Day 38 - to Negreira

Once again, thank you to my day and 5000 step sponsors. Your journeying with me means a lot.

After doing our washing and drying, I paid a final visit to the Cathedral: I visited the tomb of the Apostle; I looked at my favourite features; I prayed a Rosary; and then spent some time in the Sacrament chapel. There, I took out my list of all my sponsors and, for the first time, read through them all and prayed for their (your) intentions. 

While I was there, on my knees, a group of three very young sisters entered. The oldest, maybe six or seven years of age, came into my pew and right up to me and said something in Spanish. I said, in Sopanish, "I don't speak Spanish." She looked confused. She asked me the same question again - I think that she asked what we were doing? So I pointed at the Sacrament and said: "It's Jesus; It's the Lord." At that, she told her sister to say some prayers, dropped to her knees, clasped her hands together, closed her eyes and bowed her head. For about two minutes, she said her prayers and then went on her way. It was very sweet.

Linda and I had organised to meet for the same Paella dishes that we had eaten for lunch the day before. So, we met there and had another delightful evening of food and people watching. The latter has been most entretaining in Santiago, with its mix of pilgrims, tourists and locals.

After dinner, we returned to the hotel to organise ourselves. Thankfully, I no longer have to carry a backpack. Linda has decided to walk no more of the way. So, I placed some things in her daypack, fixxed up my backpack, and went to be.

I forgot to change my alarm time from the super early alarm from a couple of days before. So, I was woken way to early. I had no intention of leaving in the dark, as very few pilgrims walk to FInisterre and the way is not as clearly marked as earlier (as the two slight detours I took attest). I kept hittinbg snooze for about half an hour until I finally got up, got ready and hit the road. I was gone by 6.15 or so.

The walk was supposed to be very difficult. It was not long, but the topographical map showed a very steep climb about half way. From the look of the map, I thought that I would be almost literally climbing. As it turns out, that 2.8 kilometres if ascent was not that difficult. About three quatrters of the way through, I remembered the four and five kilometres, much more difficult, climbs of a week before. The, I remembered the 20 kilometre climb of the first day. This was easy and I powered on.

The only really difficult part of the morning was a lack of open cafes. I walked well over 15kms before I came to a bar. I really needed that coffee!

There wer a few nice highlights. Firstly, the pre-dawn view back on the Cathedral was very picturesque. Secondly, So much of the way was made up of very beautiful forests of old trees covered in moss; Thirdly, the last place I passed through Ponte Maceira was an idyllic village: a medieval bridge; many large palaces; a full flowing stream; ruins and crosses. It was amazingly pretty, as I hope the pictures portray.

I arrived in Negreira just after 1am - very early - and spent about an hour wandering around the town and seeing the sights. While doing so, I bumped into Linda who was doing the same. So, before too long, we headed off to a Tapas place that came weel recommended on TripAdvisor. I had spicy chicken wings that were very, very hot. They were great. Linda finally had the Octopus - which she said was also great. We were also offered a complimentary digestive, like a limoncello, after lunch. It was all most pleasant.

Tomorrow is a huge day - almost thirty kilometres. 

Hasta la vista!