Appleseeds: October 2013

"EL CAMINO DE SANTIAGO DE COMPESTELA" (click on photo to enlarge)

SPAIN (Sept./Oct. 2013)

Our first day of the walk started in Sarria - 115km. from Santiago. Peter & I went with good friends, Tim & Jennifer from Vancouver & began with a 22.5 km. trek through beautiful countryside. Spirits were high, weather was absolutely perfect & we were rarin' to go!

SARRIA - PORTOMARIN (22.5 km.)

Day 1 - September 21, 2013
Along the way, there were little refreshment areas where you could pick up a cup of coffee or maybe a local would leave an apple for you as you rested beside their home.

PORTOMARIN'S CASA RURAL

"The Way" lead us to Portomarin at a "Casa Rural" (similar to a B&B)- our first night's accommodations on El Camino. Ours was a little cabin on the Mino river. Owner, Mario, is a larger than life character & we all soon became best amigos in our 12 hour stay there!!

PORTOMARIN - PALAS DE REI (25 km.)

Day 2
Memorials along the way, small villages, eucalyptus groves & lunches of crusty bread, Iberian ham & manchego cheese

SCENES ALONG "THE WAY"

PALAS DE REI - ARZUA (32 km)

Day 3
This was a long day. By the time we reached Ribadiso (26 km) our feet were aching. Jennifer & I had aquired a few "souvenirs" (read blisters) & a rest beside a cool stream was a welcome relief. We had another 6 km. to go before reaching our "albergue" which turned out to be the biggest disappointment of our entire trip.

ARZUA - SANTIAGO (42 km.)

Day 4
Wow, if we thought 32 km. was a long day, we definately weren't ready for today's 42 km!! And our beautiful weather turned to rain. Ah, but the characters that you meet along the way. Take, for instance, Pablo..... it makes it all worthwhile! Arriving in Santiago was such a thrill.

SYMBOLS OF EL CAMINO

The clam shell; the arrow; the walking stick - all part of "The Way"

CATHEDRAL DE SANTIAGO

Arriving in Santiago de Compestela. The final destination (unless you decide to carry on to the coast finishing in Finisterre - another 90 km.) is in front of the Cathedral. With its origins beginning in 1075, it has a definite Baroque style . It is a breathtaking sight.

THE BOTAFUMEIRO AT THE PILGRIMS' MASS

This ritual is a must see. Several monks light the botafumeiro (thurible) & then proceed to pull down on the pully mechanism to make it swing from one end of the nave to the other. It swings in a 65 meter arc & reaches heights of 21 meters. It is quite a unique performance! (so far, there have only been 4 accidents in its history & no serious injuries!!)

TAPAS, BEER & WINE....TAPAS, BEER & WINE

WINDOW SHOPPING!

SANTIAGO STREET SCENES

MILE O - CAPE FINISTERRE

We took a road trip to the westernmost point in Europe (disputed by the Portugese) to the actual finish of "El Camino" known as Mile 0. It's a rigorous additional 90 km. from Santiago. Translated, Finisterre means "End of the World".

PORTO, PORTUGAL

Leaving Santiago was bittersweet, but it was time to move on.
We drove to Porto - the home of, you guessed it,.... Port.

WINDOW DISPLAYS IN SINTRA, PORTUGAL

Sintra is a beautiful tourist town just north of Lisbon.

Beautiful tiled murals as you walk along the roadsides in Sintra.

SINTRA. PORTUGAL

The whimsical & the beautiful in Sintra

PALAIS DE PENA

We hiked up the hill on a damp & foggy day to the castle which was home to many Portugese royalty.

LA FINCA

A wonderful B&B outside of Aracena just north of Sevilla.

LOS PUEBLOS BLANCOS

Beautiful, beautiful Ronda. A stunning hilltop town in the southern part of Spain in the province of Malaga. It is situated on an outcrop of rock in a basin surrounded by mountains.