The Fisterrana

Having walked a few Caminos since my first incredible experience back in 2010:

• 2010 - The Camino Frances from SJPP            800kms
• 2011 - The Camino Portuguese from Porto      230kms
• 2012 - The Camino Primitivo from Oviedo       285kms
• 2013 - The camino Ingles from Ferrol             110kms
• 2013 - Camino Finisterra                               90kms (all distances are approx)

I now have a nice collection of Compostellas - one for each of the four Caminos walked over the past four years 

 

 
and then another for the final part to Finisterra, although this is not recognised by the church (so that should bother me why?!) and to give it its correct name is the Fisterrana.

The Fisterrana is much more colourful with a variety of symbols on it. I've trawled the internet to try and find out why the symbols are on there - what meaning they may have but so far have been unsuccessful.  If any one has any ideas please leave me a comment.

To get the official compostella in Santiago you have to have walked at least 100kms (or cycled 200kms) which is why so many people start in Sarria on the French route, missing out on so much of the full experience. 

To get the Fisterrana you simply have to walk from Santiago to Finisterre. 

For both collecting stamps along the way is essential to prove your journey. 

So far I have thus walked a total of over 1,515 kms walked over the past 3 years -not bad for a couch-potato! And next year ... well Janey and I have yet to decide...

 Celebrating in 2010 having completed the Camino Frances from St Jean Pied de Port.

 And in 2013 having walked the Camino Ingles from Ferrol

Slow down

This morning on my way back from Cubelles -a town just down the coast from us -in the car I passed an old pony and trap ambling along the highway. How wonderful I said out loud to myself, to travel slowly and see the world. This immediately threw me straight back to the Way. 

One of the great things about walking the Caminos for me is the pace. Living life more slowly allows me to think and to see the world as we pass each other. 

 I love walking the ways in northern Spain and seeing the beautiful countryside, and the ways that the Camino adds to it.

 

I love smelling the variety of smells from the delicate flowers (this year Jane was honeysuckle obsessed) to the less pleasant smells of nature, but nonetheless remind me what my nose is for. 

 I love to stop a while and watch and admire the wild, and domestic animals that fill the sides of the way.

Taking time to enjoy the company of new friends is something we (I) don't always allow ourselves in the rush of our daily lives. On the Camino meeting and finding out about each other is all part of the amazing experience.

Living life at an easier pace is one of the things that drags me (happily) back to the Camino year after year, and now as I rush round it's something that I am truly missing.


And to help me remember to slow down and make the morning last... in fact the lyrics fit the Camino quite well too-...

A very good place to start - Oviedo

Last year I walked the Camino Primitivo. 

Flying from home in Barcelona I left temperatures in the mid twenties to a chilly, foggy and wet Asturias at around 11º. This  was my introduction to Oviedo -cold and wet! 

For the night I had booked into a nice hotel in the centre, and happily after I'd checked in and came out to explore a while the weather had improved somewhat.

It is a beautiful city, with plenty to see before setting out on the Camino. Particularly the Cathedral of San Salvador, where I got my first stamp of the walk.

There are several statues around the city which are very lifelike. Including: the statue of la Regenta, and on the right market sellers.

And of course being Asturias I had to try the Cider. This being the first of many along the Way.

Only having the afternoon and evening (which turned back to rain) to look around I didn't see as much of the city as I would have liked. 

The following morning I set out in the dark from the Cathedral. According to the guides finding your way out of the city on the Camino was a difficult task. This wasn't so for me. There were plenty of markers, and it wasn't until I got into the surrounding countryside that I had any (but only small) difficulty in finding where to go, due to a new estate being built.

 And the only slightly confusing thing was the shell signs being the opposite way round to elsewhere on the Camino!

I am currently trying to set my journal, blog, memories and photos into some kind of order as I write my second book about my Camino Experiences... Watch this space for more info...

Soundtrack to the Camino

I've never walked the Camino whilst listening to music preferring to listen to the music of the birds, and the silence of the wildlands broken by the bees and my feet scrunching on the gravel paths below them. This is my soundtrack to the Camino  -Nature. 

The film 'The Way' had some interesting tracks on its soundtrack - but like I didn't find the film to be my experience of the way (gypsy weddings?!), nor did I find the soundtrack compatible to my experience either, although there was one James Taylor track on there which I did enjoy!  

In 2010 when we walked the Camino Frances Sussi (the Crazy Finn) played us an inspirational track by Dana Winner - The Conquest of Paradise (music by Vangelis) -This has always evoked the Camino for me with its inspirational lyrics and haunting tune.

Before we left home to walk the Ingles this year I woke the house with this tune. I cannot listen to it without a tear in my eye - such memories evoked -and thoughts of wonderful times on the Way

New Friends

On each of the Caminos I have walked I have made new friends.

