The Camino de Santiago, a life journey

The Camino de Santiago is a pilgrimage from several points in Europe to Santiago de Compostela, Spain. Many hike it for religious reasons, others for spiritual reasons and many just for the experience of walking, meeting like-minded people, and witnessing beautiful landscapes. I chose to share this path with my friend Rochi. Both with a common goal of self-discovery and deeper connection to life, we started this journey with uncertainties, expectations and anxiety about the unknown. Here, our experience!

Day 1 (Porto-Vila do Conde, 36 km): We started in Porto, Portugal, without really knowing where to go nor what to do. The arrows indicate (or rather suggest) a direction, but in the end it is your choice to follow them or not. Every step was difficult, we had to stop, recover and keep walking. Already on our first day, we got lost. Overcoming difficulties and frustrations, we found the way. The first day, it took us almost 11 hours to get to Vila do Conde just to find out that there were no more sleeping places in the shelter. Walking almost 36 km with backpacks between 6 and 8 kg was not easy and the urge to throw in the towel was a recurrent thought. Dealing with frustration, not being able to arrive and relax, having to solve basic needs such as shelter and food, became priorities. At that moment, although in the distance, one of the souls that we’ll carry forever in our hearts, a Catalan called Estefi, crossed our path. A fighter with a heart of ‘dulce de leche’ (something similar to caramel sauce) who slept on thin mats on the floor at the entrance of the shelter. Finally, we found a room in a private guesthouse, although for a much higher price than what we expected to pay at the shelter. But, everything happens for a reason. Because of this situation, that night we ended up having an amazing dinner at the most cozy and warm place of the whole camino called Loja do Caminho. Also, without knowing it, our “mistakes” from that first day were going to define the rest of our experience. With much tiredness and aching bodies (not only legs, but also back, neck and arms) we went to sleep hoping to recover for what was coming up the next day.

Day 2 (Vila do Conde-Marinhas, 34 km): We woke up super early and, with all the pain from the previous day, we started walking at dawn by the sea, trying to reach the shelter in Marinhas in time to get a place. That morning another soul who stole our hearts crossed our path, a Murcian who with his accent and bad jokes blessed our morning. At that time we had no idea how important Anto was going to be on our journey. We stopped for a coffee and continued walking practically alone for the rest of the day. Talking about the 5 love languages ​​nd the reflections of the camino, we endured all our pains and fatigue to arrive, with our last breath, at the shelter of Marinhas. A row of backpacks and pilgrims resting in the shade indicated that we had reached the right place. After getting settled in our bunk beds, showering with cold water, and washing some clothes, a Murcian voice saying “che, boluda” (something like “hey you!” in Argentina) invited us to join other pilgrims in a lunch by the beach. One thing led to another and we ended up doing acroyoga with Rochi, Anto, Estefi, Carmen, and Giuseppe. For many that was their first experience flying, but for all of us it was the beginning of a great friendship. That day we shared ‘mates’ (South American drink from yerba mate), talks, almost-sunsets, pains, massages, and a “dinner” with sandwiches “of what was available” and beer.

Day 3 (Marinhas-Viana do Castelo, 28 km): We were almost the last to wake up from our room. The night had been difficult. Sleeping in the upper bunk beds, feeling hot and with many “noises” was not easy. We were almost the last to leave the shelter. We walked about 21 km to Viana do Castelo, which took us approximately 5-6 hours. The road was beautiful, through the middle of the forest, crossing streams and vineyards. However, the last section was difficult, it was very hot and I even felt short of breath. I arrived at the shelter of Viana do Castelo with a very strong pain in my left ankle; however, it was an surprising sensation to notice how my pains were mutating from one part of the body to another. “Nothing is lost, everything is transformed” said Jorge Drexler. The same happens with relationships, with time and shared experiences, conversations become deeper, disagreements last less, new people cross your path, others choose a different path. That day ended with a beautiful sunset at the Santa Luzia viewpoint, sharing more talks and moments with our new pilgrim friends. That night, another magical human being crossed our path, a ‘tano’ (aka italian) with a huge heart and the perseverance of a lion. Even without us knowing it, from that day on, Andrea was going to transform our mornings with his touch of tenderness and unconditional support.

Day 4 (Viana do Castelo-Guarda, 34 km): That morning was magical, seeing the sunrise from the beach, with the morning mist, leaving behind the landscapes of Viana do Castelo; all this produced an immense happiness in me. Forgetting the pains and weight of my backpack, I’ve spent the morning listening to music and dancing while walking with Rochi and Giuseppe to our next stop, Guarda, in Spain. I still remember the pleasant sensation of the seawater refreshing my feet, when crossing the beach of Ancora. Moments later, without planning it, our path crossed again with that of Anto, Andrea, Alessandra and Francesca. Later, we crossed the river to Spain in a small boat and we celebrated our arrival in Galicia with cold beers, after which the last stretch of the road was not easy. We settled in the shelter of A Guarda, enjoyed the beach, did more acroyoga, watched the sunset, and enjoyed our first Spanish tapas, all of which left great memories.

Day 5 (Guarda-Baiona, 34 km): I must confess that just as everything changes, my mood also changed. In the morning, the beer and wine of the previous night did not go unnoticed. I woke up when it was still nighttime, with a strong headache and a really bad mood. We started walking with Rochi, just the two of us, on paths of sea, forest, and along the road. Moments later, between ‘mates’ and music, we found ourselves singing loudly as we walked along the side of the road, unable to take our eyes off the beautiful landscapes that surrounded us. It was at that moment that I remembered the bad mood I had just a few hours before, which was already a distant memory. Everything transforms, right? We all had lunch together along the way and with Rochi we continued our way to Baiona, where Rochi’s cousin picked us up to spend the night with her family’s place in Nigrán. That was the first night we spent away from the group, and while the time with new people was very enjoyable and interesting, it felt strange to be separated from the flock.

