Galicia and the Final Stage

Yesterday near O¨Cebreiro I left the region of Castilla y Leon and entered the region of Galicia. From now until Santiago I will travel through this region which is much like other Celtic places in Europe. The countryside reminds me of Ireland with it´s green mountains, farms bordered by stone walls and changeable weather. Like Ireland the people celebrate their Celtic traditions. There is a separate language spoken by many people in the region much like in Gaelic Scotland and the music features bagpipes and distinctly Celtic tunes. Spanish dancers perform dances very similar to those in Irish and Scottish country dancing and the traditional dress is also closely related. Long before Christianity came to Spain there was a pagan celebration of life and nature and the symbols can be found alongside the Christian crosses and other symbols on the Camino. You can buy Celtic crosses here, music from Ireland and Scotland and books in Spanish by writers who research Celtic history and traditions.



This morning´s departure was illuminated by the most glorious sunrise. The air was much cooler in the mountains forcing me to wear all my layers including gloves for the first hour. My raincoat has often done double duty as it keeps the wind at bay with a fleece underneath. It has been wonderful having just the right clothes in my pack and no more. Most of us get by with two of everything (doing a daily wash is routine) and sandals make a change from my boots at the end of the day. I have been sorry to see the struggles of people who have brought too much from home or picked up things along the way - it all has to be carried!

People have asked me if my clothes still fit "you must be wasting away" and "you¨ll be a shadow of your former self" are expressions that have peppered the e-mails from friends. No such luck! While the exercise is strenuous and I feel and have been healthy, I have also been enjoying the food here in Spain. All the fresh air and exercise makes one ravenous throughout the day. Although the ¨pilgrim´s menu¨ can be repeditive the food offered is generally delicious and there´s always plenty. Most evenings we are given the choice of a hearty soup, mixed salad (topped with egg and tuna) or pasta and that´s just the first course. The second course can be pork, fish, rabbit, ham or eggs with vegetables and potatoes. Then a dessert is included with a bottle of red wine and water. Of course bread accompanies every meal much to my chagrin! All this food can usually be had for the sum of anywhere from 7 to 9 euros! Since the albergues usually charge anywhere from a low of 3 euros to 8 euros for a night´s accomodation one can complete the Camino on a pretty tight budget! As a life experience my Camino journey is unbelievable value in so many ways!