Camino de Santiago

So, one of the best things about working/studying in Spain is all of the vacation days! After spring break in February, there was another one at the end of March! Hurray! For this spring break, Easter week, everyone travels so it is mega expensive. Instead, opted to go on the Camino de Santiago. It's a pilgrimage to the Cathedral in Santiago and since this is a 'holy year' then it is like, important or something. Anyway, started in Ribadeo and ended in Baamonde (not quite Santiago) and walked over 60 miles in 4 days I think.

Ok, you have to read this backwards. Sorry, I fall prey to this everytime. The first 4 pictures are while on the pilgrimage. You can see the muddy river trails (this is actually a really wienie one, you can see grass!) and how I became one with nature (with cows) and the signs so that we wouldn't get too lost. And a picture of scenery with my should-be-patented Anti-Wind/Rain hat (just add water to a rain hat and sunglasses!). Then comes pictures of the Praia das Catedrais (Cathedral Beach) in Ribadeo. That's pretty much the only thing in Ribadeo, but how amazing is it!

Never 'actually' 'made' it to Santiago, stopped in Baamonde because the weather was being particularly disagreeable. But what I could see (in the midst of torrential rains, near hurricane winds and borderline Siberian temperatures) was a gorgeous landscape, abandoned villages and tons of farm animals. ALSO! While escaping muddied impassable trails, ducked through pastures avoiding cows and electric fences - not always as successfully as I would have liked - and swinging on trees. It was like an adventure!

Then at night we stayed in albergues, traveler hostel things, especially for the pilgrims (those who do the pilgrimage, not the settlers of New England). These were about as minimal as possible: bunk beds, no sheets. But they had bathrooms that you shared with anywhere between 12-92 people and a kitchen.

After abandoning the Camino, it was essentially Easter! I'm not going to put any pictures of it right now because it frustrates me, but next time I'll reveal some photos of the creepy ceremonies I saw (if you have a Confederate flag, get it ready!). Ok, enjoy what few pictures I'm posting now and next time there will be more fun things!

xoxo