Lavacolla To Santiago de Compostela

Day 43

6.2 Miles, 10 K

Walked On June 4, 2022

Written On June 5, 2022

Vern Waiting For Me On Our Way To Santiago (Photos By Nancy)

While learning about the Camino de Santiago in 2008 it became clear that Santiago de Compostela, Spain was considered the primary “destination” of the Camino experience. As metaphysical as it may sound, the destination for me is wherever I meet myself. The Camino has a way of showing me what I had just spent my everyday life ignoring with success. The Camino is my opportunity to get quiet, get as real as I ever will, and look deep into what is not working for me. At the same time celebrate who I am, warts and all. This is only a personal assessment of Camino Walks.

More And More Pilgrims By The Minute!
A First Glimpse Of Santiago
An Awesome Statue And An Awesome Guy
This Same Photo Is In My 2014 Blog. It Is The Front Window Of A Veterinarian’s Office. We couldn’t Resist It Again!!
Nancy & Vern Arrived In Santiago!
Another View, Including A “Magic” Sky!
The Very Essence Of Santiago de Compostela Is Art
Santiago de Compostela Cathedral
A Weary Pilgrim Enjoying A Much Needed Rest! (Photo By Vern)
10 Kilometers To Santiago de Compostela! (Photo Taken By Lisa)
Lisa Joining With Other “Pilgrims” On Her Way To Santiago! (Photo Taken By Rhonda)
Rhonda Entering Santiago de Compostela (Photo By Lisa)
Many Pilgrims Have Walked Hundreds Of Miles To Experience The Walk Into Santiago de Compostela, Spain! (This Photo And Several Others By Lisa)
Rhonda And Lisa arrived In Santiago de Compostela!!!
Awesome Photo By Rhonda!
One Of The Many Neighborhood Plazas In Santiago!
Pilgrims Arriving At The Cathedral Plaza
Pro Tip #13: UV Protective Hat.
Pro Tip #14: Waterproof Shoes.

A Note From Nancy: Our 2022 Camino Walk has “ended” but the experience will go on and be processed for a long time. This is the last posting of this specific blog.

I will post a daily photo or photos on Instagram until we arrive home later this month. Instagram: jaminmama

Arzúa To Lavacolla

Day 42

17 Miles, 27.4 K.

Walked On June 3, 2022

Written On June 4, 2022

Yesterday was a half day of self care for me. Today is a full day of self care for me. As soon as I arrived at my destination I asked about getting a massage. Within two hours I was getting a massage in my room! The masseuse had great online reviews and they were not lying! Vern, Lisa and Rhonda will walk to Lavacolla.

Bar/Pilgrim Rest On The Way To Lavacolla (Photos By Vern)
Bottles, Bottles And More Bottles!
On The Way To Lavacolla
Rhonda And Mary (Photos By Lisa)

Mary Anne from Greenville, South Carolina started with a group of five in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, France. They started the same day as us, April 23rd.

Memorial On The Way To Lavacolla
Pilgrims Disappearing In The Fog
At Least 300 Pilgrims Passed Us Today!
A Lot Of Pilgrim Memories!
Waited Some Time To Have A photo Of Just The Path!
Pilgrim from Chile Protesting War
Same Pilgrim Wrote War On The Stop Sign. A Pilgrim Definitely With A Cause!
Shoes Left behind
Pro Tip #12: Ibuprofeno Gel, (Ibuprofen Gel), available without a prescription in Spain. A miracle for shin splits, sore feet, etc. Highly recommended!

Sobrado dos Monxes To Arzúa

Day 41

13.6 Mi, 21.9 K. Nancy walked 7.6 Mi, 12.2 k

Walked On June 2, 2022

Written On June 3, 2022

On April 4th my Doctor gave me a cortisone shot for Tendonitis. He said it would give me pain relief for approximately two months. It stopped working 2 days ago.

The less relief, the more pain. Today my mileage is different from Vern’s because I stopped at a Bar and asked if they could call a Taxi. A Taxi was there within five minutes and I was on my way to Arzúa. I went to the Farmacia and bought a cream for Tendonitis and an oral medication. When I went to my room I fell asleep.

On The Way To Arzúa (Photos By Vern)
A Chapel On The Way To Arzúa
Beautiful Landscaped Property
Rustic Lawnmower
Lisa On Her Way (Photo By Rhonda)
Roman Milestone Found In Boimorto In 1981 (Photos By Lisa)
In Boimorto
Clever Planters
Arrived In Arzúa And Heard Buen Camino More Times Than We Had In Six Weeks!
Arzúa Camino Way Marker
Wisdom On Coffee Cup: “Why Not Today?”
Pro Tip 11: Always Have Some Toilet Paper In Your Pocket. Explanation Not Needed!

