The Way of Saint James

30/April/2007
Blumenau/SC/Brazil
Navegantes/SC/Brazil
Sao Paulo/SP/Brazil
Madri/Spain

My trip started in Blumenau-SC at 06:00hrs with my parents and my girlfriend. I was calm, I had never traveled to another country, and I was going alone with just a backpack, a Timberland boot, 3 pants, socks/underwear, a Nautika sleeping bag, 3 t-shirts, a blouse, toiletries and the guide book “El camino de Santiago a Pie” by Aguilar (I recommend it)..
The plane left from Navegantes/SC Airport, which is about 50 kilometers from Blumenau/SC. A couple of my parents' friends were there to wish me a good trip. I got on the plane and next to me sat a who was on the phone and said she had to hang up because she was going to Spain. When she hung up I told her I was also on the flight to Spain. a long conversation, we arrived at 10:20 a.m. in Congonhas Airport (Sao Paulo).

We shared a taxi to Guarulhos Airport, and at 3:30 p.m. I was already on the Iberia plane bound for Madrid. It was a tiring 11-hour journey, because time doesn't and the discomfort was too great for a man of 1.90m in height.

Stage 1 - France
02/May/2007
11,5kms
Pamplona/Spain
Saint Jean Pied de Port/France
Honto/France
Orisson/France

After a difficult night, I couldn't sleep very well, I was still adapting to the new reality. I had breakfast with the Brazilian women in a Coffee Shop near the Hostel and then we took a taxi to Saint Jean. It was a sunny day with very blue skies and a calm, cool wind.
The trip was pleasant and the route very beautiful, a narrow, well-maintained road with lots of shade from tall trees, like a road used in car commercials.
As soon as we arrived in Saint-Jean, we went to the information office and booked into the Orisson hostel, had lunch, took some photos and finally photos and finally started the walk along km 1 of the Camino de Santiago.
Saint Jean is a pretty little French town with 1,470 inhabitants. The houses are all carved or made of stone. The path begins by crossing a stone gateway and a bridge.

After a few kilometers, as my legs were longer, my pace was faster than the Brazilians'women, I pulled away and moved quickly up the mountain until I reached the hostel in Orisson. The Guide (Book “El camino de Santiago a Pie”) says that if you slow down or speed up your pace to keep up with someone else, you'll get tired more quickly.

The Orisson hostel is beautiful, with two floors, a deck at the front with a fantastic view of the Pyrenees and a bar on the ground floor. As soon as I arrived, I put my backpack in the room and went for a French beer. Soon the Brazilian women arrived and joined in to celebrate the first day of hiking.

Hostel with dinner and breakfast (very few have this service, in most you have to make your own dinner and breakfast), hot showers. My room had three bunk beds, where Fátima, Dalva, Lu, Sandra, me and Cristine, a 73-year-old French woman who was on her third trip. She gave me a pendant that read "Ô Marie, conçue sans péché, priez pour nous qui avons recours à vous". I lost this pendant halfway through the journey and a few years later I found it in a seam in my backpack.

Stage 3 - Navarra
04/May/2007
25,3kms
Roncesvalles
Burguete
Espinal
Biskarreta
Lintzoain
Zubiri

I woke up early and started walking. I walked a long way with Fátima and we talked a lot about our lives in Brazil. Fátima lives in Brasilia, is married and has a few children (I don't remember how many). We stopped for a bite to eat in Burguete. Then it rained, a lot of rain, until we reached Zubiri, where we stopped at the first hostel we found.

We had a very good Paella in Zubiri. I sent some photos via email to Brazil (in 2007, internet access was precarious on the Camino).

Stage 5 - Navarra
06/May/2007
27,5kms
Pamplona
Cizur Menor
Zariquiegui
Uterga
Muruzábal
óbanos
Puente la Reina

I slept very well and woke up early because that day I had another challenge: the Mount of Forgiveness (Alto del Perdón). I walked for a while with Dalva, then with Fátima and soon distanced myself due to the difference in pace. I chatted to a Canadian, then I passed a Bolivian teacher who was walking with a group of young Americans, and further on I passed a Spaniard called Pascoal who was walking with an Australian called Dave. .
I arrived at the top of Pardon, where there are several giant wind turbines, or rather wind farms. The sound of the propellers cutting through the wind was frightening. There is a lot of wind at the top of Pardon, so much so that there is a monument in honor of the pilgrims that reads "Donde se cruza el camino del viento con el de las estrellas" (Where the path of the wind meets the path of the stars). The path of the stars is a reference to the road to Santiago de Compostela, where compostela is field of stars, the sky in this region has many stars.

