Barcelona

Monday, June 10^th

Our flight from Lisbon was uneventful, just the way they’re supposed to be. We arrived around noon, collected our bags and took a taxi into the city. This is the first time in Barcelona for both Liz and I and we are eager to take in the city, particularly its renowned architecture.

We arrived at our AirBnB an hour or so before check-in. Our host, Santiago, met us at the apartment and allowed us to store our bags there while the final cleaning of the unit was completed. Liz and I were both thrilled to see that the apartment building has an elevator allowing for easier transportation of our too many, too big bags. With the bags properly stored, we went out to find lunch.

Unlike our other AirBnB’s, this apartment is in a residential section of Barcelona. To date, we have largely stayed in the historic and more touristy locations within the cities we have visited. It was great to simply be living among residents, although, with a population of 1.6 million (4.8 million in the greater metro area), Barcelona is a bustling city.

Our AirBnB is excellent. Great location, recently renovated with large windows facing the street. For the next week, it proved to be an excellent location for exploring the city.

A Brief History of Barcelona

Barcelona is the capital of the autonomous community named Catalonia. An autonomous community is roughly equivalent to a state in the US although there are some important differences. These differences arise from the fact that long before the country of Spain existed, the Iberian peninsula was inhabited and occupied by a number of kingdoms the size of which varied from time-to-time resulting from wars amongst the kingdoms or invaders from other lands. These kingdoms had existed independently for many centuries and it wasn’t until 1479 that Spain was first organized under a single king, but, even then, this was only a loose affiliation of kingdoms. Catalonia arose out of the former Kingdom of Aragon.

During the next several centuries, further attempts to solidify Spain as a nation were taken, but always ran into fierce resistance from the highly independent former kingdoms, particularly the Basque region and Catalonia – both regions that have their own languages. I have written earlier about the Basques and their language which has almost no familiarity with any other language in the world. Catalan, by contrast, is a language with Latin roots and is spoken, not only in Catalonia, but also in Valencia and in parts of France, Italy and Andorra where it is the official language.

The Spanish Civil War, which broke out in 1936, was largely a conflict among those that favored the autonomy of regions (Republicans) versus a strong central government (Federalists). The Federalists won this war and General Franco rose to power installing a brutal central government that suppressed any and all efforts to encourage autonomous regions. Following Franco’s death in 1975, Spain adopted the Spanish Constitution of 1978 which sought to strike a balance between the central government and the independent regions. The second article of the constitution reads as follows:

“The Constitution is based on the indissoluble unity of the Spanish Nation, the common and indivisible homeland of all Spaniards; it recognizes and guarantees the right to self-government of the nationalities and regions of which it is composed and the solidarity among them all.”

As the constitution “guaranties the right to self-government” to the autonomous regions, in 2006 Catalonia passed laws that provided, among things, an autonomous Catalan system of justice, a new territorial division, the status of Catalan language and the symbolical declaration of Catalonia as a nation. The central government was strongly opposed to these new provisions and, in 2010, the Constitutional Court of Spain (their Supreme Court) declared these provisions to be in violation of the Constitution and, therefore, invalid.

This repudiation by the Court did not sit well with Catalonia. In 2017, a referendum was held and, as a result, Catalonia issued its symbolic declaration of independence from Spain. Proverbial “hell broke loose” following this with several Catalonian political figures being jailed for rebellion and sedition and others, including the former president of Catalonia, forced to seek exile in other countries. Today, this is very much an unresolved issue, although during our visit, except for the numerous posters requesting the release of political prisoners, you would never know that Catalonia is anything other than a happy autonomous community within Spain. Stay tuned. This is not over as it is a drama that now extends for nearly a millennium.

Old Town

Later that afternoon, we took a walk into old town which is comprised of three districts: Barri Gòtic (the Gothic Quarter), El Call (the Jewish Quarter) and La Ribera where you will find the Picasso Museum and the soaring Gothic church of Santa María del Mar.   

We spent our time in the Gothic Quarter where we visited the Barcelona Cathedral. Also known as the Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia, the Barcelona Cathedral was built between the 13^th-15^th centuries and it is beautiful. Part of the tour includes an elevator ride to the roof where you can walk the length of the cathedral outside providing exceptional views of the city underneath.

Barcelona Cathedral

After our cathedral tour, we walked the 1+ miles back to our apartment. Along the way, we encountered one of Gaudi’s architectural creations – Casa Batlló.

Casa Batlló

Antoni Gaudi

Gaudi (1852-1926) was an architect whose creations have left an indelible mark on Barcelona. If you only visit Barcelona to see Gaudi’s buildings, you will not be disappointed. Gaudí's work was influenced by his passions in life: architecture, nature, and religion.

From Wikipedia, “Gaudí became part of the Modernista movement which was reaching its peak in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His work transcended mainstream Modernisme, culminating in an organic style inspired by natural forms. Gaudí rarely drew detailed plans of his works, instead preferring to create them as three-dimensional scale models and molding the details as he conceived them.”

During our stay, we also visited Park Güell, La Pedrera and his signature achievement, Sagrada Família.

Park Güell is a real estate development on Barcelona’s northern periphery. Eusebi Güell commissioned Gaudi to design a park, situated within a natural park to include a grouping of high-quality homes, decked out with all the latest technological advancements to ensure maximum comfort, finished off with an artistic touch. While the park portion of this project was completed reflecting Gaudi’s unique association with nature, the housing development was a commercial failure. Ultimately, only two houses were built, neither designed by Gaudí. One was intended to be a show house, but on being completed in 1904 was put up for sale, and as no buyers came forward, Gaudí, at Güell's suggestion, bought it and moved in with his family and his father in 1906 where he continued to live until his death in 1926.

Park Güell with Gaudi's house in the center

La Pedrera (aka Casa Milà) was originally built as a private residence for Pere Milà and his wife, Roser Segimon. From the outset, it was a controversial building earning its more popular name, La Pedrera, which means “stone quarry”, because of its unusual appearance. Today, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most visited sites in Barcelona. It is definitely worth a visit and don’t forget to go all the way up to the roof.

The rooftop at La Pedrera

But Gaudi’s signature project is definitely the Sagrada Família. In 1883, Gaudí began as chief architect, combining Gothic and curvilinear Art Nouveau forms. Gaudí devoted the remainder of his life to the project, and he is buried in the crypt. At the time of his death in 1926, less than a quarter of the project was complete.

Sagrada Família

Again, from Wikipedia, “Relying solely on private donations, Sagrada Familia's construction progressed slowly and was interrupted by the Spanish Civil War. In July 1936, revolutionaries set fire to the crypt and broke their way into the workshop, partially destroying Gaudí's original plans, drawings and plaster models, which led to 16 years work to piece together the fragments of the master model. Construction resumed to intermittent progress in the 1950s. Advancements in technologies such as computer aided design have since enabled faster progress and construction past the midpoint in 2010. However, some of the project's greatest challenges remain, including the construction of ten more spires, each symbolizing an important Biblical figure in the New Testament. It is anticipated that the building can be completed by 2026, the centenary of Gaudí's death.

