Prt 4: Days 16-21 of the Camino

Day 16 – Veda de Valcarce

45km

I slept very well. I had started at 7:20, but then I stopped right away to have breakfast, so I actually started at 7:45. I met Celine from the South of France. We spoke a lot about spirituality and yoga, and I told her about the Bhagavad-Gita and New Mayapur, which she would love to visit. We really enjoyed the conversation. We also had some delicious figs on the way!We stopped at a Café. Then at Villafranca we parted ways. She stayed there and I went to have lunch. I ran into Gaby. It was nice to see her again. She was also staying there for the night. I had a delicious tagliatelle with spinach and cheese. 

 

Beautiful nature to Veda de Valcarce

I went to Vega de Valcarce. The nature and views are so beautiful! My right knew was hurting all day. I think it was because I went down a lot the day before. Going down is harder than going up! And it's the worst for the knees, even with walking sticks. I arrived at 6:20. I asked someone at the hostel if I cook would he eat with me? He said yes. So, I got some groceries. The choice of vegetables was pathetic...most of them were old and there were not many choices. Spanish people don't eat vegetables. To them, vegetables are tomatoes, lettuce, and asparagus. That's it! It's even hard to find good vegetables at the supermarket. Anyway, I got some zucchini and peas and made pasta. Des from Ireland ate with me, and he enjoyed it. We later had some delicious chestnuts (castaña) that the hospitalero made.

 

Comino de Santiago (St. James' cumin)

Day 17 – Triacastella
37km

I had pasta leftovers for breakfast. Then, I had an amazing walk! Daylight savings time ended today, meaning that when I started at 7:50, there was already light! The sun now comes up at 7:15. I walked in some spectacular nature. Then I ran into Des in a Café. I ordered hot chocolate, but they gave me lukewarm milk and a packet. So, I asked them to heat it up. And all the hot chocolate in Spain, even in fancy cafés, is this brand called Colacao. It's this processed product from a packet. Not the best hot chocolate.

I woke up to this view!

I continued walking and then saw Des again. We walked and talked together for the rest of the day. We talked about Ireland and Irish history, people we met on the Camino, and about travel. We stopped somewhere for lunch and, for the second time, I ate my homemade food in a restaurant! I just asked for a fork this time, and I ate from the jar. Des ordered food, so I thought at least one of us paid.

More lovely views as we enter Galicia, the last region on the Camino

We picked a good hostel together. I had pasta AGAIN for dinner! My right knee was really hurting. Maybe I'll take something for it.

Today I learned that "Buenas" is short for "Buenas dias", or one may also say “Hola, Buenas.” And that "porfa" is short for "por favor."

 

Day 18 - Sarria
33km

I took an Ibuprofen for my knee, which Des had offered. I said bye to him. I walked to Samos and met Emma from Italy. We had something to eat and then we saw the Monastery of Samos, which was a 1-hour guided tour. There was lots of time, so it was possible. I was only walking about 30km today. 

I walked with Emma to Sarria. I learned some Italia with her. She’s also a vegan. I didn’t know how she did the Camino as a vegan! But now I know it’s possible. I checked into a hostel with a kitchen, because I wanted to cook. I arrived at 4pm and then went to the supermarket. I made a bean and vegetable stew. The hostel was full of Italian! And they all spoke Italian with each other. I felt sort of left out. I wish I spoke more Italian. I had a call with Brianna about the Loyola Chapel event. She was asking me some questions, and I asked that the price be kept as agreed before. I tried to sleep at 9pm, but there was a guy watching a loud video on his phone without earphones! So, I spoke to him, and fortunately, he stopped.

 

Monastery of Samos

Day 19 - Lugo and Portomarin
30km

I slept very well. I woke up at 5am and then I had some bean stew for breakfast. I left at 7am to visit Lugo. I went to the bus station and arrived at Lugo an hour later. This is my last detour. On the way to Lugo, I finally finished “Mysteries of Lisbon.” It’s a 4.5-hour Portuguese movie! It was really good. I have never taken a month to finish watching a movie. This must be a record.
I got to Lugo and I saw that the whole old town was surrounded by historic Roman walls, a World Heritage Site. The walls of Lugo were built in the later part of the 3rd century to defend the Roman town of Lucus. The entire circuit survives intact and is the finest example of late Roman fortifications in western Europe.

