January 22: Day 26. Finesterre to Muxia (29.4 kms):
Last night, I began to look at the different forums on the internet about the Finesterre to Muxia route. Previous forums had encouraged one to end the walk at Muxio. It was a more peaceful setting than Finesterre. Because it was coastal town to coastal town, I may have presumed that it was around the coast of that it was always with a view of the sea. So when I looked again at the forums I began to worry. One person said that it was a really hard work, another that it was a nightmare with bad signposting, another that they had started at 7am and finished at 6.30pm, other bemoaned the hill at the end, finally one talked of the hills though out and used a mathematical formula that meant effectively taking the hills into effect, it was really 36 kms of walking. Of course there were positive comments as well. I finished looking at the forums about 11.45pm and was quite despondent. I could hear the rain on the hotel window and thought what was the use of doing it in that kind of weather.
They was no food at the hotel so I went to a bar for a coffee and omelette sandwich. It was about 8.30am and barely light. I needed to occasionally ask the way. The way markings are a little different on this route. The rays often point downwards, not the way you are going, and the way you know the route is by the angle of the waymarkers. But some don't that and the rays indicate the way you are going, as in other Camino's.
The route does go through small towns or hamlets but they appear deserted and there are no facilities. The only cafe / bar is Lirle, which is midway. It is important to get a stamp there or the authorities won't believe you have done the walk and will refuse to issue you with a certificate at Muxia.
Having made the decision to go, I convinced myself not to think of the future (whether I would make it or not and what would happen if I didn't) and just walk the present moment. The route was't too bad, and for the 1st 3 hours I just walked, trying to do 4 kms at hour. At this stage I met an English woman coming the other way. She was going from Muxia to Finesterre, having gone my way 2 weeks previously. She said the weather was really bad then. That would have during the bad weather in Portugal and Spain. She had a real poncho on and seemed to give her good protection. I just wonder about the weight of the poncho when you are carrying it. She must have left early and said Lirle was 1 hour away.
Sinai trudged on. There are a few alternative routes on this Camino, but I am staying with the official waymarkers. No short cuts. I reached Lirle at 1.45pm, had at coffee and had my credential stamped and dated, I had thought it might be 13km to go but was assured it was 15 kms. Inert Lirle about 2.10 pm, knowing that I needed to stay close to 4 kms an hour and not edge towards 3 kms an hour or I could find myself arriving in the dark.
After this the heavens opened up and it rained on and off, but getting worse all the time. I saw no one in the final 15 kms. Again there were variations to the route but I stayed with the official way markers. The route had been a mixture of wooded areas, farmland and secondary roads. I wondered if the final stretch would be on road or not. It was not to be. The Camino left the road and went uphill up a muddy track, made worse by the streams coming out of the track. It now began to rain, really pour down. I knew I had to get up that track. The track went up steeply, then undulating and finally steeply down over 5 kms. On the way down, the track had become a stream.
Finally down and then a notice saying 3 kms to Muxio. Those 3 kms certainly the longest walk for me. I passed a water fountain at shock there were a lot of plastic water bottles. Won't be needing those any more. It was a long trudge into Muxia.
When I did arrive I had trouble finding the 'official' Government aubergue, who were the only people who could offer a certificate. Muxia at 7pm on a cold, raining Friday night seemed very uninviting.
I did finally find the aubergue. The person in charge spoke no English but a young woman from Slovakia offered to help. He seemed to doubt if I had walked it but I was able to point the Lires stamp dated, and he finally gave me the credential. He told me of a hotel by the water front. The woman from Slovaka and her sister showed me the way. (Later, in the rush to do things, I had accidentally left my 2 credentials behind at the aubergue - I was now on my 2nd one, the 2 women returned to the hotel with them. Their kindness was in stark contrast as to what happened at the hotel.
I arrived there drenched. It was a Pension and restaurant, rather than a straight hotel. The woman took me to my room and eventually found a key that would fit the door. She realised how drenched my clothes were and suggested I warm them on the bar heater. She mentioned a price for the room, which seemed a little on the dear side, and told me dinner was at 8pm, in half an hours time.
I was able to change into my only remaining dry clothes and was down in the lobby shortly after 8pm. She gave me a wine, and soup and T-boned steak and chips and coffee. There is often an awkwardness about when to pay so I offered to pay then. What was extraordinary was the cost of the meal and the overall cost of everything.
Nothing could have rationally explained it. It was only the 2nd time ( the other was Rural Arcos) where I had no options and someone had taken advantage of that. I simply paid it. I need to balance that against the extreme honesty of the many people I have dealt with on the Camino. Someone did take me to the ATM as I was short on cash and also showed me where the bus stop was.
Reflection Point: Journey ended. We are all on a journey. Whatever age we are we are somewhere on a journey. It is good sometimes to sit back and reflect on the personal journey we are on. One day this earthly journey will end. Am I prepared for that moment?
