Camino Pilgrim

It’s all completely over. There is nothing but the ocean left. I am both extremely happy and sad about this. Sad because my journey is over and finished. It feels like I have just started with my first steps and suddenly it’s the finish line. Happy because I managed to pull off a 900+km hike completely on my own in a country where I don’t speak the language. Also happy to go back home to my comfort zone. I missed it.

The scenery today was breathtaking as usual. I really enjoy the mountains so close to the ocean. Still, the highlight of the day was seeing the ocean for the first time in my life with my eyes. I wasn’t sure at first if it was farmland or the ocean, but when I figured out that it was the great blue sea, then my body went fully ecstatic. Hands just started shaking out of nowhere and a smile came on my face that just wouldn’t go anywhere for many many minutes. Definitely the highlight of my whole Camino experience.

The way to Finesterre also went through several beaches. For locals, it seems to be a popular beach resort area. I arrived quite late today and most of the albergues were already full. Luckily, I found a place to stay. Also, in the municipal albergue I got a new certificate proving that I made it to Finisterre on foot and without any external help.

The really cool part was hiking up the peninsula until the lighthouse. There I took the picture above at kilometer mark “0”. Tens of other pilgrims sat down on mountainside rocks to watch the sunset. To see the sun drop into the ocean is something special.

Tomorrow is just a bus day back to Santiago, but before that I have planned to swim in the ocean. Let’s see how that goes. What is certain is that tomorrow there will be no hiking. My sneakers can rest for a while now.