Sagrada Família

Tuesday, June 11^th

We woke up to rain this day which was a welcomed relief as we have been going non-stop ever since this adventure began six-weeks ago. We found a place to get a couple’s massage, went grocery shopping and got desperately needed haircuts. I had carefully researched a place to get my haircut and decided on BCN Cuts with it 4.6 star reviews and a short walk from our apartment. When I arrived there at 1:45, it was closed although the lights were still on. I rang the doorbell a few times to no avail.

It was then that I noticed another barber shop directly across the street, The Barber Job, and I strolled over. While they were open, they explained I would have to wait until 2pm, when siesta time was over, before I could get a cut. That explained why my first choice, BCN Cuts, looked open, but was locked – it was siesta time. I contemplated heading back to my first choice, but here I sat at The Barber Job, so I stayed put.

What a mistake! At 2pm, this young man, with a terrible haircut, comes up to me and says he’s ready to cut my hair. I should have run for the door, but, alas, I didn’t. I sat down in his chair, showed him a picture of myself with a haircut that I wanted him to approximate, he nodded his head enthusiastically, and off we went.

Out came the electric hair clippers which he immediately ran from the base off my neck to the top of the back of my head. At that point the damage is done and there is no going back. He proceeded to run the clippers everywhere around my head, except the top, as if he was in a hurry to mow the lawn. Then he used scissors to cut some of the hair on the top of my head, pulled out a mirror and asked if it looked OK. I told him it was perfect, he nodded with satisfaction, I paid and then left happy to still have both ears in place.

When Liz returned later in the day from her hair cut, she stared in amazement at what had happened to me. I then took this picture to capture the tail of two haircuts.

 

Who went to The Barber Job and who went to the hair salon?

Wednesday, June 12^th

The next day, we decided to do the “hop-on, hop-off” bus tour of Barcelona as a way to get the lay of the land of this rather large city. The bus has three routes: the Red line which covers the city center; the Blue line highlighting northern Barcelona; and the Green line which runs along the beaches. We started on the Blue line, switched to the Green line and ended on the Red line. It took most of the day, but was a great way to see the city.  We also incorporated a lot of walking into our day as we explored many of the sights nearby the many bus stops.

Basilica de Santa Maria del Mar

That night, we had dinner at Teresa Carles, an excellent vegetarian restaurant.

Thursday, June 13^th

Today we had breakfast at Bergamonte for the third day in a row. The TripAdvisor ratings were excellent with particular praise for their croissants and coffee. One reviewer said that he hadn’t had coffee that good since visiting a specialty coffee place in Seattle (not Starbucks). We quite agree. The baked goods, beyond the croissants (which are excellent), are amazing and the coffee is the best we have had in a while. Liz has written about being homesick for half and half (which is absolutely the case), but the lattes at Bergamonte help you to forget about this longing.

Liz’s neck has been bothering her the past few days, so she made an appointment with a chiropractor whose website claimed he spoke excellent English. As it turns out, he’s from the UK and has set up shop in Old Town. Further, he knows what he is doing and Liz’s neck pain simply melted away.

Almost next door to his office is the Picasso Museum. While Picasso was born in Málaga (where we also went to a museum), he moved with his family to Barcelona when he was 14. This museum in Barcelona houses over 4,000 works of art by Picasso. It is extensive, inspiring and a must visit when in Barcelona.

Picasso Cubism

After Museu Picasso, we walked to La Pedrera – Gaudi’s last private house commission discussed above – for a tour. The tour begins on the roof which is spectacular and then descends into the attic where you are able to see some of the models he created for this building and from there you descend into the home which, frankly, was the least interesting part of the tour.

La Pedrera from the ground floor

After La Pedrera, we headed over to Sagrada Família for another tour – this one was with a guide which is a good way to go because you get expedited access, otherwise the wait can be hours. With 3 million visitors annually, it is the most visited tourist attraction in Spain. (BTW, the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela is the second most visited with 2.6 million; the Alhambra in Granada is 3^rd with 2 million; and Mezquita Mosque and Cathedral in Cordoba is 4^th at 1.5 million).

Sagrada Família

Sagrada Família is a spectacular building. Again from Wikipedia, “Describing Sagrada Família, art critic Rainer Zerbst said "it is probably impossible to find a church building anything like it in the entire history of art", and Paul Goldberger describes it as "the most extraordinary personal interpretation of Gothic architecture since the Middle Ages". In my opinion, it is worth coming to Barcelona even if the only thing you do is visit Sagrada Família.

Sagrada Família

Friday, June 14^th

This day is a blur for both Liz and I. I recall that we spent a lot of time in the apartment and I worked on the blog posts for Portugal, but we don’t remember much more than that.

Saturday, June 15^th

For our last full day in Barcelona in rented bikes and rode them all over the city. Mostly we headed down the length of Avenue Diagonal until we reached the waterfront and then rode along the Mediterranean until we reached Old Town. Once there, the crowds were enormous and riding bikes became increasingly difficult. Eventually, we managed to get through and find our way back to the rental shop. In all we covered around 15 miles and got to see some parts of the city that we hadn’t before. The bike ride was a really good idea.

Frank Gehry's "Goldfish" sculpture along the waterfront

Gaudi's "Fountain" in Parc de la Ciutadella

Sunday, June 16^th

Today we fly to Athens where we will spend one night in a hotel and then head to the harbor to begin a one-week sailing adventure among the Greek Isles. Our traveling companions will be Ted and Ellen Lamboo. Ted was a colleague of mine at Bentley Systems and we have become close friends over many years of working together. Liz and I are excited for this next leg of our adventure.

Musings….

Loved Barcelona! Got a great vibe as soon as we arrived. Helped that our AirBnB was very comfortable. Nice location, away from maddening tourist crowd but still in the mix of it. Vibrant city with lots to do and see. And, of course, all things Gaudi which I loved. Fun to wander along the various neighborhoods and observe all the architectural influences of that time period.

We relaxed a bit more here - not the frenetic pace of trying to see everything - enjoyed just wandering. Weather, with the exception of the first day, was fantastic - perfect temp for walking and site-seeing. Felt like you could spend a good deal of time in this city. And we even tempted fate and acted like locals. We both got haircuts (and a root touch-up for guess who?), massages and a pedicure - even went to a chiropractor! Also the first place that offered a full array of vegetarian restaurants - more so than even San Francisco. Enjoyed the food and ambiance a great deal.

