28th May
Grandas de Salime to Padrón
My daughter Josie, text me to say that according to the little blue book (which we each have a copy of) there is a bar in Puerto de Acebo. I replied I hoped so, as it was freezing on the way up this huge mountain. She also said that it said it was sometimes closed and that the ‘camino’ can be almost impassable from Penafuente to the Puerto, due to abundant plant growth, and if so to use the old road that went round the hill, by the right. I can’t be sure which way we went.
Later on that day I sent a text to Maisie saying ‘Tell Jo I’m at a bar, and our three coffee’s and four orujos (strong alcoholic drink) cost 10E but I have just fallen a… over tit he he’!! Maisie text to say I’d better stay put until the effects had worn off and I text back with words along the lines of I’ll probably be rolling down the other side of the mountain! The café was right at the top. I remember texting those words but can’t remember the walk!!!!!
I believe we had used the roadway described. The bar I think was the first bar inside Galicia. The lady had insisted we try the different orujos but would not let me take her photo. I only got Piero in the photo as she ran out the bar!
I did manage to get her to stamp my credential though.
I do remember that later we had split up and I thought I was in front of Paco.
I stopped at a café in a village and on ordering a coffee I smelt fish cooking and as I went to use the men’s room I passed the kitchen where there was pulpo boiling in the pot on the stove and fish frying in a pan. Coming back I ordered the menu and never saw Paco go by. On walking out of the town and while going down a hill, a guardia Land-rover stopped over the other side of the road.
‘What now I thought!’ He got out and called to me, and said
“Your friends are already in the guardia building in Padron the next village and you should go there as the albergue is closed. The power is cut off.”
He told me how to find it and to go round the back and up the stairs. On arriving I found it was really good with, tea, coffee, milk and eggs in the fridge. As well as Paco and Piero there was one other chap I knew there, the Spaniard Roberto.
29th May
Padrón to Càdavo Baleira
The mist lasted all day as Piero and I walked high up through eerie pine forests and over misty moorland, at times we could hear the big windmills turning with a whooshing sound but couldn’t see them. By midday we were soaking wet. I changed my socks to let my feet dry for a bit as wet feet go soft.
In one village I bought a chorizo and beans and eventually at 5 p.m. we arrived at Cadávo, cold and damp. We had a job to find the key as we were unable to get a phone signal but we found a bar and eventually a chap appeared in a car and opened it up and showed off his albergue. It was very new and good with nice hot showers and comfortable bunks and we got it to ourselves although five cyclists did come by but decided not to stop. We washed our clothes and tried to dry them in the hallway. Piero came up with the idea of putting our socks one at a time over the hand dryer and in a few minutes they were dry, soon we were all doing it. I cooked a big vegetable and pasta stew (great) and went for a drink and found the new chap Roberto in a hotel bar. We drank together and when my red wine was not very drinkable gave me good advice that here in the north, it was best to drink white wine, Albariño or Ribeiro but the last is expensive.I was worried about not being able to contact Maisie as she had said she had a cold and I hoped she was feeling better but there still was no mobile phone signal.
30th May
Càdavo Baleira -to Lugo
Early on at the top of a big climb I found a horseshoe shaped clump of four leaf clovers. Piero could not believe his eyes as we picked probably a dozen or more each and still there were some left. Paco was not with us at the time and said on being told the story
“No existí.”
We had a great walk in the sun until we arrived in Lugo.
Here it was very cold with cold winds in the streets. We found the albergue and washed and put our washing on the patio. Paco was there. I went to get my photos copied and sent off to Maisie and found Paco. We got caught for a tourist census in the freezing street and Paco couldn’t get away.
At last we did and looked round the cathedral,
which was very good, but found the museum a bit dull. We then went back and found Piero and with me wrapped in Pieros warm jacket, we all went to eat at a place recommended by the albergue. It was a good meal and Piero kindly paid.
“No existí.”
We had a great walk in the sun until we arrived in Lugo.
