16 September 2019: Bus Tour To Finisterre, Muxia...and it’s beginning to rain.

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Why do Spanish men have pronounced black eyebrows? So they can talk.

A flick of the head, a thrust of the hand, a twist of the eyebrows, and a spanish man has made what he just said very clear. Italians are similar, but I was watching spaniards today. And the women aren’t far behind.

It’s very interesting to watch, and compared to the deadpan, expressionless way we talk in Australia at times, this is free live theatre.

We went on a bus tour today: this rates closely to root canal treatment for pleasure to me. It was just for one day, and remember, it‘s not always all about me.

The tour guide reminded me of Paulo Coelho, the Brazilian writer, so it was a good start. I told Sue we should try to sit on the right hand side of the bus, as it‘s the curb side and we should have an uninterrupted view.

Wrong.

This was a large tour bus, and with airline type seating, you can’t really see anything across the bus or towards the front.

For the first 2 hours, every point of interest was on the left side, and when we reached the Costa del Morte, the coast of Death, everything was on the left side. Still. I was warming to the trip, Sue thought it was great, and if the woman in front of me would stop replying, ‘ Ya, Ya, Ya, Ya ....’ continually to the woman across the aisle from us - is ya German? - it could end up with a 7 out of 10. I couldn’t imagine a higher score because I took off marks before we left because we had to walk from the meeting point at the Cathedral, to the edge of town to reach the bus, and as usual, someone is always late.

Paulo, well really, Cristian, took it in his stride and throughout the day he adapted to problems, answered any question,( often many times for those who don’t listen), and was really an engaging guide. The first stop allowed for a coffee, some fresh air, and a stroll around a small village, that’s only claim to fame is that it has the largest Horreo in Galicia.

The on off the bus schedule worked well, but I couldn’t imagine doing a multi day trip on a bus. We had friendly chats with a few people from Jersey, not New Jersey, but Jersey Island. They were part of a walking group and had completed the Camino from Sarria. With others, there is the obvious language issues, plus some people just don’t want to engage with others..

We were given plenty of time for lunch, to check out key stopping points, and the bus was nicely air conditioned.

Finisterre is always special, and I’m sure I drove Sue nuts with my memories of where Tim and I stayed, things along the way, where you cross the road for this or that, where I stayed in Cee,- yes, look, that’s our window 2nd from the left at the top, etc etc. - but she never sighed once.

Wouldn’t have mattered anyway; I was on a roll. Reliving the walk with ‘ sore bus seat bum’ instead of ibuprofen knees and blisters.

I could sense Sue’s emotion at Finisterre, as when we walked in 2014, she endured blisters that beat any others I saw, and had a fall that would have seen other people quit. I didn’t marry a quitter, but I know she gave it some thought. We had to readjust and make it possible for her to continue. We were talking about walking today and the Jersey couple said they never had blisters. I told them Sue just had 2; her right foot, and her left foot. Ouch. We can laugh now but I wouldn’t put a picture up here, just in case you’re eating breakfast.

Today when we arrived at Muxia, the main square near the port had been commandeered for a festival. Our path was blocked. Cristian broke the news that we had to park the bus and walk to the point. This was a new development, and some passengers opted to stay in town, drink coffee, smoke cigarettes, and just check out the market.

Personally, I was rapt. I would have loved the opportunity to walk the 3.6 kilometres from Finisterre to the Lighthouse, but common sense dictated that as a group, and for safety‘s sake , we bus it. The walk is very gentle, and the anticipation as you pass landmarks, and round the last bend towards the Lighthouse, is never created by stepping out from a bus.

I took Sue to the Muxia church on the sea up a side street instead of along the boardwalk with everyone else, as it‘s the correct way, and you guessed it, I could show her where I stayed at Muxia. She could barely contain her excitement; but she did. I could tell she wasn’t too keen to leave the main group, but we linked up further along anyway.

Muxia is the place where the final scene of the movie, The Way, starring Martin Sheen , was shot. We saw this movie in 2012, and as we left the cinema i said to Sue, ‘ Is this Camino a real thing?’. She said it was and had something to do with St James. I told her I was looking into it, and if it’s real, I’m doing it.

That was the start of my sometimes irrational ( to others ) love of walking the Camino. I‘m sure I’ll always get another one done when I can, and will have Sue join me on another one, I’m sure. Maybe a shorter one, with a grandchild in tow. Now that will alarm his parents.

Muxia is also less commercialised than Finisterre, and it really feels like the end to me. I’ve seen some warm, crimson sunsets there that really told me, my journey was over.

Today was a great day as it unfolded. I‘m still not a fan of bus trips, but if it’s the best way to achieve a goal, so be it.

Tomorrow we were going to A Coruña, but after a 9.5 hour excursion on a bus today, Sue wants a sleep in, I want to wander the town early, when no one is around, so we‘ll both be happy. The Santiago Market is open tomorrow, so lunch will be at the attached restaurant that sources whatever is best on the day, and turns it into a gastronomic delight. You order the platter and the seafood just keeps coming. It’s a dining treat.

A bit of good news is that pictures seem to be back up. I’ll go over the last few days, add pictures, and repost the days that missed out. Open them if you want to see the pics: the story will remain unchanged.

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Photos

Horreo
Traditional storage for grain, potatoes and fish, these are designed to keep food dry, preserved, and free from vermin. This one is 35 metres long and is the longest one in existence. They date back thousands of years and were originally a Celtic thing. The romans arrived and the Celtic symbol was replaced by a cross.

Terminado : Lunch is done
What a lunch. Razor clams, pipis, calamari, king prawns, scallops, barnacles, prawns, all cooked up in paella.

Heading For Safety
We saw this boat mooring in Cee a while later. The weather was turning and the sea was chopping up

Finisterre Lighthouse
Pretty important place for us.

Tacking Into Port, Muxia
The weather had turned

Church On The Rocks, Muxia
With huge split stone memorial in the distance

Pulpo Being Prepared
This lady, and some men grilling ribs and steaks, were feeding a raucous marquee full of enthusiastic sing spaniards.

Comments

[Susan Petch]

LOL
Yep. Bus trips can be ghastly. I did a 16 day trip once. Never again. Paid in advance unfortunately.

[sherrys]

We live and learn.
Independent is pretty self explanatory; you control your own timetable. Not saying things can’t go wrong, but at least they’re your own mistakes.