Starting to miss “normal” like showers that don’t leak all over the bathroom, cooking in a stocked kitchen, clothes dryer, familiar and friendly faces, and the grandkids;). But can’t complain - unbelievable opportunity to see and experience all that this wonderful continent has to offer. And we’re enjoying every minute of being together. We’re in a groove I guess….;)!

Up next…sailing.

Portugal - Porto and Lisbon

Porto

Sunday, June 2^nd

We left Santiago and our beautiful hotel around 11am to begin our three-hour drive to Porto, Portugal where we will spend four nights. We arrived in Porto, parked the car, grabbed lunch and then checked in to our AirBnB. Our apartment, which is absolutely the best one to date, is in the old part of Porto with no vehicle access. Further, Porto is an extremely hilly city on the banks of the Douro River, so transporting our luggage from the car to the apartment involved several blocks of walking uphill and then, while this unit had an elevator, it could only be accessed after walking up a long flight of stairs. By the time I have managed to get all the bags from the car, up the street, up the stairs, into the elevator and, finally, in our apartment, I am exhausted. Gee, this is fun!

But our location is terrific. We are in Sao Domingo Square. Directly below our balcony are several restaurants and cafes and we have easy access to the river front. And the apartment is clean, bright, and well equipped (except no washing machine and after seven days on the Camino, we are badly in need of doing laundry).

The scene from our balcony in Porto

After unpacking our stuff, we head outside for a walk down to the river. Eventually, we take the bridge across to the other side where all of the wineries that make port (this is Porto after all) have their tasting rooms. We walk the length of it and eventually end up at Graham’s where we have an excellent tasting. This place is high up on a hill with excellent views of the Douro and the city. We note that Graham’s also has a lovely restaurant to which we will return later in the week.

Dinner that night is at one of the restaurants directly below our apartment and it is excellent. We are in bed by 11pm. Our first impressions of Porto are very good.

The next morning, we drive west to where the Douro meets the Atlantic Ocean and take a long walk along the coastline. The beaches are long and beautiful. We enjoy lunch at a restaurant on the beach and then head back to Porto. Late that afternoon, I have a board meeting with Presidio Graduate School that I join by phone. It’s a long meeting – five hours – after which, we head down to one of the other restaurants at the foot of our apartment for a late dinner.

Fort of San Francisco Xavier

The next day, we took in several of the tourist sites in Porto including Torre dos Clérigos, Igreja de Santo António dos Congregados, Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Vitória, Igreja dos Terceiros de São Francisco and then over to the Porto Cathedral, which was closed this day for a funeral. Finally, we arrived at the Palácio da Bolsa where we had signed up for an afternoon tour.

Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Vitória

The Bolsa Palace was completed in 1850. It was the stock exchange building where the business community met. It is a gorgeous building with unique architectural elements paying tribute to many other countries in Europe including one designed in the exotic Moorish style. The building is a reminder of Portugal’s history as a nation of explorers and traders.

The Bolsa Palace

That night we returned to the south side of the Douro where we had dinner at Graham’s – a multi-course, chef’s selection complete with wine pairings. It didn’t disappoint and the views of the city at night were spectacular.

The next day, Wednesday, Jun 5^th, began with breakfast at the Majestic Café. It is a beautiful old building (built in 1921) and a great place for breakfast when in Porto. From there we headed to the Porto Cathedral, as it was closed the day before. Along the way, we stopped at Igreja de Santo Ildefonso, another beautiful church with blue tiles in the façade. The Porto Cathedral, simply known as Sé Catedral, sits up on a hill and it is large and beautiful.

Igreja de Santo Ildefonso

After the Cathedral, we walked across the top tier of the Luis I Bridge. This bridge, designed by Gustave Eiffel (yes, the same guy who designed the Eiffel Tower in Paris) was completed in 1886 and, at that time, was the longest of its type in the world. The top deck is 280 ft above the Douro River and, today, is only open to foot traffic and the metro. Liz, who suffers from a fear of heights, wasn’t exactly sure she could handle the walk (two football fields in length), but she managed beautifully and it is a walk not to be missed.

Luis I Bridge

After crossing the bridge, we visited Miradouro da Serra do Pilar (Monastery of Serra do Pilar) a former monastery and UNESCO World Heritage Site that has been converted to a military barracks. We were able to climb up into the tower which offered spectacular views of the city.

Monastery of Serra do Pilar

Porto and the Douro River from the Monastery of Serra do Pilar

From here we headed back to our apartment to eat an early dinner and then make our way to the Estádio do Dragão (Dragon Stadium) the home field for FC Porto. But it wouldn’t be FC Porto tonight. No, we had tickets to see the semi-final of the Nations League between Portugal and Switzerland. We were fortunate that our time in Porto coincided with this important soccer event and with Portugal still in the tournament, you can imagine that the city of Porto was very lively, although it was amazing to see the number of enthusiastic supporters from Switzerland present as well. By the end of the 1^st half, Portugal had taken a 1-0 lead after a goal by Cristiano Ronaldo. During the 2^nd half, Switzerland was able to tie the game with a penalty kick and then in the final ten minutes of the match, Ronaldo added two more goals completing his hat-trick. There were 21 professional soccer players on the pitch and one super-star – Ronaldo. Each of his three goals were magnificent and left the Swiss goalie motionless, he simply had no chance. What a thrill to see one of the very best in the world perform on this stage.

The semi-final match between Portugal and Switzerland at Dragon Stadium

That was our final night in Porto. The next day, we packed up the car and headed for Lisbon, another 3-hour drive. We took the long route to enable us to stay close to the Atlantic coast where we made three stops. First, in the small seaside community of Gulpilhares, about 30 minutes south of Porto, where we visited the Chapel of Senhor da Pedra – a small chapel built directly on the beach and in the water in 1686. The chapel is adorable and the beach is beautiful having been named one of Europe’s top ten beaches.

Chapel of Senhor da Pedra in Gulpihares

Next, we stopped in Aveiro, a small town known as “the Venice of Portugal”. It is a very cute town. We walked the streets and along the canal, stopped for a late breakfast, and then headed to our final side trip, Nazaré. Nazaré is the site of the largest waves in the world that have ever been surfed. Here is a video of Garrett McNamara, the current world record holder, riding a 100 ft wave, although a Portuguese surfer has since ridden one at 115 ft that is yet to be verified. It was a relatively calm day when we arrived as we watched a beach soccer tournament and ate lunch at a seaside café.

 

Aviero - the Venice of Portugal

Lisbon

From here, we made our way into Lisbon where we are booked in an AirBnB for another four nights. Once again, our apartment is located in a pedestrian only part of the city and it is a 3-story walk-up with no elevator. I am getting a real workout hauling luggage around these cities and then up multiple flights of stairs. Liz is genuinely worried that I will have a heart attack. I am secretly wishing I would. Liz would describe this place as a “dump”. Once again, the pictures and reviews online provide not a trace of this, but I have to agree with her. Fortunately, it is in a great part of the city with easy access to most everything, but the building is a mess and the apartment is not so great.