Lugo To Sobrado dos Monxes

Day 40

Written On June 1, 2022

Floor Plan And Description Of The Sobrado Monsstery
A View Of The Sobrado Monastery (Photo And Next One By Nancy)
An Entrance To The Monastery
A Church In Sobrado (Photo And Next Two By Vern)
A Portal To The Monastery
Modern Equipment In Ancient Surroundings
Lisa And Rhonda’s Tour Of Sobrado (This And Several Other Photos By Lisa)
Love The Satellite Dish On The Ancient Building!
Beautiful View Of The Monastery
Many Pilgrim’s Shoes Were Soaked In A Rain Storm Today
Pilgrims’ cloister within the monastery
Another Passage
The Interior Of The Monastery
Monastery Art
Angelic Painting
Early Impressionist?
Majestic Interior
Door to The Cloister of the Medaillons

The Cultural/Rest Time in Lugo is just what we all needed! We are refreshed and ready to go! Thank you to our followers for your support, encouragement and interest in our journey!

Pro Tip #10: Lightweight Trekking Poles/Hiking Sticks

For many of us Pilgrims the trekking poles literally allow us to walk to our destination. Many others do very well without them. For me, the poles have made all the difference. The poles help keep my balance going down steep rock filled trails. Going up hill I can position my poles to help pull me up little by little. I have heard that the movement of the arms in relation to the movement of the legs helps keep inflammation at a minimum.

Keep On Trekking!

Cultural And Rest Day In Lugo

Day 39

Written On May 31, 2022

Roman Walls Of Lugo (Photos By Nancy)

Roman Walls Of Lugo Made UNESCO’S World Heritage List In 2000. Please Learn More About The Most Intact Roman Walls In The World! https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/987/

Lisa On The Roman Wall. Behind Her Is The Old City Inside The Wall
View Of The Cathedral Towers
View Of Vern Taking A Photo While I’m Taking His Photo
Art By Diego AS Graffitti
Head Statues In Lugo
A Great Look At The Wall In Relation To The Buildings (Photos By Vern)
One Of The Few Ways To Access The Wall
Another View Of The Wall
Lisa In Front Of The UNESCO Designation Marker
A Closer View Of The Marker
Inside Saint Mary’s Cathedral (Better known as Lugo Cathedral)
A Chapel Inside The Cathedral
Nancy And Vern On The Roman Wall (This Photo And Several Others By Lisa)
Lugo Cathedral
Beautiful Photo Of Lugo!
A Street Inside The Wall
Inside The Cathedral
Sacred Tribute And Art
Lugo Art Work!
Impressive Fountain!
A Great Example Of Lisa’s Talent For Finding Unique And Memorable Photos!
A Port Through The Wall
Thriumphal Arch Sculpture
Pro Tip #9: This tip comes from Rhonda and Lisa who successfully dried their hand washed clothes with a hair dryer. Good job!

Villalba To Baamonde To Lugo

Day 38

12.9 Miles, 20.8K

Walked On May 30th, Written On May 31, 2022.

Classic Spain On The Way To Baamonde
Fun Yard On The Way
A Stork Nest

Vern and I have been watching for stork nests since we started walking on April 23rd. Lisa saw one the other day. Today we saw one. From our first Camino in 2009 Vern and I have loved seeing the nests! Now that we are walking in Galicia I am sure we will see more of them.

Rock Path To An Ancient Bridge
Ancient Doorway Miracle! (Photos By Lisa)
A Magical Looking Pathway

Compared to more recent walks today’s was enjoyable, beautiful and a walk with moderate ups and downs.

A Camino Tribute And WayMarker
An Ancient Bridge
Another View
Acknowledgement Of Pilgrims Or Scarecrows?
No Day Without A Chapel

Today we planned the walk to Baamonde and then made our way to Lugo for a much needed rest day with the help of local transport.

Pro Tip #8: Aquarius “Sports Drink”. When we started walking different Caminos I carried added weight in the form of supplements and “muscle recovery” products. Sitting down in a bar and having an Aquarius Lemon or Lime takes the place of added weight and is a lot more refreshing!

Abadin To Villalba

Day 37

13.9 Miles, 22.4 K.

Walked On May 29, 2022

Written On May 30, 2022

Vern On The Way To Villalba (Photos By Nancy)
Ancient Cross On The Way
Camino Gate!
Romanesque Religious Way Marker
Nancy Walking Early In The Day (Photos By Rhonda)

We left Abadin and started walking. Shortly before this photo, we paused. Lisa took photos and I put my jacket in my day backpack. Much later I realized that my glasses were missing! Vern and I had just walked down a dark tree lined path. When I told Vern my glasses were missing he immediately started climbing back up the hill to a spot that he remembered seeing me stop at. I followed him. I spoke to two Pilgrims and asked them if they saw my glasses to please put them on the Way Marker at the bottom of the hill.

