Arrival in Santiago de Compostela

After 14 days of cycling - 49 hours of saddle time, 735 km, 12,519 meters climbed - we arrived in Santiago de Compostela at mid-morning. Arrival was more emotional than I thought it would be. Aside from being physically challenged by the daily hill climbs, simply knowing that this has been a pilgrimage for hundreds of thousands of people for centuries took its toll. 

Arriving in the square outside of the cathedral was somewhat anticlimactic. Somewhat like saying to yourself "ok, you're done ... next?". As we stood in line for two hours to have our credentials validated and receive our certificates, the look of joy (and relief) on the faces of those who completed the walk and the cycle was palpable. It's at that point when it hits you ... this is the CAMINO DE SANTIAGO and we are now in amongst an alumni with a shared experience.

Tomorrow we are off on a bus tour to Finesterre and the Costa del Morte for some well deserved R & R before heading back to Barcelona for a couple of days and then home.

We would be happy to share our experience and thoughts with anyone who is interested. While the Camino may not be everyone's idea of a great vacation, it will always stand out in my memory as a momentous achievement.

Ciao!

The second bar is always better (a Camino saying) - Days 7 and 8

Day 7 (long) and day 8 (short) continue to teach us new things about ourselves, our world, and our neighbours. 

Our day 7 ride to Leon was the longest of this trip and at the same time, one of our quickest. Much of the route was on secondary paved  roads with the walkers on an adjacent gravel road. We ended the day in Leon in early afternoon and found time to relax at The Parador Leon (hotel above) before setting out for the evening. 

The hotel began its life in the mid-12th Century built to house and provide protection for the Camino de Santiago pilgrims. Later it became a Monestary, followed by a hospital, army barracks and was then on its way to being another ruins before it was salvaged and restored back to its original purpose. In its current iteration, it is for relatively well-healed pilgrims.

As we were leaving Leon for our day 8 ride (destination Astorga) we were thrilled to see that we were now less than 300 km's from Santiago de Compostela.

This part of the world is so deep and rich in its history. The bridge above was build by the Romans to shuttle their troops across the river. In the 5th Century the bridge and surrounding area became the scene of many epic battles between the Romans and Spanish. The bridge was actually destroyed by the Spanish at one point to halt Napoleons advances into the region. 

Another wonderful oasis built for pilgrims. All of the food and drinks are complimentary, although donations are not refused. 

There is a saying along the Camino that "the second bar is always better". To get a sense of what this means, you need to understand that the Camino pilgrims, walkers and cyclists are the primary source of income for hundreds of little villages and hamlets along the 850 km route. Because of the Camino, Albergues, hotels, cafes, restaurants and bars (and church's survive. As soon as you enter a village, you find yellow arrows (normally intended to guide the pilgrims) pointing every which way to steer you toward a business. There is also (usually) a cafe/bar as soon as you enter town. We learned early on that you should pass on the first bar, because the "second is always better". 

Speaking of which, it is time to sign off this chapter and head out to discover our stop for the night, meet some fellow travelers and perhaps find that - elusive - Spanish paella that we've heard so much about!

With 263 km left to go ... be back soon :-)

Departures

Sitting in the departure gate at YVR, trying to not get overexcited about the next 3 weeks. Barcelona is a city that I have long wanted to visit. Architecture, art, food, wine ... a great place from which to begin a bicycle trip. 

Last night we stayed at an airport hotel that offered free parking for the length of our trip. All-in-all, not a bad deal. I was trying hard to appreciate the "deal" in the early morning hours with the party going on a few doors down. From now on I should resolve to throw on some clothes and join the party. After all, if they are going to keep you from sleeping, you might as well drink their beer! 

The next day will feature lots of napping, reading, movie watching, and too much restlessness as we fly half way around the world. I'm hoping that the AirTransat crew were not staying in the party room.

... talk soon!