June 26, 2023 - Day 57 - Day 1 in Barcelona

I’m excited about today’s afternoon activity. I have heard so much about Sagrada Familia over the years; it will be so cool to finally see it. The dream (fevered some might argue) of Antonio Gaudí, it has been under constant construction for over 120 years. We have visited tons of cathedrals that took hundreds of years to build, but this is the only one I know of that is currently under construction and with any luck will be finished during my lifetime. We had reserved our timed entry tickets over a month ago. We are scheduled for a 2:45pm entry. With a morning free, we planned to do Rick Steve’s’ other walking tour of Barcelona, this one of the newer area of town, the Exiample. Newer is a relative term. It was built about 150 years ago, new when compared to the core of the city which was built about 2000 years ago. 

We were up, breakfasted with scrambled eggs and toast prepared in our apartment and out the door by about 8:30am. I used the app "City Mapper" on my phone to navigate the bus and subway system. It is amazingly well done and makes finding your way around an unknown city a breeze.

Our apartment is less than 40 yards from the Placa Espanya subway station where lines 1 and 3 are available. We rode Line 3 to one stop north of Placa Catalunya on the Ramblas to begin our audio walking tour. Earbuds in, phones on and we were off. We learned about the Eixample neighborhood and how it was layed out to allow more space for the residents compared to the cramped Barri Gotic area. Wide streets on a perfect crisscross pattern with each intersection an octagon, meaning the building on the corners have blunt rather than sharp corners facing the intersection. It is amazing how this simple code for construction opens up the street and makes them light and airy. 

We saw Gaudi’s Mila House and his Casa Batllo as well as just got a feel for the area. Very cool and completely different than the Barri Gotic area we visited yesterday afternoon. I also began to understand the economics and politics of Gaudi’s work. In essence, he was the Michelangelo of more modern times. His patrons were the rich industrial barons of the day. They wanted to build houses that stroked their egos and made them stand out from their poorer neighbors or from their rich aristocratic friends. They gave Gaudi an open ended budget to create for them the most outlandish homes possible for their day. Granted, Gaudi was amazing at his craft, but fueled with unlimited resources and time and encouraged to let his imagination go wild, he was set free to create the buildings we see today. 

We stopped at a McDonalds to get a big soda, hoping for 1€ drinks. Ha!  €3.39 each!  While sipping at outside seating Sally started a conversation with an elderly man and his middle aged daughter from London. Politics came around and we had fun comparing Trump to Boris Johnson and other topics. 

Cokes empty, we completed our tour and then took the metro back to our apartment for lunch. What!?! you might say?  You didn’t sample the Spanish food!  You made tuna sandwiches in your apartment away from the life of the city?  May I remind my gentle readers that we have been in Spain for 57 days and have eaten plenty of Spanish cuisine. Saving a few dollars is a better idea at this point. We did indeed have tuna sandwiches with potato chips and an apple. We even closed our eyes for a few minutes and caught a little nap before returning to the subway to travel to Sagrada Familia. 2 stops on the green line (L2) and 5 stops on the purple line (L5), a walk up from underground and there looming over us was the towering Sagrada Familia. 

We walked over to the park on the east side to sit at a bench and take a look. Not the best viewpoint as the sun was now slightly in the west and looking up at the cathedral was blinding. Sally sat next to a late 20’s or early 30’s blond from Latvia and in typical Sally fashion soon had her life in detail. Specifically, she wanted to tour the cathedral but had no entry ticket and none were available. We had an extra that was Becky’s and offered it to her for free. She tried to pay us for

It, but we refused and told her to pass it forward. Our pass was for a senior citizen so we were a little trepidatious as to whether they would let her in. We decided we would all go in together at the proper time. It was only 1:30 and our entry was set for 2:45. We agreed to meet back at this bench in an hour. 

Sally and I spent an hour walking around this amazing construction, taking pictures, talking to people and getting Coke (temp was about 87° with 57%humidity) so we were sticky and hot. 

When we met up again, Lina was there and ready to enter. We were thinking up ways to get her past the guards- she was our granddaughter, she was young looking for her age, etc. As it turned out they didn’t care. They just scanned the three QR codes on my three pdf tickets and we were in. 