One good feature – it has a washing machine which allows us to do our laundry. In Europe, they don’t seem to care much about dryers preferring, instead, to let everything air dry. And the washers are small, like super small. It takes the better part of two days for us to complete the washing and drying cycles for what is now two-weeks of dirty clothes.

After unpacking and starting a load of laundry, we head down to the waterfront and Praça do Comércio - a very large courtyard on the Tagus River close to where it meets the Atlantic Ocean. This square was to proclaim to the world that Portugal is a leader in discovery and it is not to be missed.

The main gate to Praça do Comércio

Praça do Comércio

By now we have grown somewhat tired of Portuguese food, so Liz has found an upscale pizzeria which actually is fabulous. As it turns out, this restaurant, Pizzeria Lisboa, is part of a series of restaurants all owned by the same chef, José Avillez. Quite by accident, we end up eating at three of his restaurants during the four nights we are in Lisbon, but not at his most famous, Belcanto – a 2-star Michelin rated restaurant.

The next day is yet another beautiful day and we decide to head west, via the tram, to Belem which sits at the intersection of the Douro River and the Atlantic Ocean. Our first stop here is the modern art museum, Museu Colecao Bercado. It is a beautiful museum, but I wouldn’t exactly describe myself as a modern art enthusiast. I spent three months living in London right next to Tate Modern and toured this museum multiple times to see if I could learn to appreciate this art form. Each tour was more difficult than the last and I gave up. I don’t get it and, mostly, I don’t like it.

Entrance to Museu Colecao Bercado

I shared my challenges with modern art with some friends of ours in San Francisco. In contrast, they are modern art enthusiasts with multiple pieces in their beautiful home. I allowed that some modern art, like the pieces they have displayed in their home, are beautiful and that my problem is with the pieces that are presented as art, but really are just everyday occurrences of junk.

One of the first pieces we saw in this museum was a stack of empty boxes of Brillo pads. I took a picture of this and texted it to our friends in San Francisco with a note saying, “Here’s one of the pieces on display and, no, we didn’t wander into the janitor’s closet.”

Pop quiz - is this an art piece or did I wander into the janitor's closet?

After the art museum, we headed to the waterfront and the Padrão dos Descobrimentos or Monument of the Discoveries. Located along the river where ships departed to explore and trade with India and the Orient, the monument celebrates the Portuguese Age of Discovery (or Age of Exploration) during the 15th and 16th centuries. The museum further describes how the Spaniards and Portuguese had gotten together and carved up the unknown world between their two countries (let that sink in). The document, known as the Treaty of Tordesillas, signed in 1494 after Columbus’ voyage to the New World, gave all lands 370° west of the Prime Meridian to Spain and everything east to Portugal. It was this treaty that explains why Brazil, which lies east of the 370° line, today speaks Portuguese while the remainder of South America speaks Spanish.

The Monument of the Discoveries in Belem

As we began walking back to Lisbon, we became disoriented at the sight of this massive and familiar bridge. Could it be that we had been transported back home? It turned out to be the 25 de Abril Bridge which is often compared to the Golden Gate Bridge (for obvious reasons) and was built by the same US company that constructed the Bay Bridge that connects San Francisco and Oakland.

Name that bridge!

That night we ate dinner at the Mercado da Ribeira which is a giant food court except that all the restaurants are really, really good. What a fantastic place this is.

The next day, we headed to the Lisbon Cathedral (also known as Sé Catedral), yet another beautiful cathedral. Which brings me to a point. We have been on the road for nearly six weeks traveling in France, Spain and Portugal. Every city has not one, not two, but dozens of churches and almost all of them Catholic. Every one of them is open to the public and the top one or two in each city charges an admission fee. Occasionally, there is a service going on when we are visiting and these are always sparsely attended.

Lisbon Cathedral

A Pew report published in 2015 referred to a “faith drain” in Europe noting that the percentage of Catholics in Europe is currently 24% compared to 1910 when it was 65%. Up until the Reformation during the 15^th century, there was absolutely no separation between church and state. The church was the Catholic Church and it controlled most matters of the state as well. Church matters and life were completely indistinguishable from citizen life. Separation of church and state accelerated during the 17^th century with the age of Enlightenment which partially fueled the European movement to the New World and the birth of America. And this separation has continued to accelerate in Europe as has the number of people who identify themselves as not belonging to a particular religion such that, today, the churches are often empty. And this presents a real estate problem which most of these cities have solved by turning their churches into tourist attractions.

So, now, back to our trip. From the Cathedral, we walked to the Castelo de São Jorge or São Jorge Castle. The hill on which São Jorge Castle stands has played an important part in the history of Lisbon, having served as the location of fortifications occupied successively by Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, and Moors, before its conquest by the Portuguese in the 1147 Siege of Lisbon. From its location high on a hill, this castle offers spectacular views of the city and the Atlantic Ocean. Definitely worth a visit.

São Jorge Castle

On our last full day in Lisbon, Sunday Jun 9^th, we traveled by train to the nearby town of Sintra. Sintra is home to two amazing structures – the Castelo dos Mouros (Castle of the Moors) and the Palacio Nacional da Pena (Pena Palace). The online guidebook advice was to get there early, take the 434 bus from the train station, go directly to Pena Palace and then return to the Castle of the Moors. We got there reasonably early and when the 434 bus first arrived at the Castle of the Moors high up in the hills overlooking Sintra, we decided to get off.

Our tour of this castle was magnificent. The castle was constructed during the 8th and 9th centuries, during the period of Muslim Iberia. It can be seen from miles away and much of the exterior walls and turrets are still standing making for an excellent experience.

Castle of the Moors

Castle of the Moors

From this castle, we walked the 1.5 km to the Pena Palace, yet even higher up the hill. Upon our arrival, we learned the wisdom provided in the online guide book as we waited over an hour in line to enter the palace. But once in, this palace is exceptional. The palace is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the Seven Wonders of Portugal.

View of Pena Palace from the Castle of the Moors

The castle's history started in the Middle Ages when a chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Pena was built on the top of the hill above Sintra. According to tradition, construction occurred after an apparition of the Virgin Mary. In the 1500’s, King Manuel I ordered the construction of a monastery on this site which was donated to the Order of Saint Jerome. For centuries Pena was a small, quiet place for meditation, housing a maximum of eighteen monks.

