Olveiroa to Finisterre

Day 18

Made it! 😃

Today I registered over 59,000 steps and over 24 miles – but it doesn’t feel like it. I thank some great scenery for the distraction. Here’s one of the lovely locals…

Heading out of town this morning there were a few huge windmills at the top of the first hill. When I got to the top of that hill i saw that the chain of windmills stretched for miles on both directions, capturing the energy from the coastal air currents. Great use of abundant wind power.

There was quite a long stretch of the path without a rest area or cafe. The sign at the last cafe/bar before that stretch said something like ‘No cafe for 15km – eat and drink here!’ I was glad to have plenty of food and water with me. Shortly before that stretch ended though I refilled my water bottle from a fountain that claimed to be fresh water. I threw in a couple water purification tablets just to be on the safe side and the water turned really green. I opted to not drink it.

When I came down the hill into the town of Cee the seagulls were visible overhead and their cries were a welcome sound. There was a cool breeze off the ocean and the smell of salty seawater was unmistakable.

The walk from Cee to my albergue in Finisterre was delightful- along the coast the whole way. I’d checked my pack to Cabo DaVila at the far side of town. Turns out they didn’t have vacancies for tonight but referred me back a few doors to another place that had space and I booked a stay with them for tomorrow night.

I checked in then threw on my bathing suit and sandals and headed out toward the beach. I kept walking to the lighthouse at the furthest point out.

On my walk up the hill to the final marker I passed a man walking the other way carrying a didgeridoo. Apparently he was adding music to the scene earlier. By the time I made it there a French gentleman with bagpipes had taken over. I know he was French because he had a friendly dog that was running loose and when I fed her cat treats he said “Merci!”

At the trail’s end a trail marker reads 0,000.

The spot was sacred to the Celts but it was the Romans who named it Finisterre, which literally means “the end of the earth”. For them, it was. I was thinking about this while I walked today and wondered how Roman soldiers felt about getting stationed at the end of the earth. Was it an honor or were they terrified?

I again traded photo courtesies with a fellow pilgrim. This is as close as I wanted to get to the edge. It was windy out and over the edge was quite a drop into the sea.

Then I decided to do what seems logical to do when one reaches the end of the earth.

Stop.

Rest.

Enjoy the view.

On my way back I stopped in to Cabo DaVila again to ask about a bus service schedule for Sunday. While there it occurred to me to ask about Covid tests in the area. I’d been overthinking a strategy to book a test in either Santiago after the weekend or, perhaps, getting a train to Madrid and getting one there. She sent me around the corner to ask at the pharmacy. They didn’t do a rapid test but were able to get me an appointment back in Cee at the clinic at 11 tomorrow. I was then able to plan my trip back home.

So, my big plans for tomorrow: sleep in (if I can), cab to Cee, Covid test, cab back, then sit on the beach and drink orange juice.

And if it’s a clear evening – watch the sunset and then look for stars.

More later…