Pictures from Santiago

Lavacolla to Santiago

It was very strange to get up this morning and know that we were doing our 'toe taping ceremony' for the last time.  We only had 10km to go which seemed like nothing after the last 32 days.
We started out in the dark and as the light came up Santiago was clouded in mist which finally lifted and revealed a lovely clear day. It didn't take long to get here and find the Cathedral and our accomodation is directly opposite so there is no forgetting we have arrived even if we wanted to.
We feel incredibly privaleged to have been able to complete the Camino and arrive here.  800km is quite a journey.
We sat in the Pilgrims' Mass with what must have been 1500 other people and we were in awe.  They didn't do the big swining  botifumero as there is a little problem with it but we are hoping it will be fixed before we leave. 
We saw people we have seen and lost along the way and it seems that is something that happens.  You may see someone for a few days and then lose them and then find them again.  It seemed like we found all the people we have gotten to know over the last 800km.  It is such a strange thing and very hard to try to explain.
The Cathedral is beautiful and we will do some more sightseeing in there before we leave.  We will visit the remains of St James which are in there and that is what started pilgrims coming here in the first place over 1000 years ago.
So this Camino journey has reached its conclusion.......but there are others and we will be back.  It's not really over!

Photos from Arzua to Lavacolla

Arzua to Lavacolla

We did another 30km day today and really made great time.  We started out in tne dark for about an hour and a half and it was quite eerie as we were still on the heavily wooded tracks and paths which is where most of theday was spent.  Eventually the light came through the trees and we knew we wouldn't see any rain today.  Happy days..
Our thoughts turned to the fact that we will only have 10km to walk on the Camino tomorrow.  It is strange to think that what we have been doing for the last 33 days so far is coming to an end.  Our daily rituals and routines  will no longer be after tomorrow and the people that we meet each day will be gone.  This has been our life and major focus on the Camino and we wonder how we will adjust and return to the real world.  Our lives are undoubtedly changed forever.

Photos for Palas De Rei to Azur post

Palas De Rei

We started out with sunshine today and everyone was happy on the Camino.  It didn't take long before it started to rain but it didn't matter.  We are pushing on to Santiago because we want to go to the Pilgrims' Mass on Sunday so we have to get ahead a bit so we did about 30 km today.
We spent a lot of time on country lanes heavily covered with massive trees.  We expected we should see a Hobbitt at any moment but all we saw were short pilgrims.
We got to our accomdation and found a laundry and finally got some much needed washing done.
Not far now.

Palas De Rei to Arzua

Palas De Rei to Arzua

We started out with some sunshine today and everyone on the Camino was happy.  The rain came back again before too long but it didn't matter.  We did about 30km today as we are pushing towards Santiago as we want to arrive on Sunday morning instead of the afternoon so we can attend the Pilgrims Mass at noon.  The intermittent rain slowed us a bit because we had to continually stop to put on our rain gear and the take it off again.  It was too hot on all the climbs to leave it on if we didn't need it.
We went through wooded lanes and country roads and it was really very pretty for most of the time.  The paths that were heavily wooded made us want to look for Hobbitts but we only saw short  pilgrims.
We finally arrived at our accomodation and managed to finad a laundry and got some much needed washing done.
So close now

Portomarin to Palas De Rei

Second go at this post as I accidentally deleted it.

Very windy day today, almost blew us off our feet it also  poured with rain for a large part of the day.  We are still in dairy country.
About 25 km today.
When we arived at our accomodation there were a couple of Koreans whos luggage had got lost.  Fuzz and I were able to help with the bit of Spanish we know, some Italian and some English plus the help of the translator app on my phone.  We got it sorted we ended up with two happy Koreans on the Camino today.

Sarria to Portamarin

Great walk today, 22.4km of hilly country paths that were shaded with huge trees through what must be dairy country as there were lots of cows.  Some of the cows are quite pretty.  One had a baby with her and I vowed to never eat veal again.
No rain and that was such a treat.  A great day on the Camino today.
The way has now been joined by many new faces who are starting their Camino from Sarria.  It feels funny to be the travel weary veterans who are now being asked advice.  We realise that we have learned quite a lot in the last few weeks after all.
700km down.....

Triacastela to Sarria

19km.  We started out in the dark with driving rain.  There was quite a climb to start with on a very slippery country path.  Most of today was on lovely country paths some very slippery because of the wet and debris from the overhanging trees that are now starting to shed their leaves. 
The rain finally gave way to a very pleasant day as we continued along our wooded path to Sarria.
Sarria is now the starting place for modern day pilgrims as it is only required that you do 100km to Santiago to get your Compostella as opposted to one of the more traditional routes/distances.  From here it should get quite busy with pilgrims and tourists all vying for accomodation and the already competive edge needed to aquire accomodation should from now on need to be more finely honed.  Groups of people are pre booked and people we are talking to along the way who are only here for two weeks came with their accomodation pre booked for the duration of their trip.  So today when we tried to book for tomorrow we found it hard to get accomodation so we decided that we should book for the rest of the trip.  Fuzz became 'super man' of the booking world and took charge of the book and booked us through to Santiago where I have already got us booked for 3 nights until we go th the Uk.  We are hoping that the bookings stick as we have found out that things can go astray.  That just adds to the fun sometimes.
115km to go...or there abouts.