Here it was very cold with cold winds in the streets. We found the albergue and washed and put our washing on the patio. Paco was there. I went to get my photos copied and sent off to Maisie and found Paco. We got caught for a tourist census in the freezing street and Paco couldn’t get away.
At last we did and looked round the cathedral,
which was very good, but found the museum a bit dull. We then went back and found Piero and with me wrapped in Pieros warm jacket, we all went to eat at a place recommended by the albergue. It was a good meal and Piero kindly paid.
31st May
Lugo to San Román
“What the hell” I fell off the bed tangled up in my sleeping sheet and crawled to the wall socket where the phone sat ringing its head off. I crawled back and sat on the bed pushing buttons
“Hello” I whispered.
Maisie’s voice came down the line
“Its me.”
The rest of my mates were all moving and starting to wake now. I had been in a deep sleep when that call came! I had been lucky I’d left the phone switched on when charging the thing. It was just a pity it was ten feet from my bed at the time.
It was lovely to hear her voice after all this time and I tried to tell her how I was doing and how much I missed her without waking the rest. But the damage had been done, by the time I had said goodbye to Maisie everyone was chuckling about my ungainly dash across the floor.
I had first thought to stay a day in Lugo but the cold had worried me and I had made the decision to move on with the others.
A nice easy walk in warm sun brought us to San Vicente.
We stopped for a break on the way and took photos t
hen another two kilometres more and we stopped for coffee and orujo! We decided it was too far to the next albergue some thirty-five kilometres. So we got the people from the bar to ring and arranged to be picked up and brought back in the morning from a private albergue. For although this bar was marked as an albergue on some of the maps, they had been refused a licence because they wouldn’t charge as they had no showers! 
We had little alternative but use the taxi service. We had to wait till six for the lift and phoned twice because they had forgotten about us. We decided to eat at the pub. They gave us a super meal of cold meats and cheese sitting outside on the lawn in the sun with beers, wine, and orujo. Sitting enjoying the sun and eating, I was so glad that I had changed my mind and walked with Paco and Piero, they were great company and now great friends.
When we went to pay I gave a Koala to the lady behind the bar and her husband wrote on him ‘Michael’ and the date 31/ 5/ 2005 and put it on the pub shelf. I hope he brings a little happiness to this couple who, I was led to believe had recently lost their only daughter in a tragic car crash. I took a photo of us eating and lots of the pub’s granaries and the Roman crossroads pillar,
but unfortunately I never took a photo of them!
1st June
San Román to Melide
We left after eating breakfast in the bar below our rooms at 9 am. A pleasant young lady then drove us back to the old pub in her car. From here the three of us walked on by the old Roman pillar in bright sunshine. Although the sun was shining the day was still a little cold but it soon warmed up as we walked on.
We followed the arrows and passed a little Roman bridge where we all took photos. The country road then climbed towards a mountain, topped with windmills. On the way up we took a right fork and found ourselves in a tiny hamlet and asked builders and the dueña where we were. 
After filling our water bottles we had to return about two kilometres. At the junction we set off again towards the windmills at the top and just before found a lovely shady park and here we shared our rations.
A little further on this very lonely road, miles from anywhere, we passed an enormously big-busted countrywoman in the tiniest of mini skirts. She stopped and called after us and we kept going up the hill and waved back. The comments of the other two guys I can’t print here but will just say they thought she could keep the whole population from here to Lugo very happy and probably did.
It was a nice walk gradually coming down out of the mountains but the last bit was hard as it wasn’t quite so interesting and it was some thirty kilometres today. We stopped in a small bar and had a drink to revive us then went on. It was quite hot now too.
Arriving at Melide we booked into the albergue and found it was quite full with new unknown faces. We had now joined the Camino Francés. Paco insisted we should go out for a meal tonight. It had to be Pulpo (octopus), as he considered this the best meal there is, and he knew the best place in town as he had eaten there when walking the Camino Francés last year. We went out to find it and found it was not open yet. No problem, we went to a bar had a drink and did some shopping and came back shortly after and took a table and Paco ordered the big wooden platter of pulpo.