Lugo Roman Walls. They are almost 2,000 years old!

 I then saw the cathedral. I really enjoyed Lugo. I recommend it. It’s worth the detour.

Lugo Cathedral

I took the 11am bus back to Sarria. I wrote for my blog on the way. The bus arrived very quickly. It only took 35 minutes. Now, I’m walking back to the Camino. I’m going to walk another five hours. I’ll be in Portomarin at 5pm, which is great. I already have my dinner ready, so I can just heat it and eat.

 I started walking at noon from Sarria. I heard an interview from Wisdom of the Sages and Indradyumna Swami. It was awesome! Then I met Ki Nam from South Korea. He lives in Dubai, but he wants to move back to South Korea. At some point, we passed the 100km mark! Only 100km left to Santiago. 

Only 100km left to Santiago!

We got to Portomarin. I barely took any breaks, because it was only five hours. It was the best hostel I ever stayed in. It was new, clean, they had a kitchen, plates, a washer, dryer, blankets, everything. I was told that I would have a hard time finding a bed now that we are closer to Santiago, but it was not true. I ate my bean stew and then worked on my blog. 

The bridge to Portomarin

Today, I learned that "nevada" means snowfall. That's funny, becasue the state of Nevada is a desert. I thought it never snows there. But upon investigation, I learned that it does snow in Nevada!

Also, I learned about Parafarmacias. A normal pharmacy dispenses prescription medications and sells  over-the-counter medicines. A Parafarmacia sells sell herbal remdies, vitamins, cosmetics, and personal care products. It is more like a health and beauty store, and they also offer massage. The word "para" here means beyond pharmacy, beyond traditional medicine. It's an interesting concept.

A "Parafarmacia"

Day 20 - Melide
45km

I was supposed to finish the Camino on Day 20, but because I got the flu at some point and I couldn’t sleep well, I was too tired the next day and I walked less. Also, it was very sunny that day and I had to walk on the highway a lot. Also, there were a few days where I walked a bit less than my goal, when going towards Astorga and Ponferrada.

 I started the day, as usual, with pants, a sweater, gloves, and a beanie. Then, I transitioned into shorts, a t-shirt, a hat and sunglasses. It was cold in the morning and evening, but hot in the day. It was annoying to change clothes because it’s time-consuming.

I was reflecting on how I have everything I need in my backpack to travel wherever I want, and it only weighs 8Kg. I have never done this kind of backpacking before. Usually, I go with a suitcase, stay somewhere as a homebase, and then travel around with a small backpack. I also don’t do laundry when I travel. But this trip helped me realize that I can be self-sufficient with a backpack and travel anywhere. If I were staying in normal hostels, I wouldn’t even need the sleeping bag, so I would have more space and 1kg less. Or, I would take more clothes so I don’t have to do laundry every two days. Since I had five pairs of underwear, I had to do laundry every two days. I walked for three hours, then I had something at a café. I realized that the first three hours will be upwards, so I used my walking sticks. Then, I will be going down. I’ll be stopping somewhere around 2:30 for a big lunch, and then have a snack for dinner. I plan to sleep early tonight, so that I can wake up at 4am at least for once. I plan to walk 55km tomorrow. I want the last day to be epic. If I leave at 5am, then I’ll arrive at 5pm at the latest in Santiago, which will give me enough time to check in, shower, and then go to mass. In case I need to stay one more night in Santiago, I can do that. But arriving tomorrow will be very special because it will be Diwali.

While I was chanting, someone asked “Are you a Hare Krishna?” and I said yes. She said “Shouldn’t you be singing?” I said that this is another way to chant called “japa” which involves using a rosary. She said that she met a man named Krishna on the Camino, and that he’s a lovely man. That’s funny. Now, I will go through my photos while walking in order to save time and be productive.