Pena Palace

Pena Palace

In 1838, King Ferdinand acquired the old monastery, all of the surrounding lands, the nearby Castle of the Moors and a few other estates in the area, then set out to transform the remains of the monastery into a palace that would serve as a summer residence for the Portuguese royal family. In 1889, it was purchased by the Portuguese State, and after the Republican Revolution of 1910, it was classified as a national monument and transformed into a museum. The last queen of Portugal, Queen Amélia, spent her last night at the palace before leaving the country in exile.

Pena Palace

Any visit to Lisbon, should include a visit to Sintra and the Pena Palace, it is that special.

Sintra with the Castle of the Moors in the background

And that wraps up our time in Portugal. Tomorrow we head to the airport for a flight across the Iberian peninsula to its eastern edge and the city of Barcelona.

Musings….

Greetings everyone! I must admit some of the places are starting to meld together a bit;). Not complaining, just saying.

Porto was a charming old town with lots of waterscapes to wander. We had one of the nicest dinners at Graham’s Port restaurant - lovely setting on top of the hill (and literally one of the best glasses of red wine I’ve had). Spent a good deal of time walking the town and hanging out watching people. The soccer game was definitely a highlight for Malcolm - he loved it. It was very fun watching Ronaldo score three goals - fans were much calmer than I expected, although very excited to win. However, we did have lots of fans after the game serenading outside our apartment until the wee hours of the morning - I guarantee they didn’t feel very well the next day.

I was quite surprised at how many people in Porto spoke English, it seemed as if most people did - much more so than other cities we’ve visited. Not sure why that is…?

Lisbon, let’s say I’m not a huge fan. Glad we went. It was my second time there and I’m pretty confident I don’t need to go back for awhile. It didn’t help that our AirBnB was less than expected, and another walk-up. Plus, the noise factor left us with several sleepless nights. I was surprised at how grimy and dirty the city felt. Lots of construction also - which will be never ending given the state of disrepair with so many of the buildings. Their Mercado Ribeira was fabulous - one of the largest food markets I’ve ever seen and quite gourmet for a food market. Lots of great items to choose from and people watching extraordinaire.

Sintra was wonderful to visit, loved our day there. Highly recommend that excursion.

Our weather continues to be outstanding. Can’t believe how fortunate we have been these last weeks. And we’re still getting our hill climbs in! Porto, Lisbon and Sintra all very hilly - Malcolm is a very fast walker and my feet were just about ready to fall off some days. I keep telling myself that it’s cancelling out all the bread;).

Very surprised at how many people still smoke here (and in Spain also). All ages, all over, and cigarette butts flung everywhere (not true in Spain). Sad to see actually.

Off to the next stop on our adventure - Barcelona. Hope you’re all well and for those in the Bay Area hope you’re surviving the early heat wave!

The Camino de Santiago

On Saturday, May 25^th, Liz and I were up early to catch a 7AM flight from Granada to Bilbao with a connection in Madrid. The flight took off on time and arrived a few minutes early, however, upon landing in Madrid the flight board indicated that our flight to Bilbao was already boarding and was leaving from a gate that was a long way off.  We walked briskly, got to our gate and were the last ones on the plane. Our bags weren’t as lucky as we were and we received this news after landing in Bilbao via text from Iberia Airlines – “bags delayed, will be sent on the next flight out, check with the Iberian luggage desk upon arrival in Bilbao.”

After checking in with baggage claim, we took a taxi into Bilbao and our hotel, the Barcelo Bilbao Nervion Hotel, where later we would meet with our REI guides and fellow travelers. We arrived early – too early to check in – ate a late breakfast in the hotel restaurant, took a quick walk into town and along the river, returned to the hotel and then hung out in the lobby until our room was ready. At that point, Liz headed up to the room and I headed back to the airport to get our bags. The airline had explained they would deliver the bags to our hotel later that night, but we didn’t want to chance a screw up as we would be spending only the one night at this hotel and then leaving on our adventure early in the morning and our bags may never catch up with us. Upon arrival at the airport, I was delighted to reconnect with our bags and then make the return trip back to our hotel.

At 5:30, we head down to the lobby for our introductory meeting with REI. Our guides are Ricardo and Jorge. Ricardo, who is in his early 60’s, was born in Spain, but has traveled and lived in multiple places in Europe including London, Helsinki, and Stockholm, before returning to Seville in southern Spain. He is also a veteran guide and expert on the Camino sharing with us his brief conversation with Martin Sheen while he was preparing to film “The Way”. Jorge, who will soon turn 40, grew up in the Asturias region in northern Spain which is also home to portions of the Camino del Norte that we will be walking. Jorge is also a veteran guide and expert in the Camino. Between the two of them, they have decades of experience, a playful back-and-forth banter, and easy-going personalities that bring immediate comfort to all of us pilgrims.

Our guides, Ricardo and Jorge

There are 12 fellow travelers, 2 guides, a driver (Roberto) and Liz and myself for a total of 17 on this trip. During our first meeting, we each gave a brief introduction. We are a very interesting group – all from the US. First, we have Peter and Margaret from San Diego, who are the only other married couple (39 years!) in our group. With that said, we also have an engaged couple with us, Jim and Sheila from Michigan, who will be getting married in July. Next, there are two groups of women friends: Sue and Kathy from San Jose and Carolyn and Pat from Phoenix. Finally, we have two parent-child groups: Peggy (Palm Desert) and Lindsay (Seattle) who is her daughter and actually works for REI Adventures with a focus on Africa; and Walter (New Mexico) and Chilton (El Paso) who is Walter’s son and an experienced hiker having completed the Continental Divide trail from Mexico to Canada in six straight months of hiking.

We are a collection of retired, soon-to-be-retired, and/or actively working, but all engaged in life’s search for meaning and doing that with people we love. We are also mostly older with an average age that I would guestimate to be north of 60. I love this group. A perfect collection of pilgrims ready for whatever the Camino has to offer.

Left side (foreground to background): Liz, Malcolm, Sue, Kathy, Peter (hidden behind Kathy), Margaret, Ricardo, Roberto, Jorge (end of table); Right side (foreground to background): Sheila, Jim, Walter, Chilton, Lindsay, Peggy, Carolyn and Pat 

After our introductions, we are joined by a local guide who will walk us around Bilbao for 90 minutes before arriving at our dinner spot in old town. With a population of almost 350,000 (875,000 in the greater metropolitan area), Bilbao is the 10^th largest city in Spain and certainly the largest in northern Spain’s Basque country. While there is evidence of human settlements in the region that go back to 3^rd century BC, Bilbao got going as a city in the 14^th century due to its location on the Estuary of Bilbao and ready access to the Bay of Biscay and the Atlantic Ocean. For hundreds of years, Bilbao flourished as an industrial city, primarily exporting steel due to the extensive iron deposits in the nearby mountains.