It was very good and came served with a jug of white wine. The wine soon went and we recharged it, then the plate was empty so Paco called for another. 
While we drank more wine another large platter of octopus was placed over the last and we got stuck into that and had to call for more wine. By the time the second platter was empty so was the last jug and the waiter came and invited us to an orujo. By the time we had drunk that, no one cared anymore. Piero called for another round then Paco. I suddenly realised I was going to have a job standing as we finished the last one. I probably should have also contributed but was having problems with the language for some reason. My tongue had stopped working properly, Piero and Paco helped me to my feet (not that they stood any steadier than I did) and we left the restaurant to return to the albergue that somehow we seemed to have difficulty finding. We now must have been on some sort of automatic pilot because my next memory is of awaking in the albergue.
2nd June
Melide to Arca
I opened an eye and seeing the room perform a summersault I quickly closed it then tried again, and as my vision cleared I realised we were the last here and must leave. I glanced down and saw I was fully dressed and lying on my lower bunk, at least I didn’t have to dress.
“I must collect my washing from the line outside” I said and staggered out into the bright sun. Ahh! I walked to the line and all was gone.
“Bugger, someone’s pinched me bloody trousers and my bloody socks!” I groaned and sat down again. The other two laughed
“You collected them last night when we came back” they informed me (there’s a photo of me leaning against the wall with the red bag I use to put the washing in as proof!)
Well somehow we packed and walked way back into town to get coffee. Strong coffee and aspirins cleared my vision considerably. Now we came out into the street and Paco sadly said his goodbye and crossed the road to catch his bus to Santiago. Piero and I set off to find the arrows. This we did in the end although it was not until we came to the outskirts of the town.
Sweating profusely and drinking as much water as we could, we covered the first ten kilometres. I felt much better now and amazingly Piero and I walked thirty-five kilometres that day! Maisie phoned me and she said my motorbike had been sold and cash was in the bank, just an hour after she had received the news that I had found a six-leaf clover. Money in the bank is always great news. Lots of pilgrims on the track now and we walked with a pretty Italian girl for a while and a Basque. Piero didn’t seem to click with the girl who spoke Italian to him and English to me and he dropped back and spoke Spanish to the Basque. After a while Piero and I left them and later on, while we lay under some trees eating our lunch, she went walking by on her own.
There are several albergues on this section, but we passed two including the only one I had used before and we trudged into Arca and found the big albergue.
We got a good spot in a room that as yet was unused. Having washed and showered we did our chores, and shopping. I then went up the road for a drink in a bar that served meals. Piero was already there. I noticed the narrow shady terrace and a woman drinking a beer on her own on as I went in. Piero was sitting at the noisy bar and I
felt I needed to sit in the quiet outside, so returned to the terrace. I asked if I could join the lady as it would have been difficult to push by to the other table, and anyway I felt like talking to someone.
Lisa was a slim, attractive and charming lady from Germany. We were soon chatting as if we had known each other for a long time. She had been walking for only a couple of weeks and admitted to walking very slowly.
“I have walked twice before, but each time I walked a different section of the Camino. Now I can’t believe it, tomorrow I will complete my journey and my Camino!” “Tomorrow will be the first time I arrive in Santiago. It will be on my birthday too!” she said
I congratulated her and told her how I had been twice before, of how I had been very affected by the experience and its ritual that we all have to go through, and explained it to her. We ordered a beer each, a large stein for her and a half for me. We laughed as the waitress put the large glass in front of me.
“That always happens, small German ladies drink big beers,” she joked and swapped them over. Piero had joined us and we decided to eat here and Lisa, who is a vegetarian, agreed to join us if she could find something she could eat from the menu. She settled for the fish and I the veal while Piero chose a beef burger. Meanwhile the waitress seemed determined to give Piero a hard time. He had already had problems getting his drinks. While the waitress served us almost immediately, he had to call two or three times and wait every time, it was as if she had forgotten him. Piero’s Spanish was much better than my own, so that was not the problem. Our waitress now set two places for Lisa and me with nice paper tablecloths, none for Piero! We joked about it but it got worse and the joke bigger as our meals were soon delivered and were huge. Piero’s bun with a beef burger in it came eventually slammed in front of him by the hurrying waitress but with no knife or fork. We presumed it might be because he ordered a burger, but there was a little salad on the plate with the bun! We pulled his leg about it again laughing. Piero, being very hungry ate it well before we had made much headway with our own meals he then re-ordered a veal and chips, but of course when it came it was more than anyone could eat, let alone after eating a beef-burger!