 

Last Update:

It’s the end of day 20. It’s 9pm. Tomorrow is the last day! I ran into Ki Nam from yesterday! Of all the people I could have met, I ran into him! We walked for a while and then I gave him one of my walking sticks, because he didn’t have one. It wasn’t working, and he thought that he broke it because he took the whole thing out. Later, it worked again by itself. We were looking for a place to eat, but many places were close. It was because the season was ending. We finally found a restaurant and I got fries.

Kinam from South Korea

 We walked to Melide and checked into different hostels. I was the only one in the hostel! I had planned not to cook, but I took it as a sign that I should cook because they had pasta and seasoning, and I was alone, and I also took it as a sign that I should wake up at 4am, because I will be able to sleep and wake up early! I went to the supermarket to buy some groceries for the pasta. On the way, I saw a (regular) pharmacy. Someone on the Camino told me that I can weigh myself for 50 cents. So, I did, and I was disappointed. I had deliberately waited until the end to weigh myself to avoid disappointment. I found out that I only lost 1.5kg! Even after all that walking. 40km every day on average, and some days 50 or 60, and only 1.5kg lost! I will have to do 3 Caminos to get to my ideal weight! Maybe it was all that bread and cheese that didn’t help. Oh well…this trip was not about losing weight anyway. I made pasta and had dinner. Then I saw that in my pilgrim’s passport (the credencial), I need two stamps per day from Sarria to the end. But I only had one per day…so tomorrow I will get more stamps, but they may not give me the certificate…but that’s ok. I will keep the credencial in my pocket as a reminder.

My 'credencial' (pilgrim's passport). I didn't get many stamps, becasue I walked a lot each day.

Another person checked in the hostel, so I shared pasta with him. Then I worked on writing in my blog, which took a loooong time! It took at least five hours to transcribe everything, edit it, add photos, etc. This is why I wasn’t doing it right way: it’s too time-consuming.

 

Day 21 - Santiago de Compostella!
61km

 

I woke up at 2am because of bed bugs, slept 4 hours, and then walked 61km, then slept at midnight. So, I was up for 22 hours! And I wasn't very tired.

Ready to start the last day!

I left at 5:30am which is the earliest starting time. I slept only four hours because of bed bugs! I saw one and I killed it. I tried to sleep again, but as soon as I came to fall asleep, I was woken by my alarm at 4am. It will be an epic and spiritual day! The last time I did a big day was from Sahagun to Leon, which was all flat. But this time, there will be 1,000m up and 1,000m down! It may take 13 hours of walking at 4km per hour. But it depends on how fast I walk. Today is Diwali, so it’s a very special day. Tomorrow is All Saints Day. I already booked my bus from Santiago to Porto at 3:30pm tomorrow, so there’s no going back! I will have to do all 55km. I burned the boats, as they say. I will arrive at 6:30pm in Santiago and see the mass and church, and then the museum tomorrow. I can delay my bus if the “botafumeiro” is only happening tomorrow at 7:30pm. I ate leftover pasta at 5am! Although I started at 5:30am, I have already eaten breakfast, which means that I will not have to stop for breakfast later. I was off to an excellent start of the day. I wanted this day to be special, and spiritual.

 Update 2:

The end is near. Only 20km left to Santiago. It’s 1:45pm.  I think I’ll be there at 5:45. I don’t plan to stop anymore. I just stopped to have fried with bread and butter. I have more bread, just in case I need some. I have pineapple juice and a chocolate nougat snack.

I chanted my rounds in the morning, walking in the dark. As soon as I finished, I met Suzanne from Minnesota, who is a devout catholic. She was a bit lost, and I helped her find her way. We had an amazing conversation about spirituality. We were talking about virtues, family, and many other things.  I walked with her until 8am and we had breakfast together. I didn’t order anything. I just had a vegan panini which I bought yesterday from the supermarket. I changed into shorts because it was already getting hot. We walked for an hour more and the I said goodbye and walked faster.