In 1936, Bilbao was where the Spanish Civil War began, a clash between the Republicans – loyal to the existing republic and left-leaning, and the Nationalists – a fascist, military group led by General Franco with support from Nazi Germany and Italy. Unfortunately, Franco and the Nationalists won this Civil War and Franco remained in power until his death in 1975 when Juan Carlos became King of Spain. Today, Spain is a parliamentary monarchy, in which the monarch is the head of state, while the elected prime minister—whose official title is "President of the Government"—is the head of government.

Nowadays, Bilbao is a vigorous service city that is experiencing an ongoing social, economic, and aesthetic revitalization, started by the iconic Bilbao Guggenheim Museum, and continued by infrastructure investments, such as the airport terminal, the rapid transit system and the tram line. In 2010, the city of Bilbao was recognized with the Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize – considered the Nobel Prize for urbanism – awarded by the city state of Singapore, in collaboration with the Swedish Nobel Academy.

The Guggenheim in Bilbao

The Guggenheim

Bilbao City Hall

And it is a beautiful city with a breathless combination of the old (old town has been beautifully restored) and the new – the Guggenheim designed by Frank Gehry. After our tour, we settled in for dinner at a local restaurant serving traditional northern Spanish food (primarily seafood) before returning to our hotel to get some sleep as our Camino walk begins in the morning.

But first, a word about Basque Country. The Basque region is comprised of 2800 sq miles, primarily in northern Spain, but also spilling over into southwest France, encompassing the western most portion of the Pyrenees. The history of the Basques goes back many, many centuries. It is fascinating, but too long to give it proper treatment here. Suffice it to say, that because of the isolated geographic conditions, the Basques have been an independent people for a very long time and, at every turn, have fought to maintain their independence whether from the Romans, the Visigoths, the Catholics, the Reformists, the Franco Nationalists, etc. In 1979, “The Statute of Autonomy” identified the Basque region as an autonomous community within Spain. To this day, they speak their own language which, linguistically, is unrelated to the other languages of Europe and is a language unlike any other known living language.

Day 1 of the Camino

Here’s how REI describes our first day – Explore the Costa Verde, known for its spectacular coastal scenery.

“Departing Bilbao, we drive westward along the rugged Atlantic coast and cross into the province of Asturias. Enroute to Llanes, we visit a cave with prehistoric art; it's part of the UNESCO World Heritage collection of cave sites throughout this region of Spain. In Llanes, we explore the town’s twisting streets and have lunch by a seaside market. A historic and traditional fishing port, Llanes had an economy based on whaling for eight centuries. This afternoon's hike begins our journey along the Camino del Norte. We follow scenic clifftop paths over rolling pastureland and sandy coves to stretch our legs and become acquainted with the terrain.

Cave visit: 1 hour; Hiking: 5.6 miles, 3 hours; elevation gain/loss: 525’; Driving: 2.75 hours.”

The cave we visited is named Cuevas Del Monte Castillo and it is fantastic. We traveled deep inside this limestone cave in which there were multiple paintings, dating back over 13,000 years, depicting horses, goats, bears, bison and reindeer. There were also multiple hand stencils some of which date back 35,000 years. Together with the stalactites and stalagmites, these caves were simply awesome.

Hand Stencils at Cuevas Del Monte Castillo - 35,000 years old

Inside Cuevas Del Monte Castillo

After lunch, we have our first contact with the Camino as we walk portions of the Camino del Norte along the coast. Much of our hiking this afternoon remains high up on cliffs with fantastic ocean views and not actually on the Camino which is further inland by a few hundred meters. Our diversion was well worth it as the views all afternoon were breathtaking.

Liz and Malcolm at our first sign of the shell - the Camino

Jorge hiking the rugged coastline near Llanes

That night we spent in a lovely hotel (which we have forgotten the name of) and enjoyed a wonderful meal with our new friends.

Day 2 of the Camino

Again, REI’s description – Follow the scallop shell past hidden coves before heading to Oviedo.

“This morning a short transfer brings us to the start of today's hike on the Camino. We walk along coastal paths and gently undulating green meadows that link hidden coves, rocky bays and beautiful beaches. We enjoy lunch at a spot overlooking a pretty inlet and then transfer to Oviedo, the capital of Asturias. We meet a local guide to tour Oviedo’s impressive San Salvador Cathedral. This UNESCO World Heritage complex is home to several revered relics of the Kingdom of Asturias, including the Cloth of Oviedo (also called the Sudarium). The cloth is believed to have been wrapped around Jesus’ head in the tomb. We overnight in Oviedo.

Hiking: 7 miles, 3 hours; elevation gain/loss: 755’. Walking/sightseeing: 1 mile, 1.5 hours; Driving: 1.5 hours.”

Our hike this morning along the coast is accompanied by a light rain. We travel through pastures and along cliffs, high above the water’s edge. Cows are a common companion and we happened upon a mother and her newly born calf that couldn’t have been more than 15 minutes old. At one point along the water’s edge, we came across fossils of a dinosaur’s footprint estimated to be from 150 million years ago. Eventually, we arrive in Oviedo and visit the impressive San Salvador Cathedral. It is a beautiful church and includes a relic which is thought to be the cloth that was wrapped around the head of Jesus in the tomb following his crucifixion.

Hiking the Camino del Norte in a light rain

 

San Salvador Cathedral in Oviedo

The ornate chest holding the Cloth of Oviedo supposedly having covered Jesus' head in the tomb

Oviedo is the capital city of the province of Asturias. It dates back to the early 700’s when the Moors occupied most of Spain. However, the Moors encountered resistance as they made their way north from where they first entered Spain in the south. By the time they got to the northernmost part of the Iberian peninsula, it was tough sledding and they sort of ran out of gas. Tackling the Basques in the Pyrenees was more than they could take. In 737, Alfonso I became King of Asturias and established his palace in Oviedo which soon began to thrive. His successor, Alfonso II, is said to have discovered the remains of St James in Santiago and made the first pilgrimage from Oviedo to Santiago sometime between 820-830. The trail of Alfonso II today is named Camino Primitivo to commemorate it as the first pilgrimage.

Relics are an interesting phenomenon. Is it simply “fake news”, fact or a matter of faith? Here is a summary of the legend as told via Wikipedia –

“According to a tradition that can be traced back at least to the 12th century, when it was recorded in the Codex Calixtinus, Saint James decided to return to the Holy Land after preaching in Galicia (northern Spain). There he was beheaded, but his disciples got his body to Jaffa, where they found a marvelous stone ship which miraculously conducted them and the apostle's body to Iria Flavia, back in Galicia. There, the disciples asked the local pagan queen Loba ('She-wolf') for permission to bury the body; she, annoyed, decided to deceive them, sending them to pick a pair of oxen she allegedly had by the Pico Sacro, a local sacred mountain where a dragon dwelt, hoping that the dragon would kill the Christians, but as soon as the beast attacked the disciples, at the sight of the cross, the dragon exploded. Then the disciples marched to collect the oxen, which were actually wild bulls which the queen used to punish her enemies; but again, at the sight of the Christian's cross, the bulls calmed down, and after being subjected to a yoke they carried the apostle's body to the place where now Compostela is.”

