The Camino de Santiago Week 5: Completing the Pilgrimage. Triacastela to Santiago de Compostela

Week 5 marks the last leg of my journey to completing the French Route of the Camino de Santiago. As I walked through the last 100 or so kilometers of the route through beautiful Galician landscapes; I became increasingly reflective of my learnings from the journey the closer I got to my destination.  There’s a sense of excitement, relief, and a tinge of sorrow as I headed into the last week of my 800KM journey. 

Contents:

• Day 29: Triacastela to Sarria
• Day 30: Sarria to Portomarin
• Day 31: Portomarin to Palais de Rei
• Day 32: Palas de Rei to Arzua
• Day 33: Arzua to A Rua
• Day 34: A Rua to Santiago de Compostela
• Final Thoughts

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Day 29: Triacastela to Sarria
18KM
8:30am – 3:30pm (2 hour break)

There are two routes from Triacastela to Sarria.  The old route, which goes through San Xil, or the alternative route which is longer and goes through Samos to the south.  After consulting the guidebook, and reviewing the internet forums, it seemed that both routes can be equally beautiful, except the old route through San Xil was only 18KM, and the route through Samos was 24KM.  Seeing an opportunity for a kind of “rest day” with the shorter distance, I decided that the route through San Xil would be the one that I would take.

While the route through San Xil is shorter, it is certainly not easier.  The trail immediately pushes into a strenuous climb, then into some pretty dramatic descents.  I pass a large school group of teenagers from Madrid, and hear one of the teachers exclaim to one of her peers that “this was NOT the easier route!” Somewhat hilariously, us slackers attracted to the San Xil route because it was shorter were certainly made to pay for our laziness today.

I stay at the Albergue O Durmiñento in Sarria tonight – which was clean and centrally located. Note: I strongly recommend pre-booking fully refundable accommodations several weeks to 1-2 months in advance for the section of the French route between Sarria and Santiago as this section is extremely busy with groups that only do the last 100KM of the Camino to get the Compostela certificate.

Day 30: Sarria to Portomarin
22KM
8:15am – 4:30pm (2 hour break)

The sky is overcast and there is a chill in the air as I leave Sarria in the morning.  I opt to take coffee and breakfast in the next town about 4KM away in favour of getting moving.  The trail today is absolutely idyllic – primarily dirt trails winding through cool and lush forests in a pastoral landscape.  I reach the 100KM left landmark, and stop for photos and a stamp on my credential.

A few kilometers before the town of Moimentos, there was an amazing donativo offering a huge assortment of hot and cold foods. On Google maps look for “Hospitalidad al peregrino” near the Casina de Campo en Sarria Lugo and you’ll find the location. 

Throughout the course of the Camino, I’ve been incredibly fortunate to not have gotten any mosquito bites.  Normally, if I’m engaged in outdoor activities, I usually get at least a few bites (if not more), but over 600km in, I had miraculously escaped unscathed.  That is, until today: shortly before arriving in Moimentos, the mosquito space-time continuum opened up, and unleashed an amount of mosquitos that can only be described as “Tolkein-esque.”  In a span of maybe 20 meters, and less than 5 minutes, while walking through a forested country lane, I got over 30 mosquito bites all at once. Thankfully I had my Benadryl stick with me and was able to dab some of the bites to prevent them from becoming too itchy before I arrived in Portomarin. Just as I was getting over the shin splint situation – I get the equivalent of my own biblical locust plague.  The Camino never stops challenging.  

I stay Albergue Pons Minea tonight which is a newer property near the riverside, with a nice restaurant and terrace.

Day 31: Portomarin to Palas de Rei
24KM
8:30am – 5pm (2 hour break)

A cold grey mist still envelops the town of Portomarin when I start to leave the city this morning.  It is ideal hiking weather as I make the climb out of the city on a beautiful forested path. 

In Palas de Rei, I stayed at the Albergue Zendoira – which has capsule-beds with privacy curtains – a rarity on the Camino.  I was happy to get a reservation here, and the property did not disappoint.  The capsule beds had their own lockers, and there was a beautiful kitchen and lounge area – the place actually resembled a yoga studio/spa – a lovely departure from the more spartan shared accommodations that I have been used to on the Camino. 

Day 32: Palas de Rei to Arzua
29KM
8am – 5pm (2 hour break)

Today is the longest day kilometer-wise that I will be doing on the Camino. Ever since my melt-down in Logrono, I’ve been trying to keep my mileage to a maximum of 25KM a day – but ideally in the 20 – 25KM range.  Given the scarcity of accommodation options in Galicia, which is exacerbated by the large groups of people who only start walking in Sarria onwards, I was not able to find accommodations at the 20-25KM mark between Palais de Rei and the next stop, so had to settle for Arzua – which was 29KM away.  The days have been getting hotter, so I was definitely nervous about the length of today’s walk.  I had fruit and cheese leftover from yesterday’s grocery shopping, so opted to have breakfast at the albergue in order to save time on the road. 

