Sunday, May 26, 2013

Santiago to Finisterre

(May 25) While we are in this corner of the world, we decided to visit what was considered the "end of the earth" during medieval times, Finisterre.
We tried to find a tour company, with no luck, so we opted to do it our way, with great success.
We boarded a public bus at 9 am (for 24€ RT), which was like a Grayline, and arrived in 2 hours and 20 minutes. The ride itself was quite enjoyable because, an hour into it, we were driving along inlets from the coast with quaint little villages nestled at the base of the rocky cliffs. The water was clear and calm and we were blessed with a gorgeous, sunny day.
Since it was lunchtime when we arrived, we stopped at one of the restaurants overlooking the harbor and had Sopa de Galega, which is a hot soup, usually made of potatoes, spinach, cabbage, and sometimes beans, flavored with meat such as pork or sausage.
Then we walked the 3.5 K (about 2.5 miles) to the lighthouse, which is km 0 on the way to Santiago. (Photo 1) Built in 1853, it is high on the westernmost tip of a rocky, hilly coastline, (photo 2) and provides a panoramic view of the ocean. (Photo 3)
Part of the ritual of going to Finisterre is burning your clothes. As worn as mine are now, that still didn't seem like a good idea. However, I did have a pair of bad sock liners that gave me some blisters early on that I never want to see again. They were perfect fuel for the ongoing pyre.(Photo 4)
While we were up there, we ran into friends Tony and Geraldine from Ireland and Chris and Peter from the US. Chris had been sick much of the trip but was now well and had completed the Camino.
Later we ran into another friend Christine who had connected with her boyfriend in Sarria and walked from there to Finisterre. So far all of our Camino friends seem to have happy endings.
Then we walked the other direction to the beach of A Langosteira. It was very quiet except for a bar, a few bathers, and a couple of abandoned boats. (Photos 5-8) We collected some shells and then returned to the city center to catch the return bus.
We got back at 7 after a 2 hr, 15 minute ride. Then we did some shopping and had dinner at the Derby Bar. It did have a jockey hat and whip on its logo. Afterwards we discovered a luscious park near our hotel and plan to explore that tomorrow along with several other sights we've yet to see.
















1 comment:

  1. Sallie - it's been such a treat to follow along with you during your pilgrimage! Thank you so much for taking the time to journal your experience for us "desk jockeys." You have only strengthened my desire to one day walk the Camino de Santiago. Congratulations on this monumental and inspiring feat!! - Taylor

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