Last night, I began to look at the different forums on the internet about the Finesterre to Muxia route. Previous forums had encouraged one to end the walk at Muxio. It was a more peaceful setting than Finesterre. Because it was coastal town to coastal town, I may have presumed that it was around the coast of that it was always with a view of the sea. So when I looked again at the forums I began to worry. One person said that it was a really hard work, another that it was a nightmare with bad signposting, another that they had started at 7am and finished at 6.30pm, other bemoaned the hill at the end, finally one talked of the hills though out and used a mathematical formula that meant effectively taking the hills into effect, it was really 36 kms of walking. Of course there were positive comments as well. I finished looking at the forums about 11.45pm and was quite despondent. I could hear the rain on the hotel window and thought what was the use of doing it in that kind of weather.
They was no food at the hotel so I went to a bar for a coffee and omelette sandwich. It was about 8.30am and barely light. I needed to occasionally ask the way. The way markings are a little different on this route. The rays often point downwards, not the way you are going, and the way you know the route is by the angle of the waymarkers. But some don't that and the rays indicate the way you are going, as in other Camino's.
The route does go through small towns or hamlets but they appear deserted and there are no facilities. The only cafe / bar is Lirle, which is midway. It is important to get a stamp there or the authorities won't believe you have done the walk and will refuse to issue you with a certificate at Muxia.
Having made the decision to go, I convinced myself not to think of the future (whether I would make it or not and what would happen if I didn't) and just walk the present moment. The route was't too bad, and for the 1st 3 hours I just walked, trying to do 4 kms at hour. At this stage I met an English woman coming the other way. She was going from Muxia to Finesterre, having gone my way 2 weeks previously. She said the weather was really bad then. That would have during the bad weather in Portugal and Spain. She had a real poncho on and seemed to give her good protection. I just wonder about the weight of the poncho when you are carrying it. She must have left early and said Lirle was 1 hour away.
Sinai trudged on. There are a few alternative routes on this Camino, but I am staying with the official waymarkers. No short cuts. I reached Lirle at 1.45pm, had at coffee and had my credential stamped and dated, I had thought it might be 13km to go but was assured it was 15 kms. Inert Lirle about 2.10 pm, knowing that I needed to stay close to 4 kms an hour and not edge towards 3 kms an hour or I could find myself arriving in the dark.
After this the heavens opened up and it rained on and off, but getting worse all the time. I saw no one in the final 15 kms. Again there were variations to the route but I stayed with the official way markers. The route had been a mixture of wooded areas, farmland and secondary roads. I wondered if the final stretch would be on road or not. It was not to be. The Camino left the road and went uphill up a muddy track, made worse by the streams coming out of the track. It now began to rain, really pour down. I knew I had to get up that track. The track went up steeply, then undulating and finally steeply down over 5 kms. On the way down, the track had become a stream.
Finally down and then a notice saying 3 kms to Muxio. Those 3 kms certainly the longest walk for me. I passed a water fountain at shock there were a lot of plastic water bottles. Won't be needing those any more. It was a long trudge into Muxia.
When I did arrive I had trouble finding the 'official' Government aubergue, who were the only people who could offer a certificate. Muxia at 7pm on a cold, raining Friday night seemed very uninviting.
I did finally find the aubergue. The person in charge spoke no English but a young woman from Slovakia offered to help. He seemed to doubt if I had walked it but I was able to point the Lires stamp dated, and he finally gave me the credential. He told me of a hotel by the water front. The woman from Slovaka and her sister showed me the way. (Later, in the rush to do things, I had accidentally left my 2 credentials behind at the aubergue - I was now on my 2nd one, the 2 women returned to the hotel with them. Their kindness was in stark contrast as to what happened at the hotel.
I arrived there drenched. It was a Pension and restaurant, rather than a straight hotel. The woman took me to my room and eventually found a key that would fit the door. She realised how drenched my clothes were and suggested I warm them on the bar heater. She mentioned a price for the room, which seemed a little on the dear side, and told me dinner was at 8pm, in half an hours time.
I was able to change into my only remaining dry clothes and was down in the lobby shortly after 8pm. She gave me a wine, and soup and T-boned steak and chips and coffee. There is often an awkwardness about when to pay so I offered to pay then. What was extraordinary was the cost of the meal and the overall cost of everything.
Nothing could have rationally explained it. It was only the 2nd time ( the other was Rural Arcos) where I had no options and someone had taken advantage of that. I simply paid it. I need to balance that against the extreme honesty of the many people I have dealt with on the Camino. Someone did take me to the ATM as I was short on cash and also showed me where the bus stop was.
Reflection Point: Journey ended. We are all on a journey. Whatever age we are we are somewhere on a journey. It is good sometimes to sit back and reflect on the personal journey we are on. One day this earthly journey will end. Am I prepared for that moment?
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