Day 39 – Portomarin to Palas de Rei

Day 39 – May 11 Portomarin (Km 93) to Palas de Rei (Km 68) = 25 km – Cumulative 676

"Palas de Rei, Province of Lugo, Galicia 08 05 11 16:

Well we are rapidly closing in on the City of Santiago de Compostela. Yesterday we crossed the 100 km post (in Galicia the Camino is marked with concrete kilometer posts every .5 km marking the distance to Santiago. Also yesterday I completed 600 km on foot from Roncesvalles. Today we had a relatively long day, about 24 km, but not a difficult day so we were done about an hour earlier than I expected. Here in Palas de Rei we are 68 km from Santiago. We will have 2 easy days of 15 km each and then 2 days of about 19 km each. If all goes well we will arrive in Santiago about 14:00 on Thursday June 15. And the Camino will be done, at least the walking part.

There are many rituals associated with completing the Camino and we will observe and report on them all. Then we will take a bus trip to Cape Finisterre, the end of the earth (or so it was thought for most of human existence). And then we will put down our packs, take off our boots and become tourists (tourists are a lower form of life on the Camino but are ok once the Camino has been completed.

Dad."

From Mom.
"I thought I would just add a few things about people I have met in the last couple of days. (Editor’s note – I’m almost as shocked that mom is finding out the life stories she meets on her travels as I was that Dad shaved his beard!).

Lisa from Malmö Sweden- bad pain in hips and heels, had a kidney transplant 2 years ago and is hiking the Camino. She teaches in a preschool

Yesterday- Rhea from Whiterock ( mentioned in previous email) a lady who is a geriatric nurse and knows people I know from home care in Ontario; her sister lives on Dawson court in Milton(ed. I think Mom might mean Dawson Crescent in Milton – my old address!), a couple from Australia who were eating with Chas and Ian (also from Australia) and who I have mentioned before because we seem to be on the same timetable) This couple were telling me of a young family that they saw on the Camino - mother, father, 4 year old and 2 year old and 2 donkeys. Most days the children ride the donkeys and the parents carry the packs. When the going is hard for the donkeys, the parents carry the children and the donkeys carry the packs. Today and in O´Cebriero I saw a young German couple traveling with their dog that also carried her own packs and drinking cup. One day we saw a couple along the trail. He had a regular bike and she had an electric bike so when she wanted to she had power. Another day I saw 2 on bikes- the lady on a reclining bike and the man on a regular bike.
- Anika and her father- Anika is a young German girl perhaps 20 and she and her dad are on the Camino. Her brother is in Japan teaching English and the mother stays at home getting emails from the travelers. We heard of another way to do the Camino. There is a group organized by Travels Abroad in London England and Victoria BC. The group is about 14 plus tour guide. They can walk or hike at their pleasure as the bus is always with them. Usually they will walk a section and then they will drive to another section. I think the guide chooses the interesting parts for them. Some of the Camino is alongside the road and is less interesting than when the path goes off into the fields and countryside. Today there is a string of little villages so Len will be enjoying it and there will be places for second breakfast and first lunch.

I want to search out a new book written by a German comedian about his travel on the Camino. We have met many Germans who have been inspired by his book and apparently it is now translated into English.
Kazuko would get a chuckle: At O´Cebreiro there was a busload of Japanese tourist so I said “Ohio” (ed. Actually a Japanese greeting, not actually spelled like the state (to my knowledge)) to a lady and she smiled and bowed. I don’t think she expected to hear a familiar sound.....

At this tourist office I have found that there are many busses going to where I need to go tomorrow so I’ll be on the bus. I keep telling Dad that I am dollar cost averaging my transportation. The taxi today was 20 € but the bus the day before was 2.10€. Well, perhaps this is enough for now. At least these notes will help me to remember who I have met.
Will write again soon
Love mom"

From Sue Schubert

"26 K
70 dg. F, and sun, sun, sun
Sunday, 11 May

Today was a huge long day, but a great one! The sun shined on us all day as we went up, up, up and then down, down into the river valleys. There were many highlights today as we went from one village to another: a woman doing her wash out-of-doors in a huge, old square concrete pool, scrubbing the clothes on the slanted part, then rinsing them in the same manner. I wonder how long their clothes last?

A while later as we pass a bar, there is a group of caballeros, their horses tethered to a railing while they patronized the bar. Soon, they mount and gallop past us. Later, we saw the same horses tethered up to the next bar. Not a bad way to pass a Sunday in Northwestern Spain! We are going through a very rich farming area, passing by fincas (farms), or, according to the guidebook, mansions. We didn’t see anyone doing their wash in a huge bathtub out-of-doors, or running their sheep to pasture here!

We arrive at our destination and our guide, Jean, has found a fabulous pastelería. Throw the backpacks in the room and run to the pastelería! All made by María, the owner, Dick has an empanada, Sue a mini pizza, and Jean a Larpeira cake, a piece so large that it could have fed us all easily! Wine and hors´ tonight provided by Jean, a 2 euro bottle of local wine. The competition is on!"