I took the bus this morning to Finisterre and Muxia. I had hoped to walk but I don’t have enough time to spend 3-5 more days walking. Next time I will want to plan to finish walking at “the end of the world”.
In the days of the Spanish voyages of discovery it was believed that Finesterre was the west most point in Europe and therefore the end of the known world. It is, of course neither the west most point in Europe or the end of the world,but it doesn’t stop it from being referred to in that way.
It is s beautiful drive there that takes you past s well preserved medieval bridge over the River Timbres and past the highest waterfall in Spain at 40 meters.
The weather today was spectacular with warm sunshine and a nice breeze on the shore. The coast line is in part rugged and marked with big boulders and cliff sides, interspersed with long crescent beaches with white sand and blue water reminiscent of the Caribbean Sea.
I had lunch in Finisterre where there are more seafood choices than you can imagine – the most expensive of which are barnacles because barnacle collection is extremely dangerous and has cost many their lives. Besides barnacles there are many varieties of clams and squid, mussels, scallops, cockles, prawns, shrimp, oysters, razor clam, clams in long, thin, tube shaped shells, crab, lobster, and many, many fishes. You can see the people in the small fishing villages out chest deep in the water collecting them to supply Spain and many other parts of the world. Many species are now “farmed” and one platform can sustain a family financially.
Finisterre is for many the end of the Camino though some walk on to Muxia. The Camino to Finisterre is the only official Camino that begins rather than ends in Santiago de Compostelo. The marker at the lighthouse on the cape at Finesterra has the 0 KM designation.
I have just two more days in Spain. I will spend them here in Santiago. I want to go back to the cathedral for one more pilgrims mass. I am hopeful they will swing the large incense burner from the ceiling tomorrow – I understand the best hope to see it is on Fridays. Otherwise, just walking the narrow cobbled streets, getting “lost”, and watching the vast array of people streaming in and out of Santiago and continuing to integrate my own experience seems like a worthwhile ways to spend these last days.