The descent from the top of Forgiveness is very difficult, the terrain has many loose stones and there is a great risk of slipping, so you always have to use your staff as a support. Still on the descent, I passed three Finns who were following in single file with two staffs each, looking like they were skiing downhill.
I arrived at the Padre Reparadores hostel, a very good hostel. I stayed in a room with three Italian men, Giorgio, Giorgio Giacobbe and Guido Piccon. Fatima and Lu arrived soon after and I moved into their room because I couldn't keep up a continuous conversation with the Italians. They only spoke Italian.

All the Camino guides recommend visiting the Hermitage of Santa María de Eunate, built in the second half of the 12th century in Romanesque style. It has 33 arches around it. It is located 2 km off the Camino (4 km round trip), and since our feet were very sore, Fátima and I looked for a taxi, invited Sandra, Dalva, and Lu, and we went to visit the Hermitage, which is very beautiful.
In the book "The Pilgrimage" by Paulo Coelho, he says that he slept under the arches of the hermitage.
After that, I went to see the Roman bridge of Puente La Reina.

Stage 7 - Navarra
08/May/2007
24,8kms
Estella
Ayegui
ázqueta
Villamayor de Monjardín
Los Arcos

Just outside of Estella, there was a fountain with wine, where you can drink as much as you like. There’s a live stream on the internet, and I had already arranged for my family to watch me there. We took some photos and continued on our way. A bit further ahead, we met a gaúcha, Edithe. We chatted with her for a while and then continued until I eventually separated from the group.

Along the way, I came across the Americans who were resting with Alberto, the Spaniard, and Renato de Moraes, a guy from Sao Paulo. I sat with them, ate some chocolate, and then continued walking through the many cultivated fields. These fields reminded me of the movie Gladiator, because the wind created "waves" in the crops, and I ran my hand through them to "feel" the wind — just like Maximus (the character from the movie) did at the end when he was remembering his family.

I arrived in Los Arcos having a good conversation with Alberto. I went to the albergue, left my things, and went to get something to eat. Soon after, Fátima, Lu, Dalva, Sandra, Renato, and Onório arrived. Fátima told me that the next day she planned to go as far as Viana, while I intended to go to Logroño, so I arranged with Renato to leave together the next morning.

Later that evening, we attended mass at the church in Los Arcos, where the priest gave a special blessing to the pilgrims present. The church has an altar entirely made of gold — very beautiful.

Stage 9 - La Rioja
10/May/2007
34,2kms
Logroño
Navarrete
Ventosa
Nájera

We woke up early and soon started walking. The exit from Logroño is through a large park where many locals take morning strolls or walk their dogs. After that, the path follows a major highway. It was a long walk under intense sun until we reached Nájera. Arriving in Nájera rewarded us with a beautiful view of the river, mountains in the background, and lots of greenery.

Nájera is a small and beautiful town. As soon as I left my backpack at the albergue, I went out to find a pharmacy because I needed some adhesive tape and also a "cyber café" to download photos and send news to Brazil. Later, I ate a bocadillo (sandwich) and went to sleep. The albergue was average; the beds had thin mattresses that let you feel the wood underneath, and the bathrooms were few and poorly maintained.

Stage 11 - La Rioja - Burgos
12/May/2007
25,6kms
Santo Domingo de La Calzada
Grañon
Redecilla del Camino
Castildelgado
Viloria de Rioja
Villamayor del Río
Belorado

When we woke up, there was a lot of noise in the albergue — the organizers of the Santo Domingo festival were distributing lamb soup to the locals and tourists. Renato stayed to eat, but I continued on the Camino. Further along, I met the Spaniard Pascoal and the Australian Dave, and we walked together for quite a while. Later, we ran into Edithe, who also walked with us for a stretch. Then Edithe and I separated and arrived in Belorado. We stayed at the second albergue, which was better than the one at the entrance. A few minutes later, Renato, Pascoal, and Dave arrived. We had lunch at a restaurant in front of the albergue, then bought food at a supermarket to make dinner at the albergue.