We spent about three hours touring the church. I won’t describe it here. You can look it up online. Suffice it to say, it is incredible, both inside and out. Truly a work of art in the form of a building. Victor Hugo described architecture as a method of communicating that died with the invention of the book. Gaudi revived it with this spectacular building. 

We had also purchased a tower tour, not really knowing what that was. We were on the passion side of the building. We got in line and we’re soon whisked quickly in an elevator to the top of the inside of one of the towers. This allowed us to see closeup all the parts of the tower that were too high to make out from the street level. The objects made of tile capping the towers and more. To get down you follow over 600 steps descending the tower in a spiral that puts you back in the church. It was also spectacular. 

We sought out a grocery store and bought supplies, then retraced our route back via the metro to our apartment for dinner. We were both pretty tired, but there was a city just outside our door waiting to be explored. 

We rested a bit, then down the elevator and out the door to explore the site of the 1929 World Expo, the 1992 Summer Olympic site and a portion of the park called Mountjuic. A series of three outdoor escalators transport you up to the palace. From there a great view over the city is to be had. A street musician playing a piano was entertaining a good sized crowd on the steps and benches at the top. We walked over to the ‘92 Olympic venue and watched a YouTube video of the opening ceremonies to orient ourselves to the venue. 

We walked back to our apartment, arriving after dark (10:30pm). Another wonderful day in Spain!!

Gaudí’a Casa Mila

Gaudí’s Casa Batlló

Western side (Passion Side) of Sagrada Familia

Straight on. When we toured the tower we were above the highest bridge that connects the two right most towers. 

The east entrance to the transept. 

The forest of pillars that branch like trees as they support the roof. 


Western sunlight streams through the stained glass windows illuminating the interior. Blues and greens on the eastern side. Oranges and reds on the western side. 

Spiraling down from the tower

Sally descending from the top of the Passion Tower

Ceramic ornaments on top of the towers

View from the palace in the 1929 Expo Site

Sagrada Familia in the distance from the Palace site

At the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games Site

More of the Olympics site

June 25, 2023 - Day 56 - Santiago to Barcelona

I woke at 4;00am and had this nagging thought that I had set my alarm for the wrong time. I looked and sure enough, I had set it for 5:45am, not 4:45am. We needed to leave the apartment by 5:35am to catch our bus. I was awake, but reset the alarm for the correct time just in case I fell asleep again, which I did. 

I showered after the alarm woke me. We skipped breakfast and just got ready to go, leaving the apartment at 5:35am. It is only a 10 minute walk at most to the bus stop and the bus is scheduled to arrive at 6:10am, but we both like to have a margin of error in our connections. We sat on a door stoop and ate our hard boiled eggs until the bus arrived, on time. The bus had a couple empty seats, which we occupied to the airport. 

Our flight was scheduled for 9:15am and we were there at 7:00am. Security was a breeze, no lines. Boarding was a bit late. Only one person was at the gate checking tickets so if there was a problem with a passenger the whole line was delayed. In the jetway they told us the overhead baggage compartments were full and they started checking bags. Since we were continuing from Madrid to Barcelona ours wouldn’t be checked. They asked us to stuff them under the seat in front of us. When we got to our seats, the last row in the plane, we found two slots in the overhead that our packs slipped into. No problem. 

We were a little late taking off, but made it to Madrid pretty much on time. We deplaned and walked 8 gates to our connection and went thru the same boarding procedure. 

We always sit in the terminal until the line shrinks to nothing, then stand and walk to the gate. This means all the overhead compartments are full. We were told they would check our bags, but then just as they were getting ready to word came up that they had found enough room. We were in row 17, but our bags we in row 5. No biggie. 

Everyone we told about going to Barcelona had the same first advise. The pickpockets are really horrendous. Be super careful. I cleared my pockets and put everything in an internal compartment of my pack. In my money belt I put my credit card and about €250, my remaining cash. The only thing exposed was my watch and phone. 

Sally wore her purse over her neck and shoulder and carried it in front. 