I also asked Pilgrims from Ireland who I had met the night before to let me know if they see my glasses. We saw them at a bar later. I reported to them that I hadn’t found them. As it seemed that I was not going to find my glasses I was grateful that I had my prescription sunglasses. I am not able to read without my glasses.

Lisa reported to me that she met Pilgrims who have three friends walking tomorrow and they will be looking for my glasses!

When we got to Villalba Vern and I went to the Farmacia. I now have a pair of reading glasses!

Lisa On One Of The Great Paths Today!
Creative Gate!
Rhonda & Lisa’s Daily Selfie In Front Of Whimsical Bales Of Hay
Creative Landscaping (Photos By Lisa)
Rhonda, Vern & Nancy. Nancy Still Has Her Glasses.
Camino Memorial For Benito Graña Otero
Pro Tip #7: Buen Camino App. A Lot Of Information For Many Caminos!

Mondoñedo To Abadin

Day 36

9.3 Miles, 14.9 K

Walked & Written On May 28, 2022

Nancy Ready To Go In Her New Buff Hat (Photo By Rhonda)
Rhonda, Lisa And Nancy In Mondoñedo (Photo By Vern)
Way Marker In Mondoñedo (This photo and the next two by Rhonda)
Vibrant
Lisa Enjoying The Flowers
Leaving Mondoñedo (Photo By Lisa)
Stone Building In The Distance
Beginning Uphill Climb (Photo by Lisa)
Wild Horses
Rhonda & Lisa Made It To The Top!
A Graphic Of The Uphill Climb Today (Thanks Lisa)
A Sign: You Have Made It! (Photo By Vern)

As you can see by the graphic, we did a lot of climbing! It was beautiful scenery and not many breaks. I did not take a break until I met Vern at the top of the mountain. Vern walked with a herd of cows, not far from where the wild horses were running. There are two routes today: The mountain route, hard climb but 3 miles shorter. The second route was longer but flatter.

Pro Tip #6: Be Aware Of Step Ups In Spain Where you Least Expect Them!

Lourenzá To Mondoñedo

Day 35

6.1 Miles, 9.8 K

Walked, Transported And Written On May 27, 2022

Yesterday’s posting included a lot of photos of Lisa and Rhonda. There is one photo of me at the end of the posting. That photo was actually taken before we started walking! The reason for the lack of photos from Vern and I was due to the fact that I was struggling and Vern was my Endurance Coach. Vern helped get me up one mountain after another, and another, four hours of uphill, almost continuous!

If there would have been a Taxi, Bus, Train, Jet Pack or Helicopter I would have been on it waving as hard as I could.

Miraculously after the second break I was able to keep walking and most of the remainder of the almost 17 miles was downhill, level and with one last climb.

To recover I decided to get a taxi to our next destination. Vern went with me and we took all the backpacks with us. I had missed the deadline last night for transport so this was the perfect solution.

Walking To Mondoñedo (Photos By Lisa)
Capela de San Pedro da Torre
Rest Area With Fountain
Beautiful Hedge On The Way to Mondoñedo
The World Through Rhonda’s Eyes (Photos by Rhonda
A Mushroom???
Daily Selfie
Infinite Varieties Of Beauty
Fun Time In The Spanish Countryside!
Exquisite!
Pro Tip #5 Loosen Sheets Before Getting In Bed. The Tightness Of The Sheets Can Irritate Sore Feet! This Is Not An Issue In An Alberque Where You Will Use Your Sleeping Bag.

Ribadeo To Lourenzá

Day 34

17.0 Miles, 27.4 K

Walked On May 26, 2022

Written on May 27, 2022

Rhonda & A Cool Mailbox On The Way To Lourenzá (Photos By Lisa)
The Camino Trail To Lourenzá
A Chapel On The Way
Map At A Bar Showing Worldwide Ways To Santiago
Beautiful Yard And Area Landscape
Ancient Water Well?
An Hórreo (A Granary)

A granary is a storehouse or room in a barn for threshed grain or animal feed. Ancient or primitive granaries are most often made of pottery. Granaries are often built above the ground to keep the stored food away from mice and other animals and from floods.

A Church In Lourenzá

A man was just about to lock the door at 8 pm and was happy to let us in and show us the church.
Tomorrow the church will be closed because he wants to go fishing.

Beautiful “Sacred” Art
The Man Locked The Church And Hurried Home
A Daily Lisa & Rhonda Selfie
Lourenzá Town Hall
Rhonda, The Peregrina
Lisa, The Peregrina
Surrounded By Beauty🌺
Pro Tip #4: A Buff (Photo by Henrí)

For me, a Buff is one of the most important pieces of clothing I can have on the Camino. In the heat I can soak it or pour water on it. Then I can put it around my neck, on my head or in my hat. In the cold weather I use it around my neck and can pull it up just below my eyes for added warmth. Here is a quick demonstration of how to use a Buff: https://youtu.be/IgQ62HkPs7Q (I am a happy customer, not a salesperson😀)