Sounds a bit farfetched, but faith is faith. Officially, the Vatican remains uncommitted as to whether the relics are those of Saint James, while continuing to promote the more general benefits of pilgrimage to the site.

There are other theories including that Alfonso II was disgusted that the Moors had occupied Iberia and sacked and pillaged Oviedo in 794. So, he invented the discovery of St James’ remains as a clever device to create a Christian invasion of northern Spain. And they came in droves, first driving the Moors out of northern Spain during the 9^th century and progressively, completely out of Spain by 1492. It took almost 700 years, but, eventually, it was done. Could this have been behind the discovery of the relics? Who knows?

Day 3 of the Camino

Again, we begin with REI’s description of the day – Join up with the Camino Primitivo and traverse the countryside of Asturias.

“We begin our hike along the Camino Primitivo, the oldest of all the Camino pilgrimage routes. The landscape becomes increasing hilly and forested, with country lanes creating patterns through the pastureland. Our hike takes us towards Tineo (2,139’), set high in the hills above the Narcea River valley. Following a picnic lunch, we resume our hike uphill through dense, mixed forest, ending at an abandoned 12th-century Benedictine Monastery that once played an important role in providing aid and support to pilgrims on their way to Santiago. After exploring the ruins we transfer to our hotel in Tineo.

Hiking: 10.3 miles, 4.5 hours; elevation gain/loss: 1,350’/1,590’; Driving: 1.25 hours.”

Today’s hiking was beautiful. We traveled through forests, including a slow, steady climb until we reached a clearing offering spectacular views including of the Pico mountain range in the distance. Later, we hiked down into the valley until, eventually, we arrived at an old monastery of Santa Maria La Real de Obona.

Valley view with the Pico mountain range in the background

The Santa Maria La Real de Obona monastery

Liz and I have fallen into a bit of a pattern hiking.  We tend to be upfront joined there by Carolyn and Pat from Phoenix. At 71 years old and maybe 5 foot tall, Carolyn is a ferocious hiker and we all struggle to keep up with her. As our regular hiking companions, we feel especially close to the two of them

Day 4 of the Camino

And here’s REI’s description – Discover Spain’s most uninhabited regions.

“Today's trail is perhaps the most spectacular of the entire Camino Primitivo. Our hike takes us uphill through one of Spain's most uninhabited regions. Heather and gorse bracket the forested mountain trail as we make our way up to an isolated pass (3,760’) where we enjoy sweeping views and may see wild horses grazing on the hillsides. We then transfer to the tiny parish of Berducedo for lunch. We finally enter Galicia on our way to Lugo, whose 3rd century Roman walls surrounding the old town are a UNESCO World Heritage site. We tour the historic walls and take in the panoramic views of the city before visiting the cathedral. A mix of Gothic, Baroque, Romanesque and Neoclassic styles, the basilica is an outstanding example of the architectural influences that shaped the buildings of Galicia.

Hiking: 4.1 miles, 2.75 hours, elevation gain/loss: 1,795'/321’; Walking/sightseeing: 1 mile, 1.5 hours; Driving: 3 hours.”

And it really was the best day of hiking. The weather was perfect and the views were wonderful. Lugo is a cool city with a very special old town. This was a great day of hiking.

Some of our crew hiking up to the top of the ridge

 

Lugo Cathedral

Day 5 of the Camino

As described by REI – Explore Lugo and hike through the Galician countryside.

“We begin our day with a visit to a museum and the aging ruins of a Celtic-Roman hillfort settlement. Our last hike on the Camino Primitivo follows forest paths through tiny hamlets that are scattered about the Galician countryside. We have lunch in Melide, a town where the Camino Primitivo and Camino Frances merge into a single Way. In Melide's historic center, we are often greeted by the aroma of fresh-baked melindres (sugar-topped pastries), and amendoados (almond cakes). Our afternoon hike on the Camino takes us through eucalyptus and oak forests, and past small churches and tiny villages. This section of the Way highlights the difference in the numbers of pilgrims on the Camino Frances compared with the two northern Caminos we've experienced so far.

Hiking: 7.9 miles, 3 hours; elevation gain/loss: 755-935'/558-705'; Driving: 2.5 – 3.5 hours.”

Roman ruins at Castro de Viladonga

Again, a special day of hiking in great weather and it was special when our route on the Primitivo intersected with the Camino Frances, the most popular Camino route by far, and, as predicted, the number of pilgrims increased significantly.

Liz back on the trail again - our last day on the Camino Primitivo

Which brings me to a point. I have spent decades hiking and have enjoyed the good fortune of being able to do that nearly all over the world. One of the striking things about the Camino isn’t its extraordinary landscape – although it is beautiful – the amazing thing to me is that everyone is walking in the same direction. All paths lead to Santiago and everyone is headed to that single location regardless of where one may have started their journey. The only people you saw walking the other direction were the locals who lived there. Otherwise, every person you saw was heading the same way as you were. This was a profound experience for me.

Day 6 of the Camino

Per REI – Hike the final section of the Camino arriving at Santiago de Compostela.

“After a morning hike on the Camino, we transfer to Monte del Gozo (Mount of Joy). Located on the outskirts of Santiago de Compostela, this hilltop viewpoint provides pilgrims with their first glimpse of the city’s famous cathedral spires. Our hike continues to Plaza del Obradoiro, Santiago's grandiose square. The afternoon is free for a late lunch and exploration. We regroup later in the day to tour the area surrounding the cathedral with a local guide. And this evening, we have the option to attend the pilgrim’s mass at the cathedral, and perhaps witness the swinging of the Botafumeiro. At just over five feet in height and 180 pounds, this incense censer is one of the largest in the world.

Hiking: 5.9 miles, 3 hours; elevation gain/loss: 730’/930’; Driving: 1.25 hours.”

So, this is the day that we arrive in Santiago and get to hang out in the square adjacent to the cathedral with the hundreds, if not thousands, of other pilgrims. It’s an easy hike, but the anticipation of getting to the cathedral has me completely psyched. We catch our first glimpse from Mount of Joy with the cathedral spires off in the distance. Then we take the bus to the outskirts of the city and walk the final several miles into the city, through the old town, eventually arriving in the square at the foot of the magnificent cathedral.