I stopped in the town of Melide just before noon to get the famous Gallego grilled octopus.  Octopus is famous all over Galicia, apparently the Pulperia a Garnacha right on the Camino in Melide was one of the best.  I approached approached the restaurant around noon somewhat worried that they would not be serving food yet – as many establishments I had come across in Spain that are only open for breakfast and dinner.  My fears were quickly alleviated, as I spied a man preparing octopus by an open window like he was putting on a show.  He looked at me and said “Come on in!” I approached cautiously trying not to get my hopes up “Are you serving octopus for lunch?” I said stupidly. “No” he replied as he cut me a slice to try.  I laughed, and went inside to take a seat.  The octopus was indeed amazing.

Last 6KM in the sun were baking hot with lots of hills.  I was not spared any climbing until I was in the very outskirts of Azuras after suffering in the baking heat all day.

The last 2-3KM before reaching a destination is always like watching a pot boil.  I check my phone constantly to see how many more meters I have left before I get to my albergue, and it’s like watching a pot boil – it seems to slow time itself down. 

A young man with an enormous backpack checks in at the De Camino Albergue before me.  He limped into the hostel just a few moments before me and he did not look in good shape.  One of his shoes was being held together with some tape and a safety pin.  He had a bag from a sporting goods store in one arm – hopefully a new pair of shoes.  It’s never a good idea to try to wear brand-new shoes on a long hike, but we’re less than 40KM to the end now, and when your alternative are shoes are being held together by tape and a safety pin, it might be be ok then to break the no new shoe rule. 

I’m lying in my bed comatose after my shower.  At some point it occurs to me that if I don’t get up, I’ll just fall asleep and skip dinner altogether – which would probably be a bad idea seeing as I still need to hike 20KM tomorrow.  Reluctantly, and with Herculean effort, I scrape myself off the bed and ate at a restaurant across the street from the hostel (it was as far as I could walk).

Back at the albergue I force myself to brush and floss my teeth before bed instead of immediately falling into bed and sleeping.  It is uncomfortably hot and stuffy in the dorm, but opening the window for a couple minutes already allowed an annoyingly loud fly to get into the room, so I immediately shut the window shuddering at whatever other bugs could be waiting on the other side if I were to leave the windows open all night – my recent experience with the rift in the mosquito space-time continuum fresh in mind.  That stupid fly I let in harasses me all night.

Day 33: Arzua to A Rua
18KM
8:30am – 4pm (2.5 hour break)

I wake up with a start today at 7:33am.  I had forgotten to set my alarm, but thankfully my internal clock woke me up in time to get my large backpack ready for the transport service before the 8am pick-up time.  Only the guy with the broken shoe is still in the hostel – he also looks like he may also have forgotten to set an alarm.  The hostel is completely empty except for the two of us.  I see a pair of new leather sandals on the floor and a sincerely hope that these are not the shoes he’s planning he walk in for the next 40km – but they might well be his solution to his broken shoe issue. I hope he makes it. 

The trail immediately starts into rolling hills, and my pace feels sluggish.  I see a beautiful coffee shop overlooking the manicured fields about 2km into the walk and head in to get a coffee.  I already had a coffee and some biscuits at the hostel to save time before leaving Arzua, but clearly I need a little something more to get me going today.  I rarely hear Latin music in Spain, but this establishment was blaring it around the cafe.  “This is what I need” I thought.  Strangely enough, a lot of the cafes and bars were playing Latin music along this stretch of the Camino for the rest of the day – not that I’m complaining. 

I was determined not to make any more stops until I had at least 10KM under my belt for the day, but was stopped in my tracks at the 30KM mark by a bar called Tia Dolores that was completely decorated with empty beer bottles.  Not just decorated – but completely covered in beer bottles.  In fact the beer bottles were covering all the trees and any other nearby surface.  I had to go in.  Inside, there was a treehouse like structure completely covered in beer bottles.  Not just any kind of beer bottle – just one kind actually.  A beer called “Peregrina” (Pilgrim – female).  “Oh come on!” I thought, there’s no way I don’t stop for a beer here.  As my jaw gapes looking at the incredible beer-bottle covered structures in the courtyard.  “This place is going to be visible from space in a few years” I muse as every single person that passes the the bar is immediately drawn in.  The bigger the beer bottle structures get, the more the spectacle, and the more irresistible it becomes. 

After writing my name and message on my beer bottle with a white marker that the bar provided, I set my bottle on a nail on one of the bar structures and head on my way.  Having not eaten much more than a couple of biscuits and Kit Kat bar, the beer went straight to my head, but it does have the added effect of putting an extra spring in my step. 