We agreed to leave together the next day — me, Renato, and Edithe.

Stage 13 - Burgos
14/May/2007
29,1kms
Agês
Atapuerca
Cardeñuela-Riopico
Orbaneja
Castañares
Burgos

We woke up early and walked to Burgos, mostly along a trail and then on a sidewalk. Burgos is the capital of the province with the same name, so we walked nearly 10 km through the city — which was very tiring and felt like time was dragging. Edithe and I went straight to the cathedral, which is very famous, but due to a mix-up, I got separated from her. I visited the cathedral and, upon leaving, ran into Renato. I went with him to the albergue and later returned to a supermarket to buy food. About the albergues in this part of the Camino, the guidebook said, “Muchas opciones, ninguna buena” (“Many options, none good”). Burgos is a city dating back to the year 884, and the cathedral’s construction began in 1221.

The albergue had few bathrooms, the shower water was cold, and the laundry area was just a trough. On the plus side, it was located in the middle of a large park, and the beds were comfortable. In the park, there was a sign stating that smoking was prohibited by a “Royal Decree.” Only then did I remember that Spain is a monarchy — a form of government that feels like a thing of the distant past for us Brazilians. I met a Romanian couple and tried to have a conversation with them. The Romanian gentleman spoke a little English, some Latin, and Spanish, so with my “Portuñol,” I managed to have a conversation with him for nearly an hour. Later, Renato returned, and we talked. He told me he had stayed at the San Juan de Ortega albergue and tried the famous garlic soup, but said he didn’t find any garlic in it — it was just hot water with bread.

Stage 15 - Burgos - Palencia
16/May/2007
32,1kms
Hontanas
Castrojeriz
Puente Fitero
Itero de la Vega
Boadilla del Camino

We started walking early, with the sun already shining strong. We passed by an old Templar fortress that is now an albergue.
After a few kilometers, Renato felt a lot of pain in his feet and decided to stop for a Coca-Cola. Edithe stayed with him, and I continued on. The path was relatively easy, just small dirt roads cutting through fields, but the sun was very strong and I started feeling weak. Since my water was almost gone and my map showed I was very close to the day’s goal, I quickened my pace to reach the albergue. Just before arriving, there was a lone tree near the road—the only one for many kilometers—casting a large shadow over the path, and under it were many sheep (called “cordeiros” there), so you could only pass with their permission.
From the outside, the albergue looked like a dilapidated, poorly maintained house, but as soon as I entered, I saw something very different: a beautiful house with a lush green lawn and tasteful decoration. An older man who looked like the host noticed the Brazilian flag on my backpack and said, “Brasileño.” I replied, “Sí,” and he promptly answered, “Soy Argentino.”

His name is Hugo, the owner of the albergue. He told me he stays there for nine months a year, and during the European winter, he closes it and spends three months in Balneário Camboriú, Brazil. He had an assistant named Dudu, a Spaniard who had lived in Brazil and spoke Portuguese very well. I met Ana and Pepe from Spain, as well as the Austrian again. We chatted for a while until Renato and Edithe arrived. We talked some more until dinner, and then everyone went to their beds, since the next day held more walking ahead.

Stage 17 - Palencia
18/May/2007
30,2kms
Carrión de Los Condes
Calzadilla de la Cueza
Lêdigos
Terradillos de Templarios

We started walking early. Renato and Ana stayed behind due to foot pain. It was just me, Edithe, and Pepe continuing on. The first kilometers were very tiring—17 km with nothing but stones and sand, dry climate, and little greenery—very different from the beginning of the route in the Pyrenees. We arrived at the town, which felt more like an abandoned village. The albergue is very nice and spacious.

Renato, Edithe, and I spent some time drinking beer on a terrace, then used the internet, did some shopping, and later had dinner with the three Italians and Pepe.

Late in the afternoon, a flock of birds appeared, "playing" around the albergue. After watching the scene for a while, I went to sleep.