We had a good time telling of our experiences on our different journeys and Lisa had not realised Piero and I had walked the North way, a completely different Camino except for today’s walk from Melide.
We had fun throughout the meal but we had to get up early. Piero and I intended to walk quickly because we wanted to arrive before the church service. So saying goodnight to Lisa we said we would look out for her in Santiago tomorrow.
3rd June
Arca to Santiago Compostela
Next morning we walked very fast and arrived about eleven thirty in the ‘Plaza del Obradoiro,’ here we stood on the shell plaque and congratulated each other and got someone to take our photo.
Then we went in the front door of the cathedral.
“Turn left and the first bar, OK I will” she smiled
Outside I turned left and browsed the shop windows for souvenirs and strolled till I came to the first bar but could not see Piero, but next door in the second one I found him sitting inside. I joined him and ordered a vino de verano.
Piero was looking at the train times and said he would leave that afternoon.
Arriving at the end of such a long walk is different for everybody, I felt Piero did not want his journey to end, he had to keep going. While I would stop a day or to and then I knew I too must carry on walking. I made up my mind then, I would do the true North route from Oviedo. I had been thinking on those lines the last few days but now I had decided.
“Ok I will miss you, we have come along way together” I said in Spanish putting a hand on his shoulder.
“Si también” he replied sombrely.
We sat quietly drinking and I was now thinking it was going to be lonely and expensive taking a room for just myself having lost my young companion. Then I saw Lisa coming in.
“Hey here’s Lisa” I said and waved to her. She joined us and I ordered a big beer!
Lisa said she had arrived too late to see the church service and would have to go tomorrow, she wanted to stay a day to look round.
'So after our drinks here I will have to look for a hostel” she said.
“I have the same problem but I know some of the cheaper places if you want to accompany me afterwards.”
“Ok” she agreed smiling.
We drank our beverages and Piero said he would start walking to the train station. So saying a sad farewell to him in the crowded street, Lisa and I turned right and glanced back and waved as he disappeared into the crowd.
Lisa was a great companion and we got on well together,
She was a lady on holiday from a job that gave enormous stress. Now she was very relaxed after having finished her Camino. Lisa refused to be hurried as we strolled round town looking for a place to eat, enjoying every moment, soaking up the Spanish atmosphere of this fabulous city.
I had discovered a tapas bar last year with two of my Plata friends. We now searched and found the crowded bar and pushed through and sat at a tiny table and ordered a bottle of wine and tried as many of the little snack dishes that a vegetarian (who would eat fish luckily) could eat. We later strolled to the main square the ‘Plaza del Obradoiro’ again to listen to the guitar music of a band of student minstrels that play under the arches there.
4th June
Santiago Compostela
Next day I collected my tent from the post office and did some emailing. I met Lisa again in the square and entered the cathedral. Here we both went through the ritual of the placing of the hands on the marble pillar and banging our foreheads on the effigy and climbed the stairs and hugged the Santo and both gave our thanks for our safe journey. I lit the candles again for Maisie and all my friends at one of the shrines. I always pick the one with the Virgin Mary in I realised after doing it. Now it was time to find our pilgrims places on the pews and here we listened to the nun singing and did our best to join in. I was lucky for next to me was a young woman with a beautiful voice, quite enchanting. We stood and sat as necessary, throughout the long but moving service. The scene at the end is quite incredible. The enormous silver incense burner hangs on a thick rope from the centre dome, As we watched, the burner was lit, then, smoke now pouring from within, it was jerked up above the altar, hauled by eight or nine men who catch the swinging movement with the same thick rope. They increased it’s swing, again and again, until it almost touched the lofty ceiling way above our heads. Trailing flame and incense smoke it returned to swing across to the far side and back again. Only now, when one more pull would make it crash into the ceiling was it allowed to slow down.
