Finisterre

6/8 (part 2)
Made it to the albergue at 12:30. There was a huge line. I waited for the place to open, and after 30 minutes I found out there was a different line for that (had a few people pass me). I waited more than 2 hours until I found out I was the first one to be left out. Walked to Arzua and found a room for myself in a pension. Robert and his dad convinced me to go tomorrow to Monte De Gunzar (35 km). At 9:30 pm I realized I left my fleece jacket at Casanuva. Luckily, after a chat with the hospitaller in the municipal albergue, the jacket was found and sent to near Monte De Gunzar

7/8
Started walking at 7 am with Robert and his dad (The earliest they started yet). Met Lucas, Nadia and Rut just out of the first city. We all sat on a tree trunk and had lunch and lots of laughs. Walked on till Monte De Gunzar (only 5 km from Santiago) and found a bed to sleep (there are 500 beds, but a few hours later they were all occupied!). Made dinner with Nikko, Robert, Stefan, Rut and Sebastian. Went to get my jacket only to find out it’s almost half way to Santiago. In the evening we went to the viewing point on Santiago and the cathedral. It was strange seeing the cathedral and not going there straight away.

8/8 (part 2)
After staring at the Cathedral, hugging and crying with everybody I went to get my "Compastela". A certificate saying I made a pilgrimage to Santiago. The whole thing was very anti climax. Got a room in a nice pension and went to see the city. Santiago is a great place. So beautiful. I went to the pilgrims mass in the cathedral. There was so much energy in that place it was amazing. The cathedral itself is even prettier inside than out. The altar is really 3D with a place for people to hug Santiago’s statue and see his grave. Met lots of people from the way all day. We had a group picture near the cathedral. Some of us went to drink. I had loads of red wine, a beer and something French with anise. All this while listening to a group of traditional Spanish guitars or a punk/rock club. At the end I lost my dinner. Twice.

9/8
I was still hung over from the day before so I slept most of the day. Wandered around the city for a while until 18:45. I herd that each day; the first 10 pilgrims who show up at the garage of the hotel near the cathedral get a free breakfast/lunch/dinner. It was only 15 minutes to dinner, but I said I’ll give it a chance. I was pilgrim number 10. A security guard took us through the hotel to a room in the back with 10 places, Camino maps and a guest book. Then he took us to the kitchen to take our dinner, stake, vegetables, fruits, tuna pie, and of Corse, water and wine. At the dinner I saw Bruno again, an Italian guy I haven’t seen since Puenta la Riana (almost a month ago). Apparently he was just back from Finisterra and Muxía.
The dinner was great!

10/8
Started walking only at 9:30. It’s only 22 km anyway. Got lost a bit in the beginning, But after a while found the way again. The road was almost empty, very nice after the tourist way the last 100 km. Met two Korean sisters who are afraid of dogs (a problem in Galicia, since everyone has at least one dog). Made it to Negrerria. Saw Lucas and Bridget over there having dinner with a guy from Barcelona named Jurdi. Also Yohan (which I had dinner with). Did lots of laundry only to find out it's raining...

11/8
It was raining all day, with lots of wind. Apparently that’s a typical Galician summer. I felt like a real pilgrim that day, walking alone in the middle of a storm with only some cars passing by thinking "what is that crazy guy doing outside?” walked most of the day with Jurdi, Lucas and Bridget. Saw for the first time some Olympic games (Judo). The last 2 km were horrible. My boots gave in to the weather in my socks got soaked. I could hear them going *squash* every step I took. When I finally reached the albergue, I squeezed out at least half a glass of water from my socks. Of course my laundry was still wet from yesterday. Had a slow dinner with the guys and decided I’m going to Muxía tomorrow while the others are going striate to Finisterre.

12/8
The road was the emptiest I ever had on the Camino. It was also very wild. Plants covering the road everywhere. It was windy, but no rain. The trees made a strange sound. Then I saw what was so strange about it. It was the ocean! I was so happy to see the ocean I bounced half the way down. The albergue was new and quiet empty. Went to the city and the beach. The waves just crashed into the rocks. You really get a good feeling of the power of the ocean.