Stage 19 - León
20/May/2007
40,9kms
El Burgo Ranero
Reliegos
Mansilla de Las Mulas
Villamoros de Mansilla
Puente de Villarente
Arcahueja
León

We started walking early; the day was clear with strong sun. The path was always alongside a highway until halfway through when the weather turned and a light rain began. After a few kilometers, the rain became heavy and soaked everything. Edithe, Pepe, and I quickened our pace upon entering León until we reached the albergue where everyone was drying themselves and their belongings. The rain was so heavy that even the raincoats couldn’t keep us dry.

After taking a shower and waiting for the rain to stop, we looked for a place to have lunch and then set out to visit the famous cathedral of León.

Famous for its 1800 m² of stained glass windows, it is a magical place. We spent some time there sitting, unable to take our eyes off the stained glass and the architecture. I felt very peaceful in that cathedral. It was inaugurated in the year 1205, older than Brazil. I spent some time daydreaming about how many people had already passed through and seen that beauty, how many stories those walls must have known... Soon the rain started falling again, and we returned to the albergue.

At the albergue where we met the three Italians (Giorgio, Giorgio Giacobbe, and Guido Piccon), I was finally able to chat a bit with them. And whenever I saw them from afar, I’d shout “Olá Itália!” and they would reply, “Olá Brasil!”

We had dinner in the albergue’s dining hall and walked to the church attached to the albergue, which is run by nuns. They said a prayer and gave a blessing to the pilgrims. Renato didn’t show up. The internet was poor, and we had no way to know if he was okay or if there was a problem.

Stage 21 - León
22/May/2007
27,5kms
San Martin del Camino
Puente Y Hospital de órbigo
Villares de órbigo
Santibáñez de Valdeiglesias
San Justo de La Vega
Astorga

We woke up early to the distress of a pilgrim who said her walking stick had been stolen. We walked along roads now far from the highway. The path constantly went up and down. We passed through a town called "Hospital de Órbigo," where every year there is a medieval festival with a jousting tournament, where knights face off with lances.

After a few kilometers, we arrived in Astorga. At the entrance of Astorga, we met the Spaniard Miguel in front of a hostel; he said he was the host of that hostel. We walked a bit more and stayed at the public hostel, almost right in front of the cathedral.
Astorga is a very beautiful city, built within a wall, with some records dating back to 14 B.C. Both the cathedral and the Episcopal Palace (designed by the Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí) are very beautiful.

After leaving our things at the hostel, we walked around the town to take some photos, including of the city walls, and then returned to the center where there was a pizzeria. I was missing pizza. Near the pizzeria, we met the other Renato (Jose Renato de Ponti) and his friend, Alexander. They had come part of the way by bus to catch up with us because they were in a lot of pain.

We spent some time chatting, wandered around the city, and I burned my photos onto a CD because Renato wanted a copy. Then we stayed in a square in front of the “Ayuntamiento,” drinking “Caña” and eating “Tapa.”
I bought a chocolate bar made in Astorga and went to the hostel to sleep.

Stage 23 - León
24/May/2007
30,5kms
Foncebadón
La Cruz de Hierro
Manjarín
El Acebo
Riego de Ambrós
Molinaseca
Campo
Ponferrada

We woke up early and followed a trail leading to the Iron Cross, where we spotted the Italians. As usual, I shouted “Olá Itália!” and they turned around shouting “Olá Brasil!” According to legend, you need to bring a stone from your homeland and leave it at the foot of the Iron Cross, hence the mountain of stones. We took some photos and continued on, now heading towards Manjarín, where Thomas lives, considered the last Templar knight of Ponferrada. He lives in a house without electricity—the only inhabited house in Manjarín; the others are all in ruins and no one lives there anymore. We bought some Templar medallions, shirts, stickers, and kept walking.

We walked down a few kilometers and arrived at El Acebo, a village that seemed abandoned in the middle of a mountain. We stopped at a busy bar where they were selling the “Bocadillo da Casa.” Seeing many people eating this bocadillo, I decided to order one to try. It seemed like bread soaked in olive oil, and it upset my stomach for the rest of the day.