Photo by Rochi VP

Day 6 (Baiona-Vigo, 24 km): That morning we met again with the group, at least with Anto and Estefi, to continue our way to Vigo. Although the landscapes were not that enjoyable due to the low visibility, the good company made it worthwhile. We spent our time singing and chatting, supporting each other when we needed it. We all met again in Vigo, where we ate some delicious Galician tapas. That day we met (or at least I did) someone new, who had been physically present the whole time but until then had not lived to her full potential. Fran, a tana (aka italian girl) with a huge heart, bloomed in front of our eyes when she allowed herself to open her wings and fly. A little lady full of fire and incomparable kindness. That afternoon, Rochi and I settled in Manu’s (Rochi’s cousin) apartment and then we reconnected with the rest of the pilgrims to see the sunset and have dinner. That was our last night together, since the next phase for Rochi and I was to continue to Pontevedra while the others stopped at Redondela. Between several drinks and lots of emotions, that was the longest farewell night of the whole journey.

Day 7 (Vigo-Redondela, 20 km): The phase from Vigo to Redondela was short, only 16 km, and we arrived there before noon. Knowing that this was our last walk together, I was quite emotional and needed to walk a while alone to process it. For the rest that was their final destination of the day; however, we planned to do 18 km more to get to Pontevedra to, finally, be able to spend our last night in Santiago de Compostela. After a strong whirlwind of emotions (with tears and everything), we made the decision not to say goodbye to the group yet, to continue enjoying that unique experience with them for a few more days. As Anto once said: “The road is them.” The connection we all felt can not be described with words. We walked around Redondela (although there was not much to do), had some drinks, went to the beach by train, had some more drinks, dinner and ended up having a few bottles of wine at the shelter, which ended up with a few confessions. (I know, at this point of the story you should think that we are a group of alcoholics… haha)

“Dejarse llevar suena demasiado bien, jugar al azar
Nunca saber dónde puedes terminar, o empezar” 

Day 8 (Redondela-Pontevedra, 23 km): I enjoyed this day a lot, knowing in the depths of my heart that we had made the right decision by staying and that whatever might happen later, we would solve it. This phase of the journey, and its ‘putas’ (Spanish for f*) descents, we walked it with Rochi, Estefi, and Andrea, supporting each other when things got difficult. We enjoyed the views of beautiful vineyards and lost towns of Galicia. We arrived in Pontevedra just in time to get a place at the shelter and go out to enjoy the beautiful city and its gastronomic delights. In the afternoon, we decided to stay in the shelter and challenge ourselves to open a bottle of wine with a knife. (Do not judge us, there comes a moment when simple things take great importance!) Today I realized how important are the simple things in life… a hug, a word of encouragement, a story or a caress worth gold when one needs them the most, things that we do not even notice or take for granted in our daily lives.

Day 9 (Pontevedra-Caldas de Reis, 25 km): Today I wanted to experience walking alone, like most pilgrims who hike this trail by themselves, although you’re never alone. I started walking early and at my own pace, plugged in to my music and my thoughts. People came and went, some kept going, others chose to walk beside me. Surprisingly, even being physically alone, I felt more accompanied than ever. Step by step, we all arrived to Caldas de Reis, we settled in the hostel and went for lunch to the little bar on the corner, most of us already very tired to walk further. That night we decided to cook dinner in the shelter, pasta with carbonara sauce made by our own Italian chefs, always enjoying the good company.

Day 10 (Caldas de Reis-Teo, 29 km): Unfortunately this day started with a bitter taste. Very early in the morning, while we were all preparing to leave, someone entered the shelter and stole money from some pilgrims, among whom I was included. While money is not important, the feeling of insecurity and violation of privacy left me with an unpleasant feeling. However, it was incredible not only the support of each person in their own way, but also to realize that some had even felt it as if it had happened to them. However, a hug or the right word at the right time worth much more than the stolen money. Luckily, once we started walking, all that was left behind. We started with a dense fog in the morning that became a radiant sunshine when we reached our destination. That day was one of the most physically demanding for me. Already from the start, I began to feel a very strong pain in my right ankle that became really intense halfway, added to the pain of the blisters from the previous day. A strategic stop about 2 hours before arriving allowed me to recover the strength to reach the destination. That day I was the last to arrive at the shelter, but knowing that I had people by my side who supported me. The shelter in Teo was small and when we arrived we had the last 3 beds (for 6 people… so, do the math!). But, by that time, we were already like a big family! We settled down as we could and went out to do what we know best… eat and drink! We enjoyed our last night together as much as we could, to the extent that our tired and aching bodies allowed us.

Day 11 (Teo-Santiago de Compostela, 16 km): Although the last phase of the pilgrimage was the shortest, it was by far not the easiest. Not only the body is tired, but emotions also began to play an important role. The end of a road, of a journey, of an experience… a farewell. Those last 13 km have been harder than the 36 of the first day. But we enjoyed them as much as we could, together until the end. The arrival at the Cathedral of Santiago was very emotional. We cried. We hugged. We laughed. We enjoyed our last moments together, but each one processed and lived that moment in their own way.

Every road is unique, every person chooses how and with whom wants to travel it. On our way through life we make decisions and we do not know what we are missing. There are no right or wrong decisions, there are choices, and our choices bring us where we should be. Sometimes we walk alone, sometimes with friends, family, couples; sometimes with strangers. Each person crosses our path for a reason. Some stay minutes, other years. And nothing is permanent. We suffer from pain, but eventually it goes away; we enjoy the happy moments and save them as memories. The most important is to live the present because tomorrow will always be different from yesterday.