The Albergue Espirtu Xacobeo where I stay tonight in A Rua is quiet and peaceful, until a large number of people with huge suitcases arrive by taxi.  I am quite confused as there is no possible way anyone could have walked the Camino with such large suitcases.  Turns out they were also walking the Camino on some kind of tour group.  At dinner I hear the tour guide ask the group “How many people are planning to walk tomorrow?”  I guess that they have the option of taking alternative transportation in case they did not feel like walking to Santiago.  Not the way I want to experience the Camino, but to each their own.

Day 34: A Rua to Santiago de Compostela
21KM
6:30am – 11:30am (0.5 hour break)

At 5am, multiple phone alarms in the room go off – I’m not the only one who was hoping to get into Santiago early today.  “One final day” I think as I groggily get ready to leave.  I drag my bags outside the dorm room to get ready.  After a few unsuccessful attempts at getting a coffee from the coin operated coffee machine for a quick breakfast, I head out the door a few minutes before 6:30am on an empty stomach thinking I will grab something in one of the towns along the way.

There are already quite a few pilgrims on the path even in the pre-dawn darkness.  We’re all walking with a sense of purpose today that I had not seen any other day on the Camino.  Around the 16KM mark, I grab a quick breakfast of cafe con leche and a slice of Tarte de Santiago (the last I’ll have this round as a pilgrim).  As I hurry back onto the trail, the kilometer markers start to melt away.  As the kilometer markers pass, I start to feel a sense of sadness that my near 800KM pilgrimage will soon be over.  It’s hard to reconcile that I’ve finally made it to the end.  For the last 34 days, the constant in my life has been walking.  Walking with friends. Walking with strangers. Talking about walking. Preparing to walk. Resting to walk.  All of this towards the final goal of walking all the way to Santiago.  Now at the precipice of actually walking myself all the way to Santiago, a sense of existential anxiety washed over me about life after walking.

At the 10KM mark, I stop to take a photo by the 10KM marker and my sadness over the Camino drawing to end turns to in to excitement, as the kilometers dwindle to single digits.  My feet and body are aching like they never had previously by this point.  It’s like my body held back from feeling 800KM worth of pain until the kilometer markers reached single digits and just could not hold back any more.  I take a break on the final climb up Monte de Grozo to visit the Capilla de San Marcos church on the top of the mountain, and to admire for the first time, the Catedral de Santiago in the hazy distance

The walk into Santiago de Compostela is anything but magical.  Quiet country roads give way into a maze of urban highways, and a concrete jungle appears.  Not having dealt with big city traffic since Leon; my excitement over reaching Santiago is dampened by the sobering realization that death by traffic accident is a major cause of death for pilgrims on the Camino, and I would definitely like to make it to the Catedral de Santiago without being smoked by one of the many speeding cars.  Masses of pilgrims intent on reaching the Cathedral pile up at the traffic lights waiting for the green walk lights to let us cross – one step closer to the end of our pilgrimage.  As I weave my way past the city outskirts, the old city pulls into view, and about 2KM in, I could see one of the spires of the Cathedrale peak out above the buildings.  Just as quickly as I see the spire, the road makes a turn and I lose sight of the Cathedral like it was a mirage. 

As I round into the final couple hundred meters, I’m in the heart of the historic district and the Catheral is in nearly full view.  I just need to get into the square to complete my pilgrimage.  Along the way, I see people waving at me in encouragement.  I see Brent – a professor from the United States I met along the Way, sitting at a cafe along the Camino just a couple hundred meters from the end waving in encouragement at me.  I wave back excitedly but do not break my stride – I’m almost there! I go down a long tunnel of stairs where a man is playing the Galician bagpipes; other pilgrims who’ve completed their journeys are cheering riotously at those of us coming down the stairs to the square.  

I turn the corner and get my first glimpse of the Cathedral, and I am instantly hit with a wall of emotions that completely takes me by surprise.  I choke back emotions as the fact that my 800KM pilgrimage is finally at an end overwhelms me.   The Cathedral square brims with people experiencing similarly huge emotions. The energy is rapturous. Tears roll down my face mingling with sweat from the journey, but I don’t stop smiling.

Final Thoughts:

Completing the Camino de Santiago was a 5 week journey that took me across 5 distinct regions of Spain (Navarra, La Rioja, Castilla, Leon, and Galicia) as well as the Pyrenees mountain range. The journey challenged my physical, emotional and spiritual boundaries.  While the distance I covered was vast, the pilgrimage seemed, paradoxically, to make the immensity of the world and the people in it feel closer to me at the same time.  Reaching Santiago de Compostela concludes my 800KM journey on the Camino Francés, but from this sacred destination, I will continue on another journey to the Atlantic Ocean on the Camino Fisterra that I will undertake in the next few days.