A man in purple ran forward through the haze of smoke and grabbed it in a graceful dance movement and it was brought to rest. They untied the rope and the burner was carried off. The service over we came out into the bright sunlight and the hustle an bustle of the old town.
“Hello” I whispered.
Maisie’s voice came down the line
“Its me.”
The rest of my mates were all moving and starting to wake now. I had been in a deep sleep when that call came! I had been lucky I’d left the phone switched on when charging the thing. It was just a pity it was ten feet from my bed at the time.
It was lovely to hear her voice after all this time and I tried to tell her how I was doing and how much I missed her without waking the rest. But the damage had been done, by the time I had said goodbye to Maisie everyone was chuckling about my ungainly dash across the floor.
I had first thought to stay a day in Lugo but the cold had worried me and I had made the decision to move on with the others.
A nice easy walk in warm sun brought us to San Vicente.
We stopped for a break on the way and took photos t
hen another two kilometres more and we stopped for coffee and orujo! We decided it was too far to the next albergue some thirty-five kilometres. So we got the people from the bar to ring and arranged to be picked up and brought back in the morning from a private albergue. For although this bar was marked as an albergue on some of the maps, they had been refused a licence because they wouldn’t charge as they had no showers! 
We had little alternative but use the taxi service. We had to wait till six for the lift and phoned twice because they had forgotten about us. We decided to eat at the pub. They gave us a super meal of cold meats and cheese sitting outside on the lawn in the sun with beers, wine, and orujo. Sitting enjoying the sun and eating, I was so glad that I had changed my mind and walked with Paco and Piero, they were great company and now great friends.When we went to pay I gave a Koala to the lady behind the bar and her husband wrote on him ‘Michael’ and the date 31/ 5/ 2005 and put it on the pub shelf. I hope he brings a little happiness to this couple who, I was led to believe had recently lost their only daughter in a tragic car crash. I took a photo of us eating and lots of the pub’s granaries and the Roman crossroads pillar,
but unfortunately I never took a photo of them!
1st June
San Román to Melide
We left after eating breakfast in the bar below our rooms at 9 am. A pleasant young lady then drove us back to the old pub in her car. From here the three of us walked on by the old Roman pillar in bright sunshine. Although the sun was shining the day was still a little cold but it soon warmed up as we walked on.
We followed the arrows and passed a little Roman bridge where we all took photos. The country road then climbed towards a mountain, topped with windmills. On the way up we took a right fork and found ourselves in a tiny hamlet and asked builders and the dueña where we were. 
After filling our water bottles we had to return about two kilometres. At the junction we set off again towards the windmills at the top and just before found a lovely shady park and here we shared our rations.
A little further on this very lonely road, miles from anywhere, we passed an enormously big-busted countrywoman in the tiniest of mini skirts. She stopped and called after us and we kept going up the hill and waved back. The comments of the other two guys I can’t print here but will just say they thought she could keep the whole population from here to Lugo very happy and probably did.
It was a nice walk gradually coming down out of the mountains but the last bit was hard as it wasn’t quite so interesting and it was some thirty kilometres today. We stopped in a small bar and had a drink to revive us then went on. It was quite hot now too.
Arriving at Melide we booked into the albergue and found it was quite full with new unknown faces. We had now joined the Camino Francés. Paco insisted we should go out for a meal tonight. It had to be Pulpo (octopus), as he considered this the best meal there is, and he knew the best place in town as he had eaten there when walking the Camino Francés last year. We went out to find it and found it was not open yet. No problem, we went to a bar had a drink and did some shopping and came back shortly after and took a table and Paco ordered the big wooden platter of pulpo.
It was very good and came served with a jug of white wine. The wine soon went and we recharged it, then the plate was empty so Paco called for another. 