Suzanne from Minessota

I stopped at a restaurant to pee, and then when I got out, a Spanish girl asked me “What is kombucha?” I told her that it’s fermented tea, and that it’s popular in the states and Canada. We started talking. Stephenia and Sergio are from Cantabria, the north of Spain. That town is on the Camino del Norte, another way to get to Santiago. We had an amazing conversation. She is an English teacher, and he is an engineer. She was teaching me Spanish, and I was teaching her English. We talked about how I was doing this for spiritual reasons, and that I was doing my prayers earlier. She said that she doesn’t believe in God. So, I talked about material consciousness, which is being selfish, self-centered and serving our senses, and not being sensitive to others. But spiritual consciousness means being sensitive, conscious, considerate, kind, loving, and selfless. She said that she likes that, so we got to connect and understand each other. We talked about different regions of Spain and the difference between them. Then I wanted to stop at a restaurant, so we said goodbye. I had been walking for 5 hours straight, from 8:30 to 1:30, and my back started hurting. My feet and legs were fine. Now, it’s non-stop to Santiago!

Stephanie and Sergio from Cantabira, Spain

Here's the final update before arriving to the cathedral. It’s 5:55pm. I’m already in Santiago de Compostella (the city). It’s bigger than I thought. I met Michael and Elizabeth form Germany. It was 12km before the finish line. They had done the Camino Frances and Camino del Norte before, and this time they walked form Madrid. They said there were very few hostels, and it was hard to find accommodation on that route. Then I met Diego form Mexico and he said he is going to Santiago as well! Michael and Elizabeth would go tomorrow. I was happy that at least one person will be going with me. We all stopped for a break and then I kept going. I used the walking sticks. On the way, I picked up four flowers to offer to Jesus. It’s getting dark, so I’m hurrying up. I hope to get a good photo before it’s too dark.

 

Only 5km left!

Arriving at Santiaog de Compostella

It's 11:30pm. I arrived at 6:30 at the cathedral. It was the magic hour. I ran into Diego, and he was running! So, I started to run as well, and even after walking all day, I was able to run for a bit, because I was so excited to arrive at the cathedral! And it was a bit down hill, so it wasn’t so bad. I passed by hostel and I paid with my credit card, without even checking in, just to book my spot. They only had two beds left! So, I wanted to book my spot before going to the cathedral. I arrived at the cathedral, and I was so happy to finally arrive! It was a beautiful cathedral. I sat down in front of it for about five minutes, just to process everything that happened, the 900+km I walked to get here.

I made it to the Cathedral! 914km later!

I took some photos and then went to the cathedral. I was told that I can’t go in with a backpack, but there was a souvenir shop nearby that had a bag checking service, so I left it there and went in. The cathedral was even more beautiful on the inside! I offered flowers and a candle to Jesus. I made a prayer, and I asked Krishna to bless me. The mass was actually at 7:30pm not 6pm, so I sat and waited for it. I spoke to someone briefly next to me. Then the mass begun. There was beautiful singing and lots of talking in Spanish. After half an hour, I was falling asleep, and I was exhausted. So, I left half way through.

The main altarpiece of the Cathedral

 I got my bag back, and the I didn’t know how to get back to the hostel. So, I got Wi-Fi from a restaurant and checked the direcitons. I was so happy to know that the laundromat next to the hostel was open until 11pm. I showered, did laundry, and had some bread and cheese for diner, which was given by some people who were staying at the hostel. They were students who were living in Vigo, a city south of Santiago, near the Portuguese border. One was from the states, and the other was from Indonesia. They did not do the Camino. They were just visiting Santiago as tourists. I shared kirtan with them. I was happy to know that Evan from the states was really into spirituality, and he had a group of Christian friends as well. It gives me hope for the future generations. He was probably 20 years old. He enjoyed the kirtan I shared and even sang with me.

About Santiago de Compostella

Santiago de Compostela is located in Galicia, situated in the far north-west of Spain.

