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CANTABRIA- Saturday 18 th/Sunday 19th July. The Drive to Suances & Settling in.

The Galicia docked on time in the port of Bilbao at 07.00 boat time;08.00 Spanish time. The crew call passengers to their vehicles,deck by deck,to avoid crowding the staircases. So we had time for a cup of tea before making our way to Deck 6 and a fifteen minute wait in the car.

https://youtu.be/u96SurBlgbM?is=AWjmQ0hzxrcmcHhc Walker Brothers – “ My Ship is Coming in”

The Port of Bilbao is located on the Bilbao Abra bay, and along the Estuary of Bilbao, in Biscay (Basque Country). The main facilities are in the Santurtzi and Zierbenamunicipalities, approximately 15 km (9.3 mi) west of Bilbao. Also called Exterior Port and Superpuerto, the port complex occupies 3.13 km² (773 acres) of land and 16.94 km² (4,186 acres) of water along 17 km (10.6 mi) of waterfront.

It is actually nine miles from the city as the original port was removed in the late 20th century,planned in 1975, as part of Bilbao’s “ makeover” followed by the Guggenheim museum etc which makes the city a far more pleasant destination today .

“ Dirty Old Town “ – the Pogues.

Our concerns about delays on exiting the port, fingerprints,etc, proved to be unfounded as we simply had to exit the car,enter a border control cabin where our passports were scrutinised and our photos taken. We were waved off with a cheery adios.

We were soon driving along the Autovia and on the lookout for a breakfast stop.

It was a well engineered highway,impressive viaducts and bridges and a few miles on great scenery.

THE VILAGE OF ISLARES

We have become accustomed to refreshment stops on Spanish motorways. There are rarely purpose built facilities that we are used to in the UK.Usually villages and towns served by the autovias are signposted with the addition of a “ services” sign below,plus distances. The reasoning is twofold, it can be difficult to find appropriate areas to build alongside the autovias and this is beneficial to these places, utilising existing facilities.

I had never heard of this hamlet
but who should I meet at the cafe door?

The best and most imaginative Tortilla I have ever enjoyed- more brunch than breakfast.

“ Country Roads” – John Denver

A Saturday market was being assembled opposite – the queso looked very tempting.

A distinguished house complete with shields.

We continued the journey,bypassing industrial Torrelavega and with the help of the satnav found our accommodation in Suances. As we were to discover, Suances is a town of two distinct parts. The upper town where we were based and the lower town which is the seaside “ resort area”. The major difference is that the separation is more marked by the steep hills descending to the coast.

This is a view from on high. Before descending there was the business of shopping to complete and there were no shortages of supermarkets about a ten minute walk away.

https://youtu.be/hCuMWrfXG4E?is=Itde_bxxBb4Bu4Bm

“ Uptown Girl” - Billy Joel

An enormous stage overlooking the main square and our thoughts were that the World Cup Final might be being shown here.

By way of a contrast….The nearby parish church

We decided to walk down to Playa Concha, the main beach,to get our bearings and we soon realised that Clio ack up in 26* would not be fun.

Marvellous beach and we liked the atmosphere.

And I liked the Tinto Verano as we awaited our taxi back up the hill!

https://youtu.be/Cby46XsFm7Y?is=qXRruE_jsyW9TcO8

“ On the Beach” - Neil Young.

Waking up to the news that England had beaten France 6 – 4 in the Bronze final was good if surprising news. Quiet day by the pool,home cooking and maybe an evening stroll to the square for the final.

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CANTABRIA BOUND ON BRITTANY FERRIES;PORTSMOUTH TO BILBAO

18 Jul

The embarkation process was quite swift and we were soon aboard The GALICIA. It was surprisingly quiet on board,considering the imminence of the school holidays. We enjoyed our Al fresco Dinner with great views along the widening harbour as we departed .

