I’m writing this post in a hotel in A Coruña, Spain, 2 days after reaching the cathedral in Santiago. I would have written a post the night I reach Santiago but I needed time to rest and be with Joe and Miles, who made the trek from Montana to Spain to greet me at the cathedral.
The last 2 days of walking were incredibly familiar, as I had done the Camino Frances in 2016 and I followed the same route into Santiago. The route became crowded with more pilgrims and I found myself on autopilot as I walked through the city. Upon reaching the cathedral, I felt a sense “Ah...” My journey was now complete and I could rest. Even though the day was relatively short (a mere 20 km), my feet were telling me to stop. They were tired. It was time for me to sit, relax and look back on my 2nd Camino experience. It was a different experience than my first Camino — more physically challenging, a variety of people on the Camino, and a prettier landscape (nothing against the Camino Frances but the Coastal part of the Norte and the Primitivo have much better views). Here are the most memorable things from my Camino and a few pertinent numbers: According to my Apple Watch, over 21 days, I walked: 800,997 total steps 38,143 average steps per day 360.37 total miles / 579.9 total km 27.6 km average/day 2054 total flights of stairs (I’m not sure what they count as a flight of stairs if I’m walking up a hill) Most flights of stairs in a day — 247 (from the valley to the top) Most steps in a day — 48,373 — or 34.6 km or 21.52 miles Nickname I didn’t have a nickname except for one person (Mike from Britain/France) called me “Mountain Woman” because I live in Montana and I was going to walk the Primitivo. People from all over Met people from all over, including the US. Nationalities represented: France, Canada, UK, Ireland, Spain, Korea, Taiwan, Italy, South Africa, Portugal, Hungary, Serbia, Australia, German, Netherlands, Latvia (and I’m sure there are more... these are the ones I can remember). Montana Saying I’m from Montana was usually met with some interesting exchanges: “Montana. So that’s in the middle of the country, right?” — typical response. It was easier for me to say that I live in the Rocky Mountains or near Yellowstone National Park. The best response to saying YNP was, “Oh that’s where Yogi Bear lives.” One person I met and walked a short time with was an older gentleman who was a geologist. He had been to Butte and knew the US quite well, actually. Typically, I was the only person people had ever met from Montana. However, I met 2 Montanans on the Primitivo. They were not walking the Primitivo... just doing a quick stint with a tour agency. Americans I met a few other Americans on the Camino, but there weren’t many of us. I can count 5 other Americans I met on the Norte and Primitivo. With such a large international/European presence, there many questions and discussions about our President. The biggest take away, Trump is a joke. I’ll leave it at that. Language Barrier Language is still a barrier for me but my Spanish has improved since 2016. I can understand more than I can speak and I’m slowly gaining confidence in using Spanish. It takes time. I’ll get it at some point.
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About Marcy I wear many hats. First, I'm a wife to an amazing husband, Joe. Second, I'm a mom to 2 incredible kids, Caitlynn and Miles. Professionally speaking, I am a chef, dietitian, and writer working as an instructor in Hospitality Management at Montana State University in Bozeman. Photos: See InstagramMarcy's other Site |