While we drank more wine another large platter of octopus was placed over the last and we got stuck into that and had to call for more wine. By the time the second platter was empty so was the last jug and the waiter came and invited us to an orujo. By the time we had drunk that, no one cared anymore. Piero called for another round then Paco. I suddenly realised I was going to have a job standing as we finished the last one. I probably should have also contributed but was having problems with the language for some reason. My tongue had stopped working properly, Piero and Paco helped me to my feet (not that they stood any steadier than I did) and we left the restaurant to return to the albergue that somehow we seemed to have difficulty finding. We now must have been on some sort of automatic pilot because my next memory is of awaking in the albergue.2nd June
Melide to Arca
I opened an eye and seeing the room perform a summersault I quickly closed it then tried again, and as my vision cleared I realised we were the last here and must leave. I glanced down and saw I was fully dressed and lying on my lower bunk, at least I didn’t have to dress.
“I must collect my washing from the line outside” I said and staggered out into the bright sun. Ahh! I walked to the line and all was gone.
“Bugger, someone’s pinched me bloody trousers and my bloody socks!” I groaned and sat down again. The other two laughed
“You collected them last night when we came back” they informed me (there’s a photo of me leaning against the wall with the red bag I use to put the washing in as proof!)
Well somehow we packed and walked way back into town to get coffee. Strong coffee and aspirins cleared my vision considerably. Now we came out into the street and Paco sadly said his goodbye and crossed the road to catch his bus to Santiago. Piero and I set off to find the arrows. This we did in the end although it was not until we came to the outskirts of the town.
Sweating profusely and drinking as much water as we could, we covered the first ten kilometres. I felt much better now and amazingly Piero and I walked thirty-five kilometres that day! Maisie phoned me and she said my motorbike had been sold and cash was in the bank, just an hour after she had received the news that I had found a six-leaf clover. Money in the bank is always great news. Lots of pilgrims on the track now and we walked with a pretty Italian girl for a while and a Basque. Piero didn’t seem to click with the girl who spoke Italian to him and English to me and he dropped back and spoke Spanish to the Basque. After a while Piero and I left them and later on, while we lay under some trees eating our lunch, she went walking by on her own.
There are several albergues on this section, but we passed two including the only one I had used before and we trudged into Arca and found the big albergue.
We got a good spot in a room that as yet was unused. Having washed and showered we did our chores, and shopping. I then went up the road for a drink in a bar that served meals. Piero was already there. I noticed the narrow shady terrace and a woman drinking a beer on her own on as I went in. Piero was sitting at the noisy bar and I
felt I needed to sit in the quiet outside, so returned to the terrace. I asked if I could join the lady as it would have been difficult to push by to the other table, and anyway I felt like talking to someone.
Lisa was a slim, attractive and charming lady from Germany. We were soon chatting as if we had known each other for a long time. She had been walking for only a couple of weeks and admitted to walking very slowly.
“I have walked twice before, but each time I walked a different section of the Camino. Now I can’t believe it, tomorrow I will complete my journey and my Camino!” “Tomorrow will be the first time I arrive in Santiago. It will be on my birthday too!” she said
I congratulated her and told her how I had been twice before, of how I had been very affected by the experience and its ritual that we all have to go through, and explained it to her. We ordered a beer each, a large stein for her and a half for me. We laughed as the waitress put the large glass in front of me.
“That always happens, small German ladies drink big beers,” she joked and swapped them over. Piero had joined us and we decided to eat here and Lisa, who is a vegetarian, agreed to join us if she could find something she could eat from the menu. She settled for the fish and I the veal while Piero chose a beef burger. Meanwhile the waitress seemed determined to give Piero a hard time. He had already had problems getting his drinks. While the waitress served us almost immediately, he had to call two or three times and wait every time, it was as if she had forgotten him. Piero’s Spanish was much better than my own, so that was not the problem. Our waitress now set two places for Lisa and me with nice paper tablecloths, none for Piero! We joked about it but it got worse and the joke bigger as our meals were soon delivered and were huge. Piero’s bun with a beef burger in it came eventually slammed in front of him by the hurrying waitress but with no knife or fork. We presumed it might be because he ordered a burger, but there was a little salad on the plate with the bun! We pulled his leg about it again laughing. Piero, being very hungry ate it well before we had made much headway with our own meals he then re-ordered a veal and chips, but of course when it came it was more than anyone could eat, let alone after eating a beef-burger!