I am using an app called City Mapper to navigate. Wonderful! It said to take the A1 bus from the airport. We bought 96 hour metro passes that allow us to ride any public transportation-busses, metro, funiculars, etc for that time period. We tried to board the A1 but were rejected. The A1 is a private company, the Monbus line. They directed us to the #46 metro bus. It was just a minute walk away and was a choice on City Mapper, just a little slower as it made more stops. The bus was not crowded and dropped us right at Plaza Espanya where our AirB&B was. Check in was easy. We rang the appropriate buzzer at the door and were buzzed in. Took the elevator to the 7th floor and walked to the eighth. A couple from Brazil was finishing up cleaning the apartment from the previous occupants who they described as slobs. A group of 6 younger men that partied hard and left a mess. We talked with the husband for 10 minutes about the city, and then left to find lunch across the street while they finished up. 

This is going to be so great!  We stay in the same place 4 nights in a row!! Don’t have to pack and unpack every night like on the Camino. Don’t have to lug stuff with us through town! And, we have a roof top deck with a great view of the 1929 World Expo grounds and the 1992 Barcelona Olympics grounds. Sweet!

We walked over to the mall that used to be a bull fighting ring, converted in the early 2000s and had Asian lunch of noodles, then returned to our apartment. Sally had taken Dramamine for the flight and was quite sleepy and tired under its influence. I was itching to see the city, but we both took naps and let the heat of the day pass (89°). At about 6:00pm we headed out the door, took the metro red line L1 from our position at Plaza Espanya to Plaza Catalunya and started our Rick Steves Audio tour of Barcelona. As always, it was perfect. Walked us through the Ramblas and Barri Gotic areas and gave us the history and layout of the city. It took us about two hours to follow it. Then we walked the length of the Ramblas to the waterfront where we sat for a few minutes then back up the Ramblas to a metro station where caught the L1 back to our plaza and into our apartment about 11:00pm. A great start to our exploration of this sprawling and amazing city.  

June 24, 2023 - Day 55 - An Extra Day In Santiago - 0 miles - +0’ - -0’

We have planned to eat all meals in today to economize and to get some more nutritious, less fatty foods. Only problem is we did not get to a grocery store yesterday so we have nothing for breakfast. But, we ate so late last night that we are not really hungry. 

Today is a spare day. Originally we had one day in Santiago after we hiked in and this one day to do our other tasks. But, we spent four days here upon our arrival so today really has no agenda. 

We left the apartment and walked to a Día grocery store and bought rolls and yogurt for breakfast. Then down to the square and into the tourist district to look for gifts. We tried to get in to see St. James again, but mass was in session and there was no

admittance. 

John had mentioned that the first bus in the morning was at 7:00am, a little too late for his 9:15am flight. They had scheduled a taxi. Our flight to Madrid and Barcelona tomorrow also leaves at 9:15am. We were hoping to avoid a taxi fare.  I noticed a bus schedule at a bus stop and saw there was a 6:00am bus, but that it made limited stops. We searched out the TI office to ask. It took us a while to find it as all out mapping apps showed it to be somewhere else. The woman who helped us was very kind and knowledgeable. We found we could catch the bus about a block from our apartment at 6:10am. She gave us a map and sketched in the route of the bus and circled our stop. She also suggested we stop at a museum on our way back to see its distinctive circular staircase. 

It has been two months since I trimmed my beard. In photos I bare a striking resemblance to Santa Clause, plus in this mid 80’s heat it is uncomfortably hot. I poked my head into a barber shop hoping he could give it a trim but he said he was booked with appointments all day. There are scissors in the apartment. I’ll have to do this job myself. 

The museum was very good, an historical perspective on the people and culture of Spain. The staircase was mind blowing. Actually, it is three spiral staircases twisting up the inside of the tubular column st 120° apart at the base. The steps are solid stone and cantilevered ou  er from the wall with no structural support at their ends. The weight of the stone wall holds them in place. Each staircase spirals up with exits to the various floors, but only one goes all the way to the top of the tower. 

We stopped to load up on groceries at the Día, getting paella and shrimp for dinner and bread and cheese for lunches. We forgot to buy eggs for breakfast. 

Back in the apartment we cemented our Barcelona day agendas, trimmed my beard, cooked dinner, napped and packed. 

We had gotten tickets to hear a choral group from Minnesota sing in one of the chapels at 8:30pm. We headed out about 6:30pm to find the bus stop for the morning, visit the square one last time and attend our concert. 

