Some afterwords
Having walked into Santiago, met my wife in the Plaza de Obradorio where all pilgrims meet and greet, taken a photograph or two, we slipped away into the local hostal which bills itself as the oldest hotel in the world, having been used by pilgrims from time immemorial. Its date of foundation was 1499 when it was used as a Royal Hospital for the many pilgrims arriving in Santiago. I was pleased to see other pilgrims booking in the day I arrived. We also went to Mass in the cathedral the day after my arrival, a Friday. The cathedral was packed: standing room only and there were a fair number of people standing. Not only were there pilgrims who had arrived on foot but there were quite a few who had come by coach in groups, notably from Italy.
On balance a good walk but not as good as good as the Camino from Le Puy en Velay and the Camino Francés. The spring is probably the best time for the Via de la Plata. Galicia, in fine weather and especially in summer, would be outstanding. The Spanish woman I met in Seville the day before I started and who asked what Camino I would do after Granja de Moreruela (where the routes split) said that the Via Sanabrés was the best was not wrong. She agreed I had chosen well.
The international cast I met when travelling has, of course, dismissed itself and is spread around the world again. The breadth of interest of the characters is wide; the cast itself from 12 nations (Australia, GB, Ireland, Hungary, France, Spain, South Africa, Canada, Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Czech Republic).
The Spanish people - not pilgrims - I encountered along the way were always helpful and, for the most part, friendly:
Cesar at Casa Cesar in a village between Ourense and Cea. Very welcoming fellow in his “bar” who encouraged you to go in and have a chat, coffee and biscuits, showed you his book of pilgrims who have gone before, only asked for a donation….
The man I met on the way to Tabara who quizzed me about my nationality, told me where to stay, what the weather would do, discussed his last visit to France….
Anna in Casa Anita, the albergue at Santa Croya de la Tera, who was a lovely hospitalera; very welcoming and helpful; who insisted on a photo taken of her pilgrims each day and which she posted on Facebook….
Those excellent people who re-directed me when I was on the wrong path and put me back onto the Camino….
At Oliva de Plasencia, the hospitalera Monica, who never stopped talking but interestingly especially about the problems caused by landowners over whose land the VdlP runs but who do not allow access, and who cooked a good supper for the 7 pilgrims present………
The bar woman at Campobecerros who welcomed me when wet and cold on the worst weather day of my walk (17 October)…..
The well meaning woman I met on my first day in Guillena who explained to me not to stay in a hotel there as there was a brand new albergue with air conditioning (it was closed due to the fiesta taking place but she did not know that), and her explanation all about the fiesta, the patron saint of the village…..
….and others.
My
sources of information for this pilgrimage were:
A French guide I found written in 2008 and which was often out of date as the Camino seems to have changed and which I may update;
This Santiago forum
<a class="postlink" href="http://www.caminodesantiago.me/board/">http://www.caminodesantiago.me/board/</a>
My own experience from 2005;
I discovered in my last week of walking a good site (Eroski Consumer) with a guide in Spanish and maps which I think would have been very useful had I known about it:
http://caminodesantiago.consumer.es/
I have posted a selection of photos at
http://www.flickr.com/photos/inthelot