We had a good time telling of our experiences on our different journeys and Lisa had not realised Piero and I had walked the North way, a completely different Camino except for today’s walk from Melide.
We had fun throughout the meal but we had to get up early. Piero and I intended to walk quickly because we wanted to arrive before the church service. So saying goodnight to Lisa we said we would look out for her in Santiago tomorrow.
3rd June
Arca to Santiago Compostela
Next morning we walked very fast and arrived about eleven thirty in the ‘Plaza del Obradoiro,’ here we stood on the shell plaque and congratulated each other and got someone to take our photo.
Then we went in the front door of the cathedral.
Inside I joined a long queue to go through the hands on and head banging ritual. I then found Piero and we went to hug the Santo. That done we hurried out to the office to get our stamps and the pilgrims certificate.
There was a large queue and we waited and waited, we were now too late for the church service. While we waited, I text Maisie to say we had arrived. Piero now came up with the idea that he might catch the afternoon train to Barcelona and spend some time on the beach before flying to Italy to see his parents.
“You won’t see the church service” I pointed out!
“Well I’ll see what time the train goes,” he said.
“Look, the tourist office is left out of here and hundred meter’s on the right. You’ll be first out so go get the train time table, then meet in the first bar from here,” I said.
We filled in the forms and got our certificates and I started out and down the staircase.
“Hello!” said a soft voice and I looked up to see Lisa in the queue waiting.
“Hey hello!” I exclaimed “good to see you.”
Piero had not seen her and was clattering down the staircase and outside, but I knew where he was going.
“Look we will have a drink in the first bar. When you have done in here just turn left as you go out the door and join us for a drink.” I invited.There was a large queue and we waited and waited, we were now too late for the church service. While we waited, I text Maisie to say we had arrived. Piero now came up with the idea that he might catch the afternoon train to Barcelona and spend some time on the beach before flying to Italy to see his parents.
“You won’t see the church service” I pointed out!
“Well I’ll see what time the train goes,” he said.
“Look, the tourist office is left out of here and hundred meter’s on the right. You’ll be first out so go get the train time table, then meet in the first bar from here,” I said.
We filled in the forms and got our certificates and I started out and down the staircase.
“Hello!” said a soft voice and I looked up to see Lisa in the queue waiting.
“Hey hello!” I exclaimed “good to see you.”
Piero had not seen her and was clattering down the staircase and outside, but I knew where he was going.
“Turn left and the first bar, OK I will” she smiled
Outside I turned left and browsed the shop windows for souvenirs and strolled till I came to the first bar but could not see Piero, but next door in the second one I found him sitting inside. I joined him and ordered a vino de verano.
Piero was looking at the train times and said he would leave that afternoon.
Arriving at the end of such a long walk is different for everybody, I felt Piero did not want his journey to end, he had to keep going. While I would stop a day or to and then I knew I too must carry on walking. I made up my mind then, I would do the true North route from Oviedo. I had been thinking on those lines the last few days but now I had decided.
“Ok I will miss you, we have come along way together” I said in Spanish putting a hand on his shoulder.
“Si también” he replied sombrely.
We sat quietly drinking and I was now thinking it was going to be lonely and expensive taking a room for just myself having lost my young companion. Then I saw Lisa coming in.
“Hey here’s Lisa” I said and waved to her. She joined us and I ordered a big beer!
Lisa said she had arrived too late to see the church service and would have to go tomorrow, she wanted to stay a day to look round.
'So after our drinks here I will have to look for a hostel” she said.
“I have the same problem but I know some of the cheaper places if you want to accompany me afterwards.”