The bus stop became a problem. Our wonderful TI lady had circled a spot that was totally under construction making it impossible for a bus to stop there. We walked up and down the road looking for any kind of sign that a bus could stop anywhere along the route. Nada. We asked a local pushing his baby in a stroller. He pointed us further down the route to the next stop. We walked that way, but saw nothing. However there were two elderly women and a man sitting on a bench. They were able to point us at the location of the bus stop another couple hundred feet up the road. Yep!  It stops here. A temporary sign was posted on a light post marking the spot. Just then the 6A bus coming from the airport came the other way and stopped across the street. I ran over and asked the driver. He confirmed that the bus did indeed stop there at 6:10am tomorrow morning. 

We headed back through town, following the Camino route we had walked a week ago.  We sat in the square for half an hour watching people, then moved to the church where the concert was taking place. It was an hour of choral/churchy music. They were very good with some good soloists. Since they were from Minneapolis, Minnesota it made me think of a Garrison Keillor. While waiting for the concert to start I looked him up on the web. I’m glad I did because it put me in the right frame of mind to watch these Minnesotans who must have practiced all year for their big European tour. 

We returned to the apartment, made last minute adjustments to our stuff and called it a night. Alarm set for 4:45am so we can shower, eat and get to the bus stop with time to spare. Another amazing day in Spain. 

June 23, 2023 - Day 54 - Bus to Santiago - 0 miles - +0’ - -0’

Lazy morning with nothing on the agenda. However, I did get a text from Lucie that she was up and ready to have coffee. We said we would meet at the German pastry shop in 10 minutes. It was less than 100 yards away. 

She was upstairs at a table. Sally went up, I grabbed a couple pastries and Cokes and joined them. We spent half an hour or so talking, then headed out the door. We stopped at the grocery for some sodas, then the  China shop where Sally bought a sun hat for Barcelona. Back to our room we lazed around until 11:25am, then shouldered out packs and walked across the street to the bus stop. There was quite a line formed. I moved to the front to find Sally a bench to sit on where we waited. 

The bus arrived on time. I stuffed both our packs in the storage area toward the rear of the bus, then rejoined Sally in line. It was a double decker bus. We sat up top about five seats back from the front window. 

The route the bus takes is right along the coast highway for an hour and a half, stopping at each small town. It was a gorgeous cloudless day and the scenery was magnificent. We soon turned inland and shortly thereafter arrived at Santiago. To protect Sally’s back and neck I carried her pack sling over one shoulder. It was hot in Santiago, about 86°. We had about a mile to walk to our AirB&B for the night. We stopped just across the street from the station for Donar Kababs, then hoofed it across town to our apartment, always walking on the side of the street that afforded the most shade. 

Our rental was a hoot - and sad. This was a two bedroom apartment. Complete with large living room, full kitchen and laundry room. It looked like a movie set from a period piece set in 1934. Built in bookshelves, wardrobes and closets. At first, the vibe was a little uncomfortable, but it grew on us quickly. The sad part was the idea that this was a family apartment that now was a AirB&B rental, depriving some family of a very nice place to live. It’s down side was the fourth floor walk up (In many countries in Europe the ground floor is floor zero and what we would call the second floor is their first floor, so it was advertised as the third floor). 

We whiled away the afternoon in our room, napping, reading and writing, then headed out to meet John and Franny in the square before the cathedral at 8:45. 

It took us quite a while to find a place to have something to drink. There was a Galicia festival happening tonight and everyone who lives here is out on the streets. It is packed. Every square has a fire (something about burning witches or leaping over fires to get rid of the witches), music and beer stands. We finally found a table and had beer, wine and soda. Franny and John were hoping to eat, but they weren’t serving food. After half an hour we went in search of food. It was now 10:30pm, Friday night on a celebration night, in Spain. Franny was starving. We could not find anyplace to eat. Bebides pero no comida!  Finally, we found a restaurant open and we’re able to get tortilla de patata and ensalada. 

We wandered back to the square after eating. It was now 11:45pm. A long final goodbye to Franny and John and we wandered the 3/4 mile back to our apartment through the throngs of people. We got to bed about 12:15am. This is a huge shift on our clocks from our walking days when we were in bed by 8:00pm and asleep shortly after. 

Us with Lucie at coffee shop

Our room in Fisterra

View from our balcony down to the bus stop and bay beyond. 

