I joined the Camino Frances yesterday, at Melide, and was immediately absorbed by the hordes on the Camino Frances. It was a bit of a shock, after the peace, solitude and companionship of the Norte and the Primitivo, to be surrounded by groups of people. It does feel a bit like Little Germany, I was surrounded by Germans all day today.
One of the ladies I met a few days ago summed it up pretty well today, she described the feeling as being like a foreigner all of a sudden in a strange land.
Remember all the photographs of little paths, with maybe a couple of people ahead of me ? Well, this is the Frances ...
Wide, flat path, lots of people ahead of me. It's continuous, you're never on your own. And far more built-up, motorways and villages everywhere.
Saying that, yesterday before Melide was lovely, a pleasant autumnal day. My camera can't get the rolling hills behind the trees, as the light was very soft. Add in the smell of cow manure, and bonfires, and you pretty much get the picture.
Glowing sunshine as the mist burns off, and a horreo, which is a grain storage building. They are a different shape here in Galicia, if you buy a house with a horreo you have to keep it in good condition as they are heritage protected. At this point, I was trying to dodge the liquid manure, very much working farm land !
The beautiful rolling countryside.
I remember this sign from last Camino ! 50kms to go to Santiago, although there was a little less graffiti on it last time.
Peregrinos everywhere. Then again, 90% of the Camino traffic in Spain is on the Frances, and about 3% on the Norte and Primitivo, so it's maybe not surprising that I'm a little shell-shocked. Luckily tonight I am in a lovely cosy little private albergue, so not too overwhelmed with people. It's a private house which has been extended to include a dormitory, with a very homely feel to it.
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How am I feeling about completing ? I'm not sure, there's a whole mixture of emotions. I will be relieved to finish, and my legs are telling me it's time to finish, but there's a lot of sadness as well. In a way, due to the crowds of people, and far more commercialised nature of this Camino, it feels as if my Camino has already ended.
This Camino is a different experience, not bad, just different. Before yesterday, I never listened to music, I happily walked along just being present in the moment. Once I got to Melide and joined the throngs, I put in the earplugs and have been listening to music, noticeably to Australian music.
The Camino Finisterre ? I think so, I am planning to walk it (4 days), and it'll be much quieter again, but the final decision will be in a couple of days.
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