen yet on the Camino but enough to swallow a few up. There is also the tomb of st James in there so I get it.
Once in town you go to the square in front of the church which is the tradition finish point. IT is huge with vendors selling tourist trap items and people dressed up like statues so you can get you photo taken, musicians and then the pilgrims are everywhere. Bikes, hikers, and then the families of the pilgrims and general tourists. The streets are narrow and curvy and every turn is something new. Walk around one curve and there is a guitar player and the next is a full concert around a fountain with orechestra and bagpiper playing a solo. Lots of bagpipes here but seem to have a different sound and be a little different from the Scottish style pipes we see at home.
We got to the hotel (Paradore) which was really nice and then cleaned up and went to the pilgrims office where you get your compestella certificate. I got 2, one for completion and one showing my official mileage from St Jean. I left from Bayonne but didn’t have a stamp so I get credit for St jean which is still almost 800km from Santiago. NO complaints, the actual ride so far has well over 1400km thus far and I can say every part of the journey has had a different feel and it has been great.