After a few days rest in Santiago, we headed for Finisterra and the sea, the source and end of life. We walked the 56 miles (91 km) in an easy, mostly delightful, four days. In the middle we fell on an unacceptable alberge and some rain at the same time. A call by a helpful farmer had a hotel owner picking us from our barn shelter in a half hour. Though his ride took us several miles around a mountain, had we walked we would have walked only four or so miles (2.5 km). Here are a few pictures of those days.
We have another distant view of the cathedral. This one is from the Camino Finisterra as we leave in the morning. 6 Feb 10
As we walk through Olivera I spot this grain storage building with many crosses on the top. A strange grain bin indeed. Actually there is a church and grave yard immediately behind the bin. The crosses belong to the Lord's houses. 8 Feb 10
Often we look too far ahead and try to anticipate what will happen when we get somewhere or have to do something. This is an ongoing theme with both of us. We try to live in the now and deal with it now. We can deal with the future even the near future when we get to it. Here I was getting tired in the middle of a cloudy day. Petra was ahead. Instead of just walking where I was, I kept looking at that long steep path going up forever (left picture). I wasn't so happy. Then Petra turned (right picture). Ah! We don't have to climb that. I wasted energy worrying about a walk I never would be taking instead of just walking where I was and turning or not turning when I got to the point of doing so. By the way, I didn't set up this pair of pictures. I was working on a pictuer the windmills when Petra turned and I realized I was worried about nothing. So then I snapped the second to tell the story. 8 Feb 10
Petra climbs a hill. 8 Feb 10
A shepherd and his dogs. He had a lot of sheep too. 8 Feb 10
Posing again at the shrine of Our Lady of the Snows in the hills above Cee. When we were here in 2003, the platform was not here and the altar was almost empty. Now it was full of offerings left by passers by. Click here to see what it (and I) looked like then. 8 Feb 10
Petra, Perla, and Me in Hospital. The dog and I are reflections in the window. Perla was there drawing in customers when we passed during our first Camino in 2003. Click here to see us then. 8 Feb 10
Late in the evening of the fourth day we stand at the zero mile marker at the lighthouse on Cabo Finisterra, at the end of the European world. We have taken 399 days and walked 4,037 miles (6,540 km) to get here from Paso Robles, California. Click here to see me standing at the same place in 2003. Notice that at that time the marker points down indicating that you are at the end of the walk. But the replacement that is there now points sideways as if there is somewhere to go to the right. The older one was more accurate. This is the end. 9 Feb 10
Finisterra harbor one windy evening and the mountains across the bay. 11 Feb 10
On the way to the cape one day we found this monument commemorating the end of the Camino of the Stars. This is a more ancient tradition along this path of what is now the Camino of Santiago. It was walked long before the Christians had Santiago to sanctify it. People still walk it along what they say is an alignment of the stars of the Milky Way that give it special energy. 12 Feb 10
As we ended our last visit to the cape and its marvelous views we pose for a final self portrait before heading back to Santiago by bus. It was a good time in Finisterra and in getting there. 12 Feb 10