13/8

Woke up with mixed feelings. This is the last day of walking. The road was beautiful along the beach. Getting in and out of the forest to see the ocean. The highlight of the road was crossing a small shallow river by foot since there is no bridge. Got to the city of Finisterre. Met Julia and Juana, a nice circle was closed since they were the first people I walked with a long time. They took me to a privet hippie albergue called Casa Miguel. A really nice place. We walked the extra 3 km to the cape together. I made it. I was at the end of the world. I’m glad I decided to go here last, this place felt like the end of my journey too. We had a little ceremony on the cape. We burned some close, supposedly because they smell from all this time (I burned a pair of underwear which had better moments). I emptied a jar of honey I was carrying from St Jean pied de port (!) in my backpack to the ocean. And last but not least. I screamed like a maniac. It’s the end.
When we got back to the albergue we started cooking dinner. I finally met Jonathan, the Israeli guy I new was in front of me. It was so nice to speak Hebrew with someone after so long.
After that we went to the beach and had a cold short night deep in the ocean. Got worm near a fire witch the pilgrims who slept on the beach lit. I was very calming singing and playing the guitar.

And that’s it.
I’m now in Santiago (got here by bus), going to Barcelona for a few days and then back home.

40 days, 900 km, and unforgettable experiences,
Buen Finito.

Santiago de compastela

After 35 days, 780 km, and loads of unforgettable experiences, I made it. At the 08/08/2008 08:08:08 I arrived to the cathedral of Santiago de compastela. First thing I did was to take of my back pack, lose my walking sticks and just sit down in front of the cathedral, stare at this magnificent building and with the sound of seagulls in the back, think of all the people I met on the way. Allen, Tessa, Dago, Julia, Juana, Pedro, Pietro, Ruth, Ellissa, James, Robert, Stefan, Niko, Nadia, Lucas, Michel, Jan Klod, Bo, Gabi, Aguast, Amil, Pablo, and lots and lots more wonderful people.
I could not stop thinking of what now? what am I going to do next? How will I manage going back to normal life.
I did the Camino to take a break from life. But now it seems that life is taking a break from the Camino...

5/8 (part 2)
After I saw I was too long on the internet I started walking to San Xulian. The road was empty. No Tourists. It was just wonderful walking under arches of trees. The first two places where full. But the third one in Casanuva had just one place waiting for me :) The village had nothing but two houses and the alburgue. A car came and took us to a nearby village to have lunch. At evening, Robert convinced me to use the washing machine for the first time on the camino. Had a nice chat with a couple of Italians about Berluscony. Italy sounds very similar to Israel :). When I went to sleep I found out I know every one in the room. That was nice.

6/8
It was fogy again when I started walking. I had a bruise in the back of my left foot, exactly where mt boot ends. It raind a bit. (To be continued...)

New pics!

Palas do ray

1/8 I decided to take the harder road from Villafranca. It was a very hard straight up climb (500 m) but when you get to the top the view is breathtaking (which is bad since I was breathing hardly when I got to the top). Most of the way to the top was flat along the mountain. I went to a small village near the road to have a coffee. They´ve opened up the bar especially for me :). The way down was also pretty steep, and that was the first time my knees began to hurt. Went with a nice Sweden guy that started walking from home 10 weeks ago. The rest of the way was pretty annoying. I walked inside a valley near a highway going from village to village (peaceful ones, but I didn´t like them). Most of these places don´t have a market, so instead they have small bread/vegetable/dairy trucks driving around and selling them what they need. I followed a bread truck for a while until I got to the last uphill of the day. It was hard but I made it to La Faba, A nice quiet village between the mountains. This was the hardest day yet. Not physically, but mentally. I missed home so much. I´ve noticed it´s Friday, and everybody is probably having dinner right now. I decided I want to cook to lift my mood up so I made a "Shakshooka". Had it and a soup with P&P (who really liked the Shakshooka). I hope I´ll feel better tomorrow. 2/8 Had a nice breakfast the hosts made, and started climbing the big mountain chain marking the border to the final county of the Camino, Galecia. The view was absolutely stunning. It got prettier each step I took. Did most of the way down and got to Traicastella. Hundreds of people appeared on the way, most of them send their backpacks ahead and walk only with food and water. They all walk in huge groups and make a lot of noise. But the worst part is they take most of the places in the albergue. 2 out of 4 places were full when I got there (and it was quite early). Luckily there was a place in a privet albergue. I met Robert and his dad Stefan (nice German people) and we made dinner (potatoes, cheese omelet, salad and Chuchky from a jar). Just before we went to bed, the host made a strange drink called (something that starts with a Q) typical to Galicia. I had a peel of lemon and orange, coffee beans and loads of alcohol. Then he turned off the light and led the thing on fire. He cooked it for half an hour, while mixing it a mumbling something in Spanish. For all I know, he could have been casting a spell. I had a drink of it. I can only say it tastes like it looks... 3/8 Woke up and made breakfast with Robert and his dad (fruit salad and some cereals). Started walking towards Calbor. For once, the shorter way is the nicer one :). I was walking in a cloud until I got to the top of a small mountain. You could see the whole cloud from above. It looked like an ocean. When I reached Calbor at 11 am there were already 10 people waiting for the alburgue to open! It's ridiculous! A few dozen kilometers ago no one would have thought of stopping at 11. You can still do at least 10 more km and reach before the albergue opens. Went on to Borbadelo and went straight to the privet albergue. It was empty, but it got full not long after. Got to get up tomorrow to get early. Had a nice dinner in a restaurant downstairs. They had a great cheesecake. 4/8 started walking with an Austrian hospitalero named Johannes. Apparently there´s a small group who is doing only a part of the Camino till they reach the albergue where they´ll stay and train to be a hospitaler. Johannes told me that, if I have problems with a place to stay, they´ll organize something for me in their place (about 7 km more than my plan). Got to Gunzar, and met there lots of people that got lost during the "tourist" waves (Ruth, Robert, Stefan, Elissa, Johana and Julia). There wasn´t enough place for all of them in the albergue, but we managed somehow. We all mound about how crowded it got, but decided it will not ruin our Camino. 5/8 Started walking in the fog. Got to Johannes alburgue just to say hi and went on. Hope I´ll have a place today in San Xillan. If not there are 2 more places just 1.5 km one from the other. Worst case, I´ll sleep in a grave yard like Julia and Juahna did last night :) Walked 715 km, only 65 km to go... Buen Camino!
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new Pics!

