Author Archives: victoria hoffer

12.75 miles in the P O U R I N G rain. The walk from Olveiroa to Cee was probably the prettiest and through the wildest country we have experienced, but that beauty could not be enjoyed to the fullest as we tried, in vain, to fight off the pelting, windy, blowing, hard rain. ItContinue reading “Day forty two, El Camino”

Another day of decision, not so much mine, but Ian and Tan’s. To take the taxi pre-arranged by our booking company so that we would have 21 kilometers to walk rather than the full distance of 33, or bag the cab and walk the whole way. I was eager to walk the distance and sinceContinue reading “Day forty one El Camino”

Santiago Cathedral as seen from across the square in the pouring rain, the morning of our departure: It was a gloomy start to a 14.69 mile day, but by late morning we could shed the rain gear. We are on our way to, Fisterra or Finisterre, depending on what map you consult. After we leaveContinue reading “Day forty ElCamino”

It POURED during the night and rained all day, which put a damper (yeah, not so funny) on our activities for the day. Despite the weather, Tan and I decided to get our “compostela.” (Ian did not feel like filling out the required information), so…. we had to find the office that issues the certificateContinue reading “Day thirty nine El Camino: rest day”

Monday, October 14, our trusty taxi driver turns up at the appointed hour of 7:45 a.m. to transport us back to San Payo where we continue heading west to complete the last few (let’s say ten, although it was ever so slightly less) to Santiago. It was still dark, but surprisingly, not cold, when ourContinue reading “Day 38 Santiago”

Last night we made a decision. That was about the most momentous task in which we have engaged these many weeks, since our days are devoted to walking and eating and thinking about where to eat next or where to go to buy food. What we decided was that we would walk further than ourContinue reading “Day thirty seven El Camino”

We are so seasoned to walking that we complete 18.66 miles and are not even tired by day’s end. That the weather has been superb is a factor, of course, but still….! We leave Palas del Rei at about 8:15; the birds are up—see them on the tower, and one, on the right, flying away?Continue reading “Day thirty six El Camino”

Somewhere along the 16.5 gorgeous miles we walked today, we passed the 100 kilometers-to-Santiago point. It is all more impressive in kilometers, isn’t it? Anyway, we decide it is a photo-worthy moment: Several times we noticed narrow structures, built of different materials, all the same shape, and sometimes with crosses, like this one with brickContinue reading “Days thirty four and thirty five El Camino”

Brrr….it was a cold and misty morning, but we were off by 8:15 to accomplish our 12.5 miles and thus arrive by early afternoon in Sarria, a city of special significances: 1) a lot of people, known as pilgrims, do only the last 100 K of the walk; for them Sarria is the starting point,Continue reading “Day thirty three El Camino”

14 miles. A sculpture titled, “Oy, why am I doing this?” Sweet: Doggums: Fortunately, this ferocious barker was chained up: All that ham, but where are the pigs? Finally, we see a few: Cow with flies: A roadside stand: Not many takers so far: Kiwi, not yet ripe: We have arrived: As as we wereContinue reading “Day thirty two El Camino”