Pictures

Over the Pyrenees



First town in Spain



Zubiri

typical Spanish countryside in the province of Navarra

A hot first week

Leaving the Pyrenees

Leaving Pamplona

Wine fountain!

The road to Estella

It's a long road

Wet shoes

Cathedral in Burgos

John in front of Burgos Cathedral

The meseta (plains of Spain)

A fellow pilgrim

More Meseta

Cathedral in Leon

Tired pilgrim in Leon

13th century bridge.  Site of a famous jousting tournament for a damsel!

Cruz de ferro where you leave your burden

Over the next mountain range

replaced "my burden" with shell/cross

Over the mountains

On the way to Galicia

The scenery becomes spectacular

Last province--last mountains--into Galicia

Top of the mountain--O'Cebreiro

Amazing

On the way to Samos

Karen from Kenora

Almost there!  100 km to go!

We have arrived!!!!!

Cathedral in Santiago

Finisterre--the Atlantic

Madrid

This will be our last posting and we shall shut this blog down soon.  We are now in post-comino mode and into full swing as tourists.  Saw some big palace today and hung out in a huge park.  We´re both feeling sluggish and beaten up!!!!   John needs to get home and get some real food.  I need to stay off my feet for a week.  Madrid is a ¨wow¨ city but now that we´ve been off the camino for 6 days, it´s time to go home!!!!

Thanks to all of you for reading these bytes and following us on our journey.  It means a lot to us and helps us feel connected.

Plane lands in Vancouver tomorrow, November 1 at 13.20.

Leaving Santiago

Thought I´d take advantage of the computer while we still have access to one.  Tomorrow we´re off to Madrid.  Took the bus to Finisterra yesterday.  Saw the end of the world and stared into the deep blue of the Atlantic Ocean.  About 20% of peregrinos continue to Finisterra but not us.  We´ve dropped our pilgrim gait and have become tourists.  Santiago was built to receive pilgrims.  Lots of monasteries, churches, bells, convents.  In fact, we are sleeping in a converted convent.  Pretty simple--stone, bed, chair, shower.
TTFN and love to all.

Santiago!!!!

We have arrived!  What a feeling!!!!!  Both of us in perfect health and walked every single step of the way.  Not a blister between the two of us.  Mass this morning was amazing.  Bota  fumiero as in the movie ¨The Way¨was swung .  It fumigates the peregrinos.  Sorely needed.  Thanks for all your prayers.  Next stop is Madrid and we´ll be home Saturday.
Had wine and pulpo (octopus) last night.  Octopus: blah.  Wine--what a celebration.  Vino tinto.  Meeting many pilgrims as they arrive.  Hugs, pictures, a few tears.

Love to you all.  Thanks for the many e-mails.

Arzua 2 days left to walk. computer won´t let me compose. Only do title so here it is! rain all day. Bonding time with all the fellow pilgrims. Don´t want to leave the Camino! Feet still kill. Tired of pan (bread). Octopus--meh but it is a local specialty. Imagine us walking into Santiago on Saturday! I shall be weeping!

Triacastela

This will be a short blog as we are on a computer that takes coin and we only have a few left.  Need to find a bank!  All is well.  Plenty of rain but we are now in Galacia--over two more mountain ranges.  Scenery is spectacular when the clouds break.  Only 6 days of walking left.  We will be sad to leave the Camino.  No injuries for either of us.  Both feeling strong.  CIAO

Astorga

Have left the Mesita and heading into a new mountain range.  Beautiful walk today--30 km through the remaining flats and starting a climb.   Raining in Astorga.  Hopefully will clear up as supposed to be stunning views tomorrow and we missed out over the Pyrenees.  Ah well.  It´s all good.  Rain in Spain is not like rain in Vancouver. 
Spending the night in a pretty sweet Hotel so at least we´ll get a good night´s sleep.  Astorga is again an old city with ancient cathedrals and bells that ring all night and fascinating city squares.  Found a peregrino shop to buy some rain gear.

Love to all.