In the beginning of the 9th century, a hermit called Pelagius saw a mysterious light shining over a Roman tomb forgotten in the middle of a forest. Very soon, the incredible news spread all over the Christian world: the tomb of St. James the Greater, the beloved apostle of Jesus Christ and his cousin, had been discovered in a far site near the finis terrae, the end of the known Earth, in the northwest of Iberian Peninsula. A few years later, this site became a famous pilgrimage town, one of the most important of Christianity. Pilgrims came from all over Europe following the Camino de Santiago to reach the city born around the Holy Tomb, exercising a great influence on the surrounding area. This is evidenced in the small towns, churches, hospitals, and monasteries that were built near the Camino to attend to the thousands of pilgrims who came to visit the tomb. This influence in the local architecture and art was especially strong and long-lasting in the north-west of Spain, but the fame and the reputation of the sanctuary of Santiago de Compostela went well beyond; Galicia was even known in the Nordic sagas as Jakobsland.

 Façade of the cathedral of Santiago de Compostella

This famous pilgrimage site also became a symbol in the Spanish Christians' struggle against Islam. Destroyed by the Muslims at the end of the 10th century, it was completely rebuilt in the following century. The Old Town of Santiago de Compostela, together with the outlying Santa Maria de Conxo Monastery, constitutes an extraordinary ensemble of distinguished monuments. The squares and narrow streets of the Old Town contain Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, and Neoclassicist buildings. This town is not only a harmonious and very well preserved historical city, but also a place deeply imbued with faith. The cathedral, considered as a masterpiece of Romanesque architecture, keeps the remarkable Pórtico de la Gloria, a jewel of the medieval sculpture. However, the authentic symbol of the city is the Baroque western façade of the cathedral, which forms one of the sides of the square of Obradoiro, one of the world´s most beautiful urban areas.

Epilogue

I had an incredible last day in Santiago de Compostella. I woke up at 6am. I slept at midnight last night! I prepared myself and then booked a hostel in Porto, Portugal, where I will stay for a few days. I walked to the park to see a panoramic view of the cathedral. 

A panoramic view of the cathedral

Then, I went to the Pilgrim’s Office at 9am to get my certificate, but they would not open until 10am because it was All Saints Day. So, I saw a hotel near the cathedral, I took some more photos of the cathedral, and then I dropped my backpack off for the day at the same souvenir shop. 

The Hostal Real de Santiago de Compostela. In Spain, a hotel is a "hostal"

I went in the cathedral and found out that a mass had just started. It was 9:30am. I arrived at the perfect time, not even knowing that it was happening. The mass at noon would have been way too crowded because it was All Saints Day, and the lineup tuned out to be crazy. It was such a beautiful mass! It was 45 minutes, and most of it was singing. At some point, a nun sang with such an angelic voice, and with lots of devotion. I was moved to tears! This cathedral is one of the holiest places in the world! It was the first full mass that I attended. I even took communion. It was a dry wafer. I thought it was too basic. They could have at least made it sweet. Anyway, they lit the “botafumeiro” which is a giant incense holder which they swing back and forth. Although we were not allowed to take photos or videos, I got videos of it, and so did some others. I’m very happy that I saw it! It was an epic moment! The climax of my 21-day journey. The music was so good throughout the mass, and there was barely any talking. Music is transcendental, and I don’t understand Spanish, which is why I really enjoyed this mass, more than the one I attended last night. Kirtan (glorification of the Lord with music) is transcendental, and it transcends any language barriers.

So, after attending this mass and doing this Camino, you may ask: am I a Christian? I'm trying to be one! I follow the Teachings of Jesus Christ, who said love God with all your heart, mind and soul, love thy neighbor as yourself, and thou shalt not kill. Hence, all Hare Krishnas are automatically Christian, because they follow these teachings.

I really enjoyed the devotion and the singing in the cathedral. But normally, 95% of the churches I’ve been to, I don’t feel anything. They are like museums, and barely anyone attends them. So, it was a pleasure to see a living, vibrant church with such devotion. I think any spiritual or religious person could appreciate that, provided they are open-minded enough.

