Author: Robert Moore

And so I showered for the last time on the camino. I carefully folded up the go-forward bag and packed my backpack. Down the hill across the highway on a wood-covered steel bridge we went. We had hit the outskirts of Santiago. We stopped for breakfast and our last sellos before heading up the hill to the Cathedral. The short walk into Santiago took no time at all and soon we were standing in front of the Convento de San Martin Pinario. This former convent now turned hotel sits right next to the Cathedral. The Convento provides single and double accommodations including breakfast for a very reasonable price-plus you get the added benefit of enjoying the institutional experience all over again in converted dormitory rooms. Continue reading “Monte do Gozo to Santiago and beyond.”

The next morning the sun was out again and we off. Jon, Eleanor, Mary Jane Alida and I went for coffee and breakfast, Jim and Geoff set out ahead of us as usual and Sarah caught the bus to Monte do Gozo.

After breakfast as we crossed the street I noticed a woman perhaps in her twenties pushing another woman in a wheelchair. Not an unusual site except that she was wearing a backpack and another one was stored under the wheelchair’s seat.  Peregrinos no doubt, but I had to wonder how far she could travel in a day and what roads she could take. As we left the main road to find the camino I watched briefly as she continued on down the sidewalk. I figured that this would be the last that we would see of her as she could not possibly keep up with us. Once we left Pedrouzo we were once again in the forest and on yet another hill climb. Jon and I struck out on our own pushing up the hill which seemed to go on forever. Continue reading “O Pedrouzo to Monte do Gozo”

The next morning Alida was well hydrated and felt very much better and resisted our suggestion to take the bus to O Pedrouzo. And so it was. We were off again retracing our steps about a km to rejoin the camino. As we broke again in and out of little groups. At one point. Eleanor and I wound up walking together mostly because we had become completely enamored with the wonderful variety of mushrooms everywhere and our incessant stopping to take pictures caused us to lag way behind the main group. Continue reading “Salceda to O Pedrouzo: Chapel, fountain and ‘shrooms!”

Today a couple of us walked Luba to the bus area and as we waved goodbye, we wished her the very best as she headed to Santiago on her journey to Canada. We all agreed that she had been a wonderful companion for the very brief time that she had walked with us, and I believe that a new friend had been added to the group. I think that our paths are destined to cross again. After seeing her off, we headed back to the albergue to get ready for departure. Sharon’s knee was no better and given the terrain ahead, she decided to take the bus to Salceda. After a quick breakfast of coffee and pastries we saw her onto the bus and then set off once again on the camino. Continue reading “Arzua to Salceda: Faux pilgrims and out like a light”