A little before Ponferrada, we passed through Molinaseca, a small and very beautiful town, and then through some cherry orchards where I ate some cherries straight from the trees. I had never eaten fresh cherries before, only preserved ones, and I really liked them. In Ponferrada, we stayed at the municipal albergue, which was spacious and very good. We visited the Templar Castle of Ponferrada, but unfortunately, it was closed for renovations. We also went to the cathedral, where there was an exhibition of artworks about the Camino.
According to legend, Ponferrada got its name because in the year 1082 a wooden bridge that existed there was reinforced with iron. The Templar castle, on the other hand, dates back to the year 1282.
After that, we went back to the hostel. I accessed the internet, sent some photos, emailed Renato, had dinner, and went to sleep. In my room, there was a German couple and a Portuguese gentleman.

Stage 25 - León
26/May/2007
26kms
Villafranca del Bierzo
Pereje
Trabadelo
La Portela
Ambasmestas
Vega de Valcarce

The route from Villafranca to Vega de Valcarce is entirely along a deactivated highway; the new highway passes overhead on a large viaduct that stretches for several kilometers. So, even though the path is on asphalt, it’s peaceful because very few cars pass by. We arrived early in Vega de Valcarce, where there is a hostel full of Brazilian flags. It was still closed, so we waited for it to open. After a few minutes, a man named Itabira arrived, who spoke good Portuguese and said he was the owner of the hostel. He asked for my help to stamp the pilgrim credentials of whoever asked, and he gave me the stamp. I was very happy to help. Soon after, he opened the hostel and chatted with us. Itabira’s service is excellent, and the hostel is very well structured—I highly recommend it! The hostel is called Nossa Senhora Aparecida.

At one point, many pilgrims arrived all at once, and he asked me again to help by showing the rooms and bathrooms to the newcomers while he handled the registration. It was fun. In the middle of the afternoon, Edithe and I went out for a walk. We stopped at a market and bought some food, then visited the ruins of the Sarracín castle, probably dating back to the year 714, located about 1 km from the hostel. Afterward, we returned for dinner, which was a delicious feijoada served right at the hostel.

Stage 27 - Lugo
28/May/2007
30,7kms
Fonfría
Viduedo
Triacastela
San Xil
Furela
Calvor
Sarria

We woke up early and went down to Triacastela to have a hot chocolate. Then we continued on the path, always guided by the signs—yellow arrows painted on the ground, trees, signs...

Halfway through the path, the sun came out and we met an Italian lady with whom Edithe was chatting. Her name was Helena and she was from Venice. They talked for quite a while, while I walked ahead without understanding anything. Later, they said their goodbyes and we moved on—her pace was a bit slower than ours.
In Sarria, we stayed at the first albergue we found—it was very good, with new rooms and clean bathrooms. We walked around the city, bought some food, used the internet, and went back to the albergue. We spent some time in the sun to warm up, and later I went to sleep to recover from the previous day.

Stage 29 - Lugo - A Coruña
30/May/2007
35,6kms
Gonzar
Castromaior
Hospital de La Cruz
Ventas de Narón
Ligonde
Airexe
Avenostre
Palas de Rei
Casanova
Leboreiro
Furelos
Melide

We walked through several forests—sometimes it rained, sometimes the sun came out beautifully. That made us put on and take off the rain cover constantly, which meant removing the backpack and straining the back. At one point, I felt a sharp pain in my spine. I kept walking, and the pain got worse. I stopped, took off my backpack, rested for a bit, threw away the water bottles (a 500ml bottle on each side of the backpack—so I got rid of 1 kilo), and tossed out a few other things (an orange, some cookies). After that, I was able to continue the walk, and the pain went away over time.
For much of the way, we passed by several "Hórreos," which are structures used to store cereals out of the reach of rats. In Galicia, there are many cattle and corn plantations, and because of that, there are lots of rats and hórreos.