The main bar, is typical of these ships, is given over to “ entertainment “ – I popped by for a while and enjoyed the quizzes chaired by a very enthusiastic young lady – none of your paper and pencil pub quiz , but all facilitated electronically .Answers to the multi choice questions eg “ collective nouns – choose the noun for a collection of owls,”were sent directly to the “ leaderboard “ on the stage – very impressive,with scores being displayed through the rounds.

https://youtu.be/v7NlS-f29xM?is=R9J0py9FUSFQB9O6

“Hey Lord Don’t Ask Me No Questions” by Graham Parker

Unsurprisingly, the theme aboard the Galicia was The Camino – I felt quite at home – even the glass panels on the staircase reflected thematic images and Camino routes.

The “ Reserved Seating Lounge” was called El Albergue…now that was an irony, my uncomfortable memories of using albergues was quite at odds with the plushness hereabouts.

**Spinnaker Tower**: Located at Gunwharf Quays, this 170-meter landmark features a high-speed glass elevator and a glass “sky walk” offering views spanning up to 23 miles.

I don’t know Portsmouth or even the area around it first hand – Lord Nelson and The Royal Navy mainly – but it has an interesting history beyond those two facets and an ecological value,too. A quick glance at Wikipedia for the facts….

https://youtu.be/3Q3j-i7GLr0?is=kFP6QRU1iCStitVA

CROSBY,STILLS AND NASH Sing “ Wooden Ships”.

Portsmouth Harbour is a large natural harbour between Portsmouth and Gosport in Hampshire, England,[1][2] covering an area of 12.6 km2(4.9 sq mi). It is a biological Site of Special Scientific Interest, a Ramsar site[3] and a Special Protection Area.[4.The harbour’s mouth opens into the Solent. Geographically, the harbour is a ria( a term we associate with Galicia mainly)formerly it was the valley of a stream flowing from Portsdown into the Solent. At its north end is Portchester Castle, of Roman origin and the first fortress built to protect the harbour.

The harbour is best known as the home of the Royal Navy, HMNB Portsmouth. Because of its strategic location on the south coast of England, protected by the natural defence of the Isle of Wight, it has since the Middle Ages been the home to England’s (and later Britain’s) navy. The narrow entrance, and the forts surrounding it gave it a considerable advantage of being virtually impregnable to attack from the sea. Before the fortifications were built the French burned Portsmouth in 1338.[5] During the civil war parliamentary forces were able to carry out a successful cutting-out expedition within the harbour and capture the six-gunned Henrietta Marie.[6]

In modern times, the harbour has become a major commercial ferry port, with regular services to Bilbao, Santander, Caen, Cherbourg, St Malo, Le Havre, The Channel Islands and the Isle of Wight. There is also a passenger ferry to Gosport. The international ferry port also saw a cruise terminal expansion in 2012 and sees regular cruise ship operations. It is also a major area for leisure sailing. In 2001 the Gunwharf Quays development, was opened on the site of HMS Vernon (a former naval shore establishment.

Friday on the boat passed restfully – reading a novel given to me by Hannah – and a gripping read it was.

This novel is set around 1936 – USA ninety years on…is it in a worse or better place?

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=_ds3MvMUdNk&si=SDlNb_dvR_QB3AMl

Mr Red,White and Blue by Coffey Anderson.

In a comfortable seat by the panoramic windows that looked out on to what eventually became the Bay of Biscay. The view was mainly of a dappled, light blue sea,rippling calmly…quite soporific.

The Bay of Biscay was the calmest I have experienced ; lying in your bunk at night you would not think you were on the ocean.

“ The Sea” by Sandy Denny

Disembarkation was quicker than anticipated and we were not asked for fingerprints, just out of the car for a photograph by the frontier police and a cheery “adios”.

;

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28/05/26 – Recreative Day in Santiago de Compostela and some final thoughts and photos.

30 May

I stopped here years ago and a Portuguese Pelegrina took my photo, below, by the Sampaio bridge.

A poncho saved from a New York City open top bus tour.

Once you reach the end of the Camino de Santiago, is it really over?

“It does not matter the route you have chosen to do the Camino de Santiago. There are many routes to follow the path that take us to the same point, the clear destination being to reach Santiago. However, what happens with many pilgrims is not knowing what to do. What to do once they reach the end of the path, that moment in which, after walking for hours, they reach the end point, feeling that from there on out There is only one continuation and it is the return home.