Villa franca del biezro

30/7
Started walking and soon got to a ruin village with only one standing building, the albergue. Apparently, the guy running the place is a Templar Knight. Walked down the mountain, enjoying each step. The view was AMAZING. I couldn´t believe it got prettier each step I took. In the end got to a small city called Ponferada. There was a Templar castle over there, very impressing on the outside. Not so on the inside. There was a group of deaf people playing Taki (or Uno) in the albergue. It was very funny to watch. They taught me how to say "Buenos dias" in sign language (and if you don't know what "Buenos dias" means, go look it up). Had macaroni for dinner with P&P and went to sleep.

31/7
I was woken up at 6 am by the hosts who turn on the light. It was the first time on the Camino I felt someone was kicking me out. Most of the day was walking straight, near vineyards and wheat fields. It's funny. It is though someone has taken the road from St. Jean pied the port to Astorga and squeezed it into 3 days. Got to a nice place between the hills named Villa Franca del Biezro. Went to a nice distant archeological albergue. After it being gray all day it finally started to rain. Heavily.

Walked 606 km, only 176 km to go...
Buen Camino!

new pics!

Foncebadon

25/7 (part 2)
So, apparently there´s a medieval festival Saturday-Sunday. I made dinner with some German people (soup, rice and some fried vegetables) and as we started eating on the patio, a gazillion people showed up with sausages, bread, drinks and fine wine. They organized a fiesta for all the albergue in honor of Santiago´s day. We ate and drank and I finally felt like I was in Spain :). I went out for a beer with Pedro and Petro (P&P) and we came back to the albergue just as a few people finished singing a song from each country they came from. There was a guitar, so I was asked to do a few songs in Hebrew. After trying to remember the chords for any song I did "Kohavim al esh ktana" and "Parparim levanim". We went to bed when people were celebrating outside till 4am...

26/7 20 km
Got up and had breakfast (P&P brought me a banana and a Spanish girl named Elsa gave me a small yogurt). Started walking with a really nice Canadian teacher named James. Cough up with P&P near Leon. Went to an albergue opened 24h and went out to see Leon. The center of the city is filled with medieval buildings. The cathedral is very pretty on the outside, but not like the one in Burgos. On the other hand, the inside is magnificent! I have never seen so much stained glass in my life. During the few hours I spent in the area, there were at least 6 weddings in the cathedral, just one after the other. I was sick and tired of Pocadillas (Spanish sandwich) for lunch, so I had a Shawarma at some Turkish/Pakistan place. It turned out to be a BAD idea. I met P&P for beer and tapatos later (I only had a coke to straight out my stomach). Sat with James and an Irish man named Tary for another coke and some flun. They had to run to their albergue which closes at 21:30, and I stayed and got lost in this wonderful city. Saw the cathedral lead at night(23:00 before it´s still too bright) and went to sleep.