Santiago cathedral at midnight

One small part of the massive crowds on the street. We walked through these same plazas the next morning at nine. Not a scrap of little or a sign of the party. Just water streaks left by the street sweepers. 

June 22, 2023 - Day 53 - to Fisterra - 8.0 miles - +1083’ - -1114’

Only 8 miles today!!  Our last day of walking!  49 days ago we left St. Jean Pied De Port and today it comes to an end. Not happy to have it ending. It is a wonderful way of life, yet we do miss our life back home as well. 

Don’t be sad it’s over, be glad it happened.

As was the case yesterday, we planned to take it easy this morning, but we were up before 6:00am. I cooked the Spanish equivalent of Mac and Cheese for breakfast (spaghetti noodles in a cheese sauce) and we packed up, preparing Sally’s pack to be shipped for the last time. We didn’t get out the door until 7:50am. We placed Sally’s pack outside the shuttered doors of the cafe and headed down the street. We met the negative Italian woman within 100’. She demanded to know if we weee shipping our pack, where it was and could she leave hers with ours. We said yea and helped her figure out how to ship it, then we were on our way. 

Another gorgeous day. Cool morning air (about 62°, sunny). We followed the stone markers, occasionally checking FarOut to see if it got this portion of the route correct (it did). We were again passed by walkers in our direction but didn’t see one’s coming from Fisterra for an hour or two because it was 8 miles away and unless they left very early they wouldn’t be here yet. 

At one point we sat down in a bus stop shelter to use its bench. The Italian woman passed and told a man in her albergue had insisted in leaving the window wide open all night and now she was feeling sick from the cold air blowing o her all night. She forced a cough a few times to emphasize her point. We expressed our sympathies for her and she soon left. We reviewed the temperature last night, never dropping below 62° and decided she has a fragile constitution or is as negative today as yesterday. 

We walked into Fisterra and entered town walking on the stone path along waterfront  above the beaches. We had decided to just pass through town and go to the end of the peninsula, the “End of the Earth”, the furthest most western point of Europe and then come back and check into our hotel as it was only 11:30am. We stopped and bought food for a lunch on the point and as we approached the part of town familiar to us from four years ago we ran into Cindy, Rose, John and Fran. What a hoot. We made plans to meet Cindy, Rose and Melissa at the end of the cape and to have dinner together tonight. Then Lucie from the Checz Republic walked up and I introduced her to the group. 

Sally and I headed out to the point, walking the 2.5 miles to the end. We sat below the lighthouse(?) and had a snack but couldn’t contact the girls because there was no cell service. We got our credential stamped at the End of the Earth, layed down under a tree in the tall grass and enjoyed the view and the weather, then walked back to town, checked into our room and prepared to go swimming. 

At the beach we were in the middle of a group of kids playing soccer. Sally went swimming, then John and Fran arrived. John swam out quite a ways while we talked. Sally and Inwalked up to an old stone building odd some sort with a good view of the water and again saw Steve. We had some ladies that had done the Porto Camino take our photos. Then it was back to our room, a little rest and then off to dinner. Sally bought a dress for Barcelona across the street.

I texted Lucie to see if she wanted to meet me for coffee in the morning before we left for Santiago. I got a yes answer back, but then got mixed messages after that. So I am not sure if we will meet up or not. She is a funny person. 

Dinner lasted about 2 and a half hours, until 10:00pm. Cindy, Rose, Melissa, Joh, Fran, Tony, and two others. It was our final goodbye to the three ladies, but we will see John and Fran in Santiago tomorrow as we are both bussing there in the morning. Finally to bed about 11:30pm. A nice way to end the walking portion of our adventure. 

Oh, and by the way, our 8 miles turned into 13.0 when we added on the 2.5 out to the End of the Earth and back. So much for a low milage day. 

Part of our path today

View from the path

What do they do with all the kale they grow?

Statue on our way to the point

At the End of the Earth

Sally, Steve and I with Fisterra behind

Dinner party. L to R: Melissa, Rose, me, Tony, Paul, Fran, John, Sally, Liz, Cindy 

June 21, 2023 - Day 52 - to Lires - 9.7 miles - +1282’ - -1243’

We had less than 10 miles to do today so we didn’t push to get up and out early. Still, we were up at a little after six, had scramble eggs and toast for breakfast, packed up and were out the door by 7:20am. We walked through town and dropped Sally’s pack at the Xardin Cafe on the corner facing the bay, then walked across town to the ocean side of the peninsula and followed the road along the Atlantic out of town. 