After all the experience lived on the road, after completing the journey, after discovering the magic present in nature, it simply seems that everything is over. However, it is the moment in which new plans begin, when on many occasions pilgrims consider what will be their future. your next route or if, finally, once you have finished the journey, it is time to put in order all those thoughts that have arisen during the journey to implement them in your daily life. Each pilgrim lives the experience of the Camino de Santiago in a completely unique way.”

THE ABOVE PASSAGE WAS TAKEN FROM THE ASSOCIATION BELOW

**The above pretty much captures it for me, though I should add what a privilege it is too.**

**Being of vintage years means you are constantly being overtaken by other, often much younger Pelegrinos – I take time to smell the flowers.**

This banner is hung across the entrance to the famous Alameda park. I have noticed in Galicia there is some real “political awareness” demonstrated not just by individuals, but by local councils too.

THURSDAY
Waking up and realising that you don’t have to pack!
Leisurely breakfast,a stroll along fondly remembered streets and noticing how much brighter and replete with Camino momentoes the shops are,even compared with two years ago.

We all met up at 11 .00 in the cathedral square for a group photo and then walked down to the Pilgrim office to obtain our Compostelas.

This was easy as we were directed as a group, to a purposely designed section. An attendant took us to one of the many computers available where we entered basic information . A ticket was produced which we took to the counter. Our pilgrim passports ( collected earlier ) were returned to us, with a final stamp and our Compostelas. We purchased the tubes for €2.00 ,rolled up the Compostelas and we were on our way.

Passed a cool fountain just before the exit.

Sharon’s arrangement of our Compostelas and 😎

Tinto Verano has become a firm favourite.

The Alameda is a green oasis and behind it has been erected an enormous wheel – great way to see all the sights I should think.

We had our “ sights” set on a pair of sisters.

It is entitled the “ The Two Marias”

So after a couple of poses, a fellow Pelegrina took this group photo and we remembered our own two Pelegrina-sisters who returned home a few days earlier, for work reasons,Anita and Maggie”.

AN ASSORTMENT OF MEMORABLE SCENES FROM THE GROUP

Acoustic singing in a tiny square in S de C.

A chapel typical of those found on the Camino in Galicia.

A Cruceiro in front of an imposing Vivienda on the river Douro.

Rob playing the piano in Vila Nova – aptly named as we celebrated Aston Villa’s European triumph .

Hi John, we have loved joining you on the Camino and it is special to be part of an amazing Group 😀🏃‍♀️
I am so glad to have been able to walk with Maggie from Viana to Vila Nova de Cerveira – that feels very special 😀

Hi All, hope your journeys home went smoothly and you’ve arrived safely. Our bus journey to Porto was fine and found our Airbnb. Thank you again for a wonderful Camino. David and Rita 🏃‍♀️😀

*All together now….Thanks for sharing the photos*. Muchas Gracias to all the Camigos for their company,consideration,good humour, perseverance and willing to try things new – it was a pleasure to walk ( usually behind ) them!

Home and my David Austin “ PILGRIM “ rose in ascendancy.

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THE FINAL STAGE – PADRON TO SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA.

28 May

After a cheerful reception in a local patisserie and breakfast ,we set off around 08.45 on our last,saunter.

There is always a mountain in the distance and as far as we’re concerned that’s the best place for them, beautiful as they are.

Represents the increasing number of Peregrinas on the Camino these days rather well.

About 2 km out of Padron, on the N550 we came across the hotel a number of us stayed in on the first Sutton Coldfield Ramblers’ Camino, memorable for Hannah’s assistance to a bewildered waiter trying to make sense of the dinner orders for 25 SC Ramblers.

He responded by gifting us four jugs of Orujo at the end of the meal.

The Cruceiro above and the “ snail” were positioned in a garden

We were approaching a very famous church on the Portuguese Camino, whose twin towers are in the distance.

