Stage 19 to Santiago de Compestela

11 kms. We made it. Santiago at last. We made it about 10:30 am, walked past the cathedral, then found our hotel for the next two nights, Roots and Boots. We have a 6-bunk room, showers and toilets down the hall.
We went to the pilgrim office and got our official paper indicating we finished the pilgramage. Now for a couple of days of rest before heading to Madrid, then home.

The gang before our final day of walking on the Camino. 

We have arrived.

The St. James Cathedral 

Paella and wine for lunch

The pilgrims waiting for their official credential 

Stage 18 to Lavacolla Igresa

17 kms. Short walk, a couple of big hills. A couple of 200 meter elevation changes up and down. The Camino goes past the airport that we will leave from on Saturday.
Made it to our hotel by 1pm.

A memorial to a pilgrim who died at this spot only 27k from his final earthly destination.

A snail pilgrim on the Camino. I'll make it to Santiago before she makes it across the Camino. 

The 12 miles to Santiago marker.

Lunch?

Stage 17 to Salceda

24 kms. Just walking, setting the stage for a short day tomorrow and an even shorter day on Wednesday into Santiago.
Our alberque didn't have a restaurant so walked a 100 meters to Cafe Tia Teresa. I asked our server who was Aunt Teresa, it was his wife the cook. We all went inside and called her out of the kitchen and gave her an ovation.

The church on the way out of Meride.

Cows on the Camino 

Dinner at Tia Teresa's 

Stage 16 to Melide

30 kms. This time Jenny and Geraldine took our packs with them in the taxi, and Randy, Adriel and I walked with only day packs. A long walk, but a beautiful day and lots of pilgrims on the Camino. Jenny and Geraldine are sharing a double room, with private bath. We're in bunk beds, but few others are at this alberque.

Only a little over 52k left. We will be in Santiago on Wednesday.

Randy and Adriel in front of Casa Domonic. It would be a Mexican restaurant in Texas.

Lunch time on the Camino. 

Stage 15 to Ventas de Naron

22 kms. This was the first we all slept in bunk beds in an alberque. We had the 6 bottom bunks in the room, other pilgrims had the top 6. We all agreed if was an ok experience.
Bill, Randy, Blanca and Adriel started of from Ferreiros about 7:50 am. Jenny and Geraldine took a taxi, about a 30 minute ride.
It was almost 9k to the first big town, Portomarin. We crossed a wide river, up many stairs into town, then put Blanca into a taxi so she could make it to Santiago, then catch her morning flight home so she go back to work.
We 3 continued on another 13 kms to our alberque for tonight,  Casa Molar. There was Jenny and Geraldine waiting for us on the patio. They have a double room, the rest are in the 10 bed bunk room. Both double rooms and the 10 bunks share two bathrooms with shower.

A guide marker along the Camino.

Only 96.083k left

Adriel just before we go up the stairway to the town

Blanca and Randy, just before she's off to Italy

The bridge at Portomarin

Bill and Randy on the Camino

 

Jenny and Geraldine at our albergue

Stage 14 to Ferreiros

13 kms. Grandson Adriel, Randy's wife Blanca, Jenny and our niece Geraldine joined us in Sarria. The three women decided to take a taxi to the stop while the rest of us walked. We started walking about 8 am, and got to the very nice Casa Cruceiro about noon. The women arrived about 15 minutes later. We thought we had reservations for 2 double rooms and 2 alberque beds. A failure to communicate. Our reservations were for yesterday. So we ended up with 6 beds. The other 18 bunk beds quickly filled up. Facilities include 2 private toilet and 4 private shower rooms.

Stage 13 Sarria to Samos, and back

30 kms, going the opposite way on the Camino, then returning to Sarria. It's not easy to stay on the Camino because the arrows don't always show up, even looking back. I got lost twice, once on a steep hill that I had to go back down, once onto a highway into Samos because I missed the shorter cutoff.
Samos is famous for its 6th century monastery, one of the largest in the western world.
My new hiking sandals performed great, ready for the last 111 kms to Satiago de Compostela.

If this dog had let me know, I wouldn't have missed the turn

A very old pilgrim in Samos. 

The monastery

Almost back to Sarria, but I had to Try this bacon sandwich.