Olveiroa to Finisterre

Written on June 29, 2009.....19.4 miles.

Lighthouse and Coast Guard Station, now

habitociones. Finisterre, (Fisterre, Spain)

Cliffs at the end of the world.

Bronze shoe.

photos courtesy of http://www.ourcamino.com/

This morning we left right at 6 a.m. We are following the book and signs the best we can. The path between Santiago and Finisterre takes concentration and alertness to stay on the Camino. The stone waymarkers are now turned sideways and some tiles are placed on the corners of buildings.

We walked to a point near Hospital, Spain where the route to Muxia separates from the Camino Fisterre. We are going to Finisterre and will just keep heading west. Sometime after the crossroads we get our first view of the Atlantic Ocean...wow....we really are walking to what was considered the end of the world in medieval times. This view of the Atlantic gives me new energy. A few miles later in a very isolated area we find Ermita Nosa Senora Das Neves, a hermitage. There is a shrine that has grown as pilgrims have left personal items of significance to them.

As we keep walking west we are on a path with rock walls to the left that appear to be dividing parcels of land. No evidence of past structures, just divided land. The walls, about four feet high extend for over 100 feet.

Today there is on and off rain so as a result our ponchos are on and off. The temperature is warm.

We soon start to walk down a hill and there is our first sight of Cee, a large town more than half way now to Finisterre. It´s a beautiful town built close to the bay. Orange roofs, white buildings, shiny blue water..... very romantic looking to me.

A few times a truck with a loud speaker went through town....many words in Spanish I did not understand, but two words, Circo Dupey, I heard clearly. Although I heard them I didn´t understand what Circo Dupey was. Then we turned a corner and there in a lot were circus tents and vehicles. If the circus was open I´m sure that Vern would have wanted to check out Circo Dupey.

We walked through and out of Cee. For many miles we could see the point of the peninsula and knew that today we would be near the lighthouse and Faro Fisterre, (the end of the world).

We walked for quite aways on a stone path made through the sand on a beautiful beach. Soon we were guided onto a street and saw a sign for our hostal. We checked in and left our backpacks in our room. We made our way to find the albergue, (no Pilgrim Office here), to receive our second Compestela for walking from Santiago to Finisterre.

As we walked along the main street of Finisterre we saw Christina and Gilda. As we were talking with them Vern looked at the man with them and said is that Ollie? It was! Vern had taken a break with Ollie weeks before while I was walking up a hill. We had spoken of him often since then and another pilgrim had told us that they had met him and he had spoken of us.

How exciting and what a great way to define and celebrate our walk to Finisterre and the completion of the walking part of our Camino. We made plans to meet them for dinner. We continue to the albergue and show our pilgrim passport ro receive our Finisterre Compestela. I am grateful for our health and determination to walk to Finisterre.

Buen Camino

Buen Amigos/Amigas

Buen Vida