Day 53 Wed 14 May
Not many pilgrims visit or stop at Samos so we had a pilgrim free day, which added to the delight of an undulating dirt path sometimes through farms, sometimes through chestnut forest.  About 14 kilometers to Sarria.  This is an important historical stop on the Camino and the place many pilgrims start in order to qualify for a Compostela (an official certificate for walking at least 100 kilometers to Santiago). Last year, 2013, more than 215,000 Compostelas were issued!

Day 54 Thu 15 May
We knew that on average more than 400 pilgrims leave Sarria every day of the year, but to be two of them was quite frightening for a while. We soon hit a stiff hill and the loud excited babel of half a dozen different languages became silent. With a bit of judicious pacing it was still possible to have some peaceful walking and we enjoyed the thick fog, eventually the scenery, the different surfaces and the farms and forests on the 22 kilometers to Portomarín.
Portomarín was originally built next to a Roman bridge over the Minho River in the Middle Ages. In the 1960s the river was dammed putting the old village under water. The most historic buildings were moved brick by brick and reconstructed in the new town.

Day 55 Fri 16 May
Portomarín was covered in early morning fog when we left at 07:00 for our longest day, 25 kilometers to Palas de Rei. It was a tiring steady climb of 350 meters for the first half, mostly beside the road; not too inspiring. Today we could not break out of the pilgrim pack and the feeling of being two ants in the row depressed us, but our morning cortado (coffee cut with a little milk) and piece of Santiago tart picked us up.

Day 56 Sat 17 May
We decided to try a 08:30 departure today, and it worked – a lot less pilgrims in sight on the 15 kilometer walk to Melide. Today was another great day, almost all off road and mostly on country lanes shaded by large trees; a few villages to break it up too.
Today marks 2 months of walking – 888 kilometers, with 53 to go to Santiago.
Melide is famous for its pulpo (boiled octopus, drizzled with olive oil, salt and paprika) served on a wood plate and eaten at long communal wooden benches. Of course we had to give it a go.

Day 56 Sun 18 May
Sunday is chocolate con churros (hot chocolate with fried dough) day and luckily there was a churrería open for breakfast. Today we walked through forest damp and dark, with a strong scent of eucalyptus. 14 kilometers to Arzúa, mostly off road, undulating and very pleasant.

Day 57 Mon 19 May
With rain threatening we geared up with Gore Tex but made the 19 kilometers to O Pedrouzo before the drizzle started.  Today there was more forest, more gum trees and more birds chirping, nice enough.

Day 58 Tue 20 May
It rained! We reached Santiago at last (20 kilometers). Cold and wet weather dampened the triumphant arrival for us, and hundreds more.

Day 59 Wed 21 May
A day off in Santiago – one of our favorite cities. Santiago is a magic place, people still live, work, shop and study in the old part giving it a life that many cities lack. It is full of wonderful old buildings, stone pavements and narrow twisting streets. Supposedly at its best in the rain, we would prefer bright and sunny! Here are some photos of Santiago on a dull day.

Day 60 Thu 22 May
Awakened by heavy rain, we lay in a warm bed thinking it’s cold and wet outside, and maybe we really don’t need to walk the 90k to Finisterre.  But we left anyway.  The rain stopped after an hour and we had a warm sunny day for our 20 kilometer walk to Negreira.  Soon after leaving Santiago we were on a rough path through gum trees which gave us a strong feeling that we were transported to Australia, yet we crossed a couple of beautiful medieval bridges. 

Day 61 Fri 23 May
We departed in continuous steady rain which stopped after a while to be replaced by a cold wind. The Way is very nice through trees and farms along tracks and country roads – 21 kilometers to microscopic Santa Mariña.

Day 62 Sat 24 May
We didn’t walk very far, about 12 kilometers to Olveiroa. There was a bit of rain and a bit of sun. Not so much forest now, it is more open, very nice. Olveiroa is the place for hórreos (stone corn stores), there must be at least a dozen very ancient ones in the village.

Day 63 Sun 25 May.
The 20 kilometer walk from Olveiroa to Cee is the prettiest rural stage of the Camino. Its all off road, walking along country tracks our spirits lifted by the sunshine (at last) and especially when we saw the sea and the lighthouse on Cape Finisterre. Nephew, James, who is studying in Sweden made a special effort to join us for part of the walk. That was great.

Day 64 Mon 26 May
Our final days walking – 15 kilometers to Finisterre. Putting on our Gore-Tex for the 7th straight day we thought – enough! But it didn’t rain and the walk to Finisterre was quite pleasant. We took a short cut for a kilometer along the beach which was really nice and even got our feet into the Atlantic! Dumped our packs in the hotel and walked the final 3 kilometers to the lighthouse at the end of the world and left our Camino shells on the cross there. We are no longer pilgrims having walked 1020 kilometers from the Pyrenees.

Pam’s final words “This is my last Camino. I’m not doing another one, don’t make me.”