 This year has been no different.

Sometimes the friends have popped in and out of my life in a day, but more often than not they pop in and stay, whether physically or just in my mind and/or heart. Occasionally I have met people along the way that befriended us to get us out of a jam - this happened when we needed water both on the Portuguese Camino, and again this year on the Ingles -Rosa refilled our water bottles when we were in need and wished us well.

This year we spent met and shared accommodation and much of the way with two delightful Italian women - Gabriella and Paola. As always language was no barrier, as we mixed English with Spanish and Italian. 

This year other friends included Tatania, whom we met in Charlie's bar- strangely I recognised her gentle Melbourne accent as it sounded so like a dear friend (Andrea). Like Andrea Tatania had a strong energy that I was drawn to. We didn't make any plans to meet again, but did so the next day, and who knows perhaps our paths will cross again sometime - I'd like to think so. 

Walking to Finisterre Jane and I met Birch, and saw him several times afterwards too. It was him that led me to a special site in Finisterre by his suggestion I might find it interesting.

IN Santiago we met Matt from L.A. who had no real plans until we suggested he stay in Europe, study TEFL and teach English -When we last saw hi that was just his plan. 

Also in Santiago we met Mike from California. We didn't get chance to talk to him much, but he too left an impression with me. 

But I guess I have to say my best friend from all the Caminos just has to be Janey. We have walked four together now, and loved almost every minute together. Thanks Janey ... Just wondering are you up for another?

Tulla - Veggie food par excellence

Walking the Camino as a vegetarian (now that's a real one and not a fish eater!) -Yes here I go again!! - makes eating well quite difficult.

IN Santiago Jane and I found a restaurant with a full veggie menu four years ago, but because of the slightly strange hours it keeps we only got to eat there this year. Unluckily we usually arrived on one of it's closed days. This year we were in Santiago on A Saturday and I was going to make the most of it- lunch and dinner!!

The restaurant in called 'Tulla' and serves both a vegetarian menu a swell as one for carnivores/omnivores & pescivores. IT is a family run place and the 'staff' are knowledgeable, friendly, helpful and speak English. Tulla is hidden slightly out of the way down a passage between two of the main thoroughfares, adn I must say it is so worth searching out.

Tulla - Entrerrúas, 1, 15703 Santiago de Compostela, A Coruña, Spain

It is open every lunchtime (usually when we are running round doing pilgrim-like things, but closed Sunday, Monday and Tuesday evenings. 

 

For lunch we had a variety of dishes between us including the filling and tasty lentil soup, the (tuna free) mixed salad and the pasta with vegetables, which was full of flavour.

For dinner we tried some of the other items on the menu, including the carrot soup, chick pea salad, deep fried (battered) brocolli, and the meat(less)balls. All of them were excellent, and polished off with gusto. I even got the recipe for the strawberry mousse from the waitress (who incidentally was very patient with a group of English 'gentlemen' who I would have soon found irritating, and did actually).

IT seems that I am definitely not the only veggie walking the Caminos and there is now a book out which lists the veggie options for the various stages along the Camino Frances. Hiking the Camino de Santiago, Camino Frances Thanks to Anna Dintaman Landis on Facebook for bringing this to my attention.

Camino Shock

I've been back a week now and am in a stage of what I think of as 'Camino-Shock'.

After such an incredible time out walking, with little responsibility, enjoying all that nature has to offer returning back to 'civilisation' always proves difficult for me. 

Whilst walking I am filled with energy from everything around. The views are stunning, the trees breathing beside the way pour their energy into me. The general beauty around raises me up physically and spiritually. Jane and I have often spoken about how we feel taller when walking in the wild-lands of the Camino.

I invariably connect with a greater power whilst walking, and this tiem for me this was most powerful in Finisterre.

 

The like-minded people we meet along the way make me feel part of a plan, even if that plan is just to get to the next albergue, but usually it is much more than that.

The lack of induced thought, yet the ability to let my mind float away and wonder about everything from the smallest of things to life itself is liberating. 

Coming home I am excited and thrilled to see my family again, yet still feel slightly caged by the 'four walls' within which I live. 

During the first few days at home I experience a period of de/re-construction as I reintegrate into the places I am from day to day so comfortable in.  During these days I need to be held- not physically but metaphorically. Luckily I have a husband that is used to these post-Camino days and does this well.

For the first few days back home I need to feel the Camino experience I have just had, I need to assimilate where I have been and I need to come back to earth slowly. 

There is no denying - The Camino changes me each time I walk. It opens me to the world around and makes me even more grateful for my wonderful life than I was before I left.

Oh and on a lighter night (pun intended) it means I lose weight -only 4 kilos this year (not bad in eight days though!) and feel healthier and stronger afterwards.