“Ok” she agreed smiling.
We drank our beverages and Piero said he would start walking to the train station. So saying a sad farewell to him in the crowded street, Lisa and I turned right and glanced back and waved as he disappeared into the crowd.
Lisa was a great companion and we got on well together,
She was a lady on holiday from a job that gave enormous stress. Now she was very relaxed after having finished her Camino. Lisa refused to be hurried as we strolled round town looking for a place to eat, enjoying every moment, soaking up the Spanish atmosphere of this fabulous city.
I had discovered a tapas bar last year with two of my Plata friends. We now searched and found the crowded bar and pushed through and sat at a tiny table and ordered a bottle of wine and tried as many of the little snack dishes that a vegetarian (who would eat fish luckily) could eat. We later strolled to the main square the ‘Plaza del Obradoiro’ again to listen to the guitar music of a band of student minstrels that play under the arches there.
4th June
Santiago Compostela
Next day I collected my tent from the post office and did some emailing. I met Lisa again in the square and entered the cathedral. Here we both went through the ritual of the placing of the hands on the marble pillar and banging our foreheads on the effigy and climbed the stairs and hugged the Santo and both gave our thanks for our safe journey. I lit the candles again for Maisie and all my friends at one of the shrines. I always pick the one with the Virgin Mary in I realised after doing it. Now it was time to find our pilgrims places on the pews and here we listened to the nun singing and did our best to join in. I was lucky for next to me was a young woman with a beautiful voice, quite enchanting. We stood and sat as necessary, throughout the long but moving service. The scene at the end is quite incredible. The enormous silver incense burner hangs on a thick rope from the centre dome, As we watched, the burner was lit, then, smoke now pouring from within, it was jerked up above the altar, hauled by eight or nine men who catch the swinging movement with the same thick rope. They increased it’s swing, again and again, until it almost touched the lofty ceiling way above our heads. Trailing flame and incense smoke it returned to swing across to the far side and back again. Only now, when one more pull would make it crash into the ceiling was it allowed to slow down.
A man in purple ran forward through the haze of smoke and grabbed it in a graceful dance movement and it was brought to rest. They untied the rope and the burner was carried off. The service over we came out into the bright sunlight and the hustle an bustle of the old town.
5th June
Santiago Compostela
Lisa was due to leave at 6 o’clock.We had breakfast in the bar and now ambled slowly about the town soaking up the atmosphere and seeing all there was to see and went to the Internet cafe and sent our messages.
Now with Lisa I discovered there was more to see under the cathedral and a palace alongside to explore, and a museum. From high up on a long balcony we stood and gazed down for a long while into the ‘Plaza del Obradoiro’ the huge square where we had stood on our arrival. You never seem to tire of watching others arriving for their first time and you seem to share their moment of joy again and again. The huge warm stone buildings surround you on all sides and the place swarms with life, young and old, laughing and enjoying themselves all day and half the night. I had arrived here three times before, now it was four.
2003 The French Camino.
2004 The Vía del Plata.
2004 The Fisterra - Muxia Camino
2005 Half the Camino del Norte to finish on The Primitivo.
Four times I had stood on that spot and felt that joy “He llegado”(meaning I have arrived). I knew Lisa was thinking similar thoughts although I had not stood with her at her moment of ‘llagado’ and although nothing was said between us the first thing we did on coming down into the Plaza was stroll and both stand on the shell.
From here we walked to the Monasterio de San Martin, another huge building and a museum. I was amazed, it seemed to me better than the cathedral, and I took lots of photos as we wandered around.
The view from high up in front of the wonderful carved walnut choir stalls
down onto the main altar was incredible in its glittering gold and silver.
I could only wonder how you would start to build such a massive complicated structure, and I have spent my whole life in the construction industry. Sadly the day flew by and we walked to the bus stop and waited for the bus to take her to the airport, and I saw her seated and had to wave goodbye to another good friend.
That night I went to the square again and listened to the guitars and I managed to get a pasodoble with an elderly lady before going back to the hostel.