We arrived in Melide and walked to the public albergue, the worst of all—very dirty bathrooms, showers without doors, a poorly maintained building, and too few bathrooms for so many people. After overcoming these difficulties, we looked for a market to buy food, then a computer store to send news. From that day on, I decided not to send any more news because I wanted to arrive by surprise in Brazil. Then we went to "Casa Ezequiel," very famous for serving octopus. We went in, grabbed a table, and noticed the floor was dirty—very dirty. We saw that when the staff cleaned a table, they just wiped it and threw the leftover food onto the floor, where it stayed. I guess cleanliness is not Melide’s strong suit. Shortly after, the Italians arrived, sat at our table, and we ate the famous Melide octopus together. For me, the octopus was nothing special—it was good, but the Italians made faces as if they were tasting something divine. To each their own taste.

Stage 31 - A Coruña
01/June/2007
26,2kms
Santa Irene
Rúa
Pedrouzo
Labacolla
San Marcos
Monte de Gozo
Santiago de Compostela

We woke up early and headed toward Santiago. First, we passed by Monte do Gozo, from where you can see the entire city of Santiago de Compostela. I ran into the Italian lady, Edithe’s friend, Helena, and she asked me where my "madre" was. I didn’t quite understand and said, "Edithe?" She confirmed and then said that she wasn’t my "madre," that she had met her on the way and thought we looked like mother and son—and we really did.
The entrance to the city is very beautiful, but for the pilgrims, there is a lack of signage. It was rare to find a sign indicating the way to the cathedral, and we had to stop several times to ask for directions on how to get there.

As soon as we arrived, we took photos and went inside to attend the mass that started at noon. The cathedral was packed with pilgrims, all tired but happy to have arrived. The mass is very beautiful; some prayers are said in seven languages, and it’s impossible to hold back the emotion of being there after having walked nearly 900 km on foot. The cathedral was built between 1075 and 1128 in the Romanesque style, during the time of the Crusades. According to Christian tradition, it is where the apostle of Jesus named James (San Tiago) is buried (for the full story, click on the HISTORY menu). Just like at the cathedral in León, I also felt a very strong energy in this cathedral and spent a good amount of time appreciating its beauty.

After the mass, we went out to buy souvenirs, rent a room at a guesthouse, and get the "Compostela," which is the certificate pilgrims receive when they show their credential stamped at the albergues they stayed in along the way.
We visited a museum, park, train station, and the ancient city itself, which has many historic buildings. I bought a medieval sword, a dagger, souvenirs... Then we checked the bus to Finisterre for the next day. We stopped by the post office to pick up what we had sent at the start of the journey, had lunch and dinner, took more photos, and reunited with people we met along the way... It was a very busy and lively day until it got dark and sleep finally took over.

Back home 03/June/2007
Finisterre
Santiago de Compostela
La Coruña
Madri

We woke up, took the bus, and arrived at the Cathedral of Santiago just in time for the noon mass. We reunited with the Italians Giorgio, Giorgio Giacobbe, Guido Piccon, Renato De Moraes, Brigitte Noisternig, Tommaso Gallo, Carlos, and Massayo, as well as many other pilgrims we didn’t talk to but saw several times at the albergues. Everyone was greeting and congratulating each other for having arrived. We sat at a bar to drink and celebrate. The waiter and the bar attendant were Brazilian.

Then I said goodbye to my great friends, Renato De Moraes and Edithe Tremea, with the certainty and promise that we would meet again one day in Brazil.
I grabbed my backpack, my sword, and walked to the train station. When I got there, I found out that all trains to Madrid were fully booked. So I went to the bus station, which is on the other side of the city, carrying my backpack with double the weight because it had everything I had bought. At the bus station, the attendant told me there were no more seats to Madrid but there were to La Coruña, and from there to Madrid. So I bought those two tickets, went to La Coruña, changed buses there, and took one to Madrid that went all the way to the airport.

Back home 05/June/2007
Guarulhos
Florianopolis
Blumenau

I arrived in Florianópolis at 2:30 AM. When I went to the GOL counter to claim my taxi, unfortunately, the power went out at the airport, and the computers shut down. I had to explain everything to the GOL attendant, who looked like he didn’t believe me. I told him to call Sao Paulo since their system was down there, and then he paid for the taxi. I arrived in Blumenau at 4:30 AM.
I rang the doorbell; my dog was jumping with joy—more than a month without seeing me. But no one inside came to open the gate. I kept ringing the bell for a while until they realized I wasn’t a badly dressed drunk, but just a pilgrim returning home. :)