We made it to Santiago de Compostela Cathedral

Santiago is a bustling city and pilgrims are the reason why. If Alfonso II had not made that first pilgrimage nearly 1100 years earlier, it would not be the case today. Today, nearly 300,000 hike the Camino and receive their official Camino certificate (a pilgrim must walk at least the last 100km to get the certificate and the process for verifying this is pretty rigorous). Our group would not be getting certificates as we did not walk the last 100km, in fact, we didn’t walk 100km in total during our six days of hiking. And, there are many more pilgrims like us – those that do not qualify for the certificate – than those that do. So, while some 300,000 are certified, some multiple of that number walks portions of the Camino every year.

It wasn’t always like this. Indeed, after Alfonso’s first walk, the pilgrimage to Santiago was a pretty common thing. Christians from all over Europe would make the trek to northwest Spain to see the remains of St James (and these pilgrims would also have to walk back to wherever they came from). The Camino got off to a slow start as the presence of the Moors in northern Spain made the Camino a potentially dangerous trip. However, by the 11th and 12th centuries, millions of people from all over Europe made pilgrimages to Santiago. It has been estimated that in the 12th century 10 percent of the population of Europe was involved in making or in some way supporting the pilgrimage to Santiago. In the 12th Century there were so many pilgrims traveling to Santiago that a Moorish emissary traveling to Santiago complained of the delays on the road.

The Protestant Reformation, which began in the 16^th century and drew sharp contrasts with the Roman Catholic church, resulted in a significant decline in the number of pilgrims walking the Camino. Because of fear of an English attack, the apostle’s remains were hidden in 1588, knowledge of their location was lost and it was not until 1879 that they were rediscovered. During that period, interest in the pilgrimage had waned. While there was activity to increase interest in the pilgrimage after the Spanish Civil War (1936 - 39), it was not until the late 70's that the modern resurgence began.

In 1985 UNESCO declared the Camino de Santiago as a World Heritage. Following that, the infrastructure to support the increased numbers of pilgrims expanded significantly which only encouraged more and more pilgrims to come. In 2010, the movie “The Way” starring Martin Sheen was released encouraging yet more people from all over the world to walk the Camino.

Day 7 of the Camino

From REI – Visit Santiago’s bustling market and walk trails out to Cape Finisterre.

“An early visit to Santiago’s bustling market allows us to see, smell and taste fresh produce of every imaginable variety. There is an incredible selection of seafood, meat, poultry, vegetables and fruit. We drive to Cape Finisterre, the final destination for many pilgrims who walked the Way of St. James. The Cape is also the historical “Land’s End” reached by pagan pilgrimages predating Christianity. Hillside trails lead out to the cape and lighthouse. We marvel at the spectacular views of the Costa da Morte (Coast of Death), so named for the innumerable shipwrecks over the centuries. After a hearty seafood lunch we return to Santiago, and the afternoon is free to discover the sights of the city. This evening we meet for a celebratory dinner at one of the area’s finest restaurants.

Hiking: 3.2 miles, 2 hours; elevation gain/loss: 705’/410’; Driving: 3 hours.”

The trip to Finisterre (“Land’s End”) is the western-most point of Continental Europe and, as REI points out, a common extension trip for Camino pilgrims from Santiago adding another 4 days of hiking. Nearby Muxía, with its Our Lady of the Boat chapel, is another extension trip for pilgrims. Legend has it Muxía was the landing place of the stone boat that carried Virgin Mary when she arrived in Galicia to help Saint James convert the locals. The granite stones you will find near the sanctuary are said to be the remains of the Virgin Mary’s stone boat. With REI, we only went to Finisterre (also called Fisterra in Galician) while the movie “The Way” ends in Muxía.

Finisterre - "Land's End"

The final mile marker indicates no more kilometers to go

That night, back in Santiago, our group enjoyed a celebratory final dinner. It was a fitting conclusion to a terrific journey shared with new friends.

Final Thoughts on Our Trip

The Camino found its way onto my bucket list due to having watched “The Way”. It later fell off my bucket list when I read a few blogs that were disparaging about the hiking conditions (lots of roads, pavement, proximity to highways). When I read the REI description of this trip as a “9-day journey takes us on some of the oldest and least-traveled paths”, we immediately signed up and I am glad we did. We were very well taken care of and our guides, Ricardo and Jorge, were exceptional.

But can I now take it off my bucket list? Actually, I don’t think so. Having not walked the last 100km and, therefore, ineligible for the certificate, doesn’t make our journey or experience any less valuable, but I don’t think it merits removal of the Camino from my bucket list. If I were to go back, I would start in the Pyrenees near San Sebastián and start out on the Camino del Norte. I would head west until I got to Oviedo where I would dip down and join the Camino Primitivo because, hey, this is the original Camino walked by Alfonso II. Eventually, the Primitivo connects with the Camino Frances and from there you walk to Santiago. Then, it’s a tough choice as to which of the two extension trips to take – Finisterre or Muxía. I would probably have to do both. And the truth of the matter is, I very likely will never do this. My bucket list already has more items on it than I can accomplish in my remaining years. And so, the Camino will remain on my bucket list, but with an asterisk because this trip with REI was an excellent introduction to the Way of St James.

A final look at Santiago de Compostela Cathedral

Hola Amigos - greetings from the Iberian peninsula.

Our hiking trip was definitely a highlight - the northern regions of Spain are breathtakingly beautiful. Hilly, lush green, felt like we had left and gone to another country. It was a nice change from the south - even the first couple of days we hiked in the rain/drizzle felt good. Actually perfect weather for hiking - not hot, not too sunny and no humidity. Our REI group, as Malcolm shared, was fun, we enjoyed meeting everyone and our guides were wonderful. 

Ending in Santiago was very cool - so many “pilgrims” finishing their journeys (sort of felt like we cheated but hey…). Crazy stories about St James have been fostered and believed over the years - not sure what that says about us…? And speaking of crazy, the amount of churches, monasteries, convents and other monstrosities built in the name of religion back in the day continues to astound me. I bet Santiago has over 10 churches plus the cathedral and it’s a small town.

We both thoroughly loved Spain. Steeped in history, war and survival. The Spanish people are generous and, more often than not, apologized to us for not speaking English. Ya think that happens in NY when someone doesn’t speak English…hmmm….I doubt that. And the entire country is so clean - every town/city we visited was immaculate. People care and it’s obvious.

It continues to be a bit of a challenge for Malcolm to maintain his vegetarian preference - they eat a lot of meat here - especially jamón. But he’s definitely trying. I continue to eat bread, and bread again. I have an addiction and it’s a problem - I wonder if they have AA for gluten addicts. Note to self - you can stop when you get home or when you weigh more than Malcolm, whichever comes first. Good news is we walk/hike a lot - averaging 8 miles/day and that includes travel days (I need to keep track of these things to help counter my gluten guilt;)!).

Next stop Portugal. Adios!

PS: I miss Half & Half - really miss it;).