27/7 26.1 km
The road was pretty ugly today. Most of it near the highway. Got lost a bit on the way, but manage to find my way to San Martin del Camino. Got to an alburgue without any hosts. Met P&P and had lunch, a siesta and went to see the village. We were only 8 people in the albegue, probably the rest stayed in the newer ones a few hundred meters back. Had sore feet especially on the cushions. The kilometers are starting to show.
It rained just for a bit. Luckily, my laundry was dry :)

28/7 22.8 km
Woke up and started getting organized. Just before I left the host showed up and wanted 3 Euro from me and the other guy who didn´t leave yet. The view was different today, I´m back to the mountains and forests. Got to a small city named Astorga. There´s a nice small cathedral, a nice Gudi palace, and old walls you can walk on. Went to a physiotherapist to check my legs. He gave me a foot massage and put some hot clay on my feet. I felt like hundreds of kilometers went off my feet. Had trout for dinner (the local fish). Funny thing, they only clean it from scales, the inside organs are kept and cooked with the fish.

29/7 26.3 km
The way was magnificent! Lots of hills trees and purple flowers. I´m back to that amazing landscape. I´m in a very small village on top of a mountain 1500m high (climbed 500m)

Walked 555 km, only 227 more.
Buen Camino!

Mansilla de las Mulas

22/7
I´ve walked mainly in endless fields of white. There was a small part of sunflowers that was a refreshing change. I´ve started walking near a water channel. I stopped at Villovieco and went to a church there. A guy named Pepe showed me the place and tried to explain some things in Spanish. Later he invited me to coffee at his place and I had some fruits, nuts and bisects too. It´s amazing the hospitality pilgrims get here. He showed me his house and all the things he made there. The place was just beautiful. I made it to Corrión and slept in am old school run by nuns. The place was OK. I met Aleix again (it´s pronounced A-le-ysh) and made "Ptitim" in a microwave with him. I tried to sleep that night, but 4 guys had a snoring contest, so I took my sleeping bag and a blanket and slept outside in the school yard on a bench. I also didn´t find my flashlight in the morning, but the only time I needed it was to find the flashlight.

23/7
Most of the day was just a long straits walk (17.2 km) in endless fields of wheat without any shade. And it was hot. The last 200m were downhill, and suddenly you see a small village with millions of sunflowers. I had a non alcoholic beer at the bar. The bartender asked me if I was Arabic, I said I'm from Israel. Apparently I look Arabic. The bartender was from Morocco. He was very nice, but we talked about politics and then I decided it bums me down, so I left. I had a bit of a nose bleed for some time now, but it seemed to stop at the bar. The rest of the way was without any shadow, but we saw they were planting trees near the road. They really put a lot of effort in the Camino. We got to Ledigos, and I was thinking of going on to the next town (3 km) but I had difficulties calculating the distance, so I stayed. After a shower and laundry, I sat with Ruth, a 28 old Catholic nurse, and Aleix for lunch. Suddenly, from a hot day it became cloudy and it started to rain (but light rain). I had a siesta, went online to post some pictures and made dinner with Roth (Beans from a can and some pasta with cheese and apple). I had a very good night's sleep.

24/7
Crossed another county. Not too much scenery, most of the way near a road. Visited a small church in Sahgún and went on to Barcianos del Camino. I met two nice guys from Barcelona, Petro and Pedro. They shared with me their lunch, green bean salad and a peach. Really nice guys. Had a siesta (a really brilliant invention) and woke up to the sound of some nuns playing on a guitar and a flute singing some praises to the lord or something. I helped making dinner for the albergue (41 people eating together). Everyone left for mass and I was alone in the albergue with only a few people making dinner. The dinner was great (salad, pasta, and melon for desert). Afterwards there was the Pilgrims blessing. I went to see out of curiosity, just see and not participate. It was more religious than I expected. Petro saw that I was feeling uncomfortable and helped me out without getting blessed by the preacher. I felt really bad afterwards. Like I did something very wrong. I´m not going to any more ceremonies.

25/7
I slept with new ear plugs I bought that morning. They were very good. Too good. Woke up only at 7:05. Had a good breakfast at the kitchen (coffee, bread, jam and biscuits) and started walking at about 8. I cough up with a German woman named Ortrut who I saw in the albergues the last two days. We had a really nice chat and walked almost 15 km without a break. We got to a small town with a really nice bar. It had 50´s and 60´s rock´n'roll songs. Mom would have loved the place. Had a totilla for lunch (an omelet with potatoes in it) and went on to Mansilla de las Mulas. The place looks very decorative, maybe theirs a Fiesta for Santiago´s day (today!).

Did some calculations. And I´ll probably reach Santiago at 08/08/08.
I also walked 444 km till now. Only 320 km more.
New pictures!

Buen camino!

Past the half way!

New pictures!