CHURCH SANTUARIO DA ESCRAVITUDE

This shrine is just 5 km from Padrón on the way to Santiago de Compostela, on the right. It is worth highlighting the fountain that is under its impressive stairway, which tells an interesting and **miraculous story**.
It is about an ill man that was travelling along the Way of St. James in the hope of being healed of his dropsy. He stopped at the fountain to have a drink and was miraculously cured without seeing a doctor 72 hours later. He then said, “Thank you, Our Lady, for taking away the ailment”.
This then became the story that gave origin to this sanctuary, and which ultimately began the construction of this structure thanks to an xx cart that the pilgrim donated for his gratitude. The project was completed in 1886.
The project that had begun in the sixteenth century was completed when a shepherd placed an image of Our Lady with Baby Jesus in appreciation of a favour that he received from her.

The Vigo to Santiago railway line parallel to the church & N550.

Peregrinos walking towards S de C still glimpse of the railway

Our three Camigos outside the S de C cathedral and they deserved to look so pleased – what an achievement!

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26/05/26 CALDAS DE REI TO PADRON PENULTIMATE STAGE OF THE CAMINO

27 May

Sky slowly clearing as sauntered along quiet lanes and small hamlets

Enjoyable refreshments stop – Rob translated Fogar as “ hearth” so perhaps that evokes a warm welcome.

Galicia in the sunshine is hard to beat…but some might say I’m prejudiced!

Vines lifted and grown on these archetypal granite supports are to prevent disease caused by lack of air circulation – I liked the potatos planted beneath.

Country style manual labour – weed clearance- reminded me of the state my allotment might be in when I get back

Not to mention the hot weather’s effect back in the UK

The Caminos came centuries before autovias

View from our second cafe stop – Kas Limon and a banana

Looking towards Pontesecures, a village bordering Padron

A ceramics factory and round the next bend in the river is a paper mill

A tradition village clothes washing place

A wall entirely smothered by this bee friendly epic

A church erected on a hill in a place where the apostle allegedly preached

The traditional,tale is that after Santiago’s body was recovered it was brought here by boat and tied to a stone – hence PADRON – it is kept in the Santiago chuch just to the right.

Everyone enjoyed today’s stage and we now have only one day to go until we reach Santiago de Compostela.

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SAN AMARO TO CALDAS DE REIS…..NEARER AND NEARER

26 May

A Spanish high speed railway adjacent to a vineyard.

Interesting ways of furrowing and look at the colour of the soil.

The foal,was just scathing it’s back with delight

A very noticeable demographic of this Camino - lots of teenagers, tattoos and Joie de vivre.

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SUNDAY 24 th May and it was hills in the heat from Redondela to Pontevedra.

25 May

We started walking at 08.40 from the outskirts of Redondela. We had not gone very far when we came to a road on which was parked a tour bus right by the Camino. Out spilled a crowd of Turigrinos,probably from a cruise ship moored in nearby Vigo. They were all crisply dressed as if going to a Christening, rather than on a “ Camino Taster”. This group added to the large groups of Pelegrinos whose numbers are swelled by those joining from the central route. Thankfully, the numbers thinned out, especially after the first hill.

A bit of a shock as they turned the corner and began an ascent of 145 metres followed by a tricky descent. Depending on where people started from, eg Lisbon or Porto, I noticed some walkers along the way with foot wear off, attending to blisters and one lady I had chatted to the other day, had an impromptu ice pack on her shoulder. Understandably distance and heat contributed to these growing occurrences.

Occasional glimpses of the VIGO bridge across the Ria

I felt a twinge on one of my toes – empathy?

After descending the hill and coffee on the edge of Arcade, we crossed over a beautiful bridge with an interesting history.

Although the origins of the bridge are Roman, there are no traces remaining from this period. The current structure belongs to the Middle Ages. It is a long construction with ten arcades, between which there are breakwaters. On a historical note, the battle of Ponte Sampaio against the French in 1809 took place on this bridge. The beauty of the landscape at this point is outstanding, and it offers beautiful views of the Peneda del Viso and the estuary of the Verdugo river.