I went to get my certificate. I also got a mileage certificate. I also got a certificate holder.

The "compostella," the name given to the Camino certificate

 I went to have churros with chocolate. Apparently, it’s a thing in Santiago. I t was good. I ran into Elizabeth and Michael from yesterday! We sat together and spoke for a bit. It was common to run into people, because it’s not a big city, and we’re all around the cathedral. 

Elizabeth from Germany

I went to see the Portico da Gloria, which was the original entrance of the cathedral. I took an audio tour. It was very beautiful. I also attended a third mass, unintentionally. The Portico was in the back of the church. It's a shame that they don't use this original entrance, and that everyone has to enter from the side.

Pórtico de la Gloria

I saw the cathedral museum. I went up to the roof and saw the view of the Praza do Obradoiro. I the saw the Museo das Peregrinacions e de Santiago, which was great! It spoke about pilgrimage in many differet cultures. I ran into Emma and Kayla! We said goodbye. I bought some souvenirs, and then I got my backpack before heading to the bus station. I will spend 12 days in Portugal. On the bus, I met David from West Island, who also did the Camino! It was nice to meet someone from home. During the bus ride, I did some research about my next hike: Aconcagua.

Aconcagua

Conclusion

That brings us to the end of my Camino adventure! It was an epic journey. Definitely one of the best three weeks of my life.  I wouldn’t say it was a life-changing experience for me. I already quit all the drugs and addictions. I already changed my career, and I’m doing what I love. I wasn’t going through a burnout or processing a breakup.

It was easier than walking up Kilimanjaro, although it was longer. The hike up Kilimanjaro took 8 days, but it was very cold most of the time, and the last day is still my hardest day of hiking ever, where I walked 13.5 hours within 24 hours on no sleep! In the Kilimanjaro hike, I was not allowed to walk as much as I wanted, as we were in a group. We had to walk as fast as the slowest one in the group. So, I was happy in this hike to be able to walk as much as I wanted.

The Camino is the easiest place I’ve ever seen to make friends. The best part of it was the many wonderful people I met, and seeing them go through their journey of self-discovery and pilgrimage. Everyone is on the same boat, so that makes it easy to connect with others. Also, people have so much time to talk. Typically, on the Camino, you can learn about someone’s whole life story in about 3 hours. I met several spiritual people, and we really enjoyed talking and sharing our life experiences. I also got to share kirtan and songs on guitar five times.

I loved seeing a lot of churches, and the time I had to reflect. I loved the fact that Spain is affordable, and that the albergues are not expensive.

In total, I walked 914km in 21 days! That’s an average of 43.5km a day. That includes detours, and walking in the places where I stayed. On one of those days, I set a new personal record of 62km. The second longest day was the last day at 61km. I had never walked so much before. Usually when I travel, I walk about 20km a day, but without an 8kg backpack. Surprisingly, I didn’t have any issues with my body, despite walking for such long distances. I did not do much training beforehand. I did have excellent shoes and socks, so that definitely helped. I just got the flu once, but it did not last for long. I felt good throughout, and now I feel fitter and more in shape than ever.

The climax was the mass and the “botafumeiro.” During one of the songs, I was moved to tears. The cathedral of Santiago de Compostella is one of the holiest places in the world!

I highly recommend the Camino for everyone, whether you are spiritual or not. You can see part 2 of this blog for “Life Lessons from the Camino” which is relatable whether one has walked the Camino or not. The Camino is a microcosm of the macrocosm of life. One can learn about oneself by walking it, and what really matters may be revealed. If you were already thinking about doing the Camino, feel free to reach out if you have any questions. I will will be sharing a guide to the Camino in one more blog entry.

Would I do it again? Probably not. There are so many other adventures and palces to see in the world! It's worth doing agian, but only after seeing all the other beauitful places I wish to visit.

Thanks for reading.

 

Buen Camino!

 

 

Thanks for reading my blog!