We had been impressed with all the new granite trail markers to this point once we had entered Galacia clear back in O Cebreiro a couple weeks ago. There must be thousands of them, one at each turn of the trail. But, for this section between these two seaside towns would they continue?  

The map on FarOut showed the route leaving the highway, following a small dirt road downhill, curving around a bit and then joining a paved road, about 0.8 miles distance in total. However, there was not a stone marker indicating the route left the highway. Is the trail less well marked on this section?  We got to the bottom of the draw. The route ended in chest high grass and bushes. A faint trail was visible in the weeds, but not one trampled by all the foot traffic one would suspect on this route. Still, how many people walk between Muxia and Fisterra?  Sally was insistent that this couldn’t be right. I showed her the map on my phone, the GPS indicating we were exactly on route. Rather than get wet in the grass soaked with morning dew we decided to retrace our steps back up to the highway. About 40’ back we noticed a somewhat brushy side road we had neglected on the way down and followed it rather than climb back to the highway. This somewhat followed FarOut’s route and eventually got us back to the paved Road and the stone markers, which when observed in reverse clearly showed the paved road and not the brushy road as the correct path. I made a mental note to contact FarOut and have them correct the route on their app. 

We continued uphill for a couple miles until we gained the ridge, about 4.5 miles completed. Here we sat under the giant wind turbines and enjoyed the beautiful morning, the early sun and had a snack. About a dozen people had passed us by this time, all going the same way as us. 

We followed the markers all the way to Lires, recalling some of the landmarks along the way from four years earlier. We stopped a little more than a mile from Lires and had lunch, meat and cheese on bread, potato chips and cookies, then continued to town. We climbed up to the apartment we had rented for the night. It was only a few minutes past noon so we sat down at the cafe and had a Coke. I texted the landlords via the Booking dot com app to announce we were here and to ask if we could get into the room early. About a minute later the waitress approached us with her phone and asked if we were the senders. She took us up the outside stairway to our two bedroom apartment, now unnecessarily big with the absence of Becky. 

We rested for an hour, writing and checking the news on our phones, then donned our shoes and walked through this tiny town. We found an albergue lower on the hill with a cafe and stopped in for a Coke. The kid at the desk and waiting tables (we were the only ones there and for all appearances nearly the only ones in the town) had an American accent. He delivers our drinks to our table and we ended up talking to him for 20 minutes. He was an import from Long Island New York and preferred Spain to the US, especially the Galacia region. 

On our way back up the hill to our apartment we met an Italian woman who was very demanding and pushy, complaining the route in today was not pretty and generally dominating a pretty negative conversation. We also ran into Steve from Australia, someone we have seen nearly everyday for weeks. He is a very fit looking man in his 60’s, retired from teaching and just traveling as a new way of life. 

We returned to the apartment, cooked potatoes, onions and sausage we had carried in Sally’s pack shipped from Muxia and talked with Pat on the phone. It was another amazing day. 

Following the route out of town on the coastal road. 

Up on top of the ridge

The beautiful stone markers placed at every intersection showing the way

The correction to the route I sent to FarOut’s support email address. They responded within 24 hours, saying they would fix it. 

Our apartment at the top of the stairs. 

The kitchen in our apartment

June 20, 2023 - Day 51 - to Muxia - 13.6 miles - +1546’ - -2139’

Last night my Brazilian roommate’s and I worked through our English/Spanish/Portuguese language barrier to establish they were rising at 5:00am and leaving by 6:00am. I told them I was rising at 6:00am and leaving by 7:00am, hoping I might sleep in just a bit. She also indicated they would quietly sneak out when they got up. 

Sleeping in was not in the cards for me (never is) and i woke at 4:30am, but rested until they had vacated the room by 5:20am. I got out of my bunk at 5:40am and did my 15 minute yoga routine. The stretching felt good as I was admittedly a little stiff from the 41 miles in the previous two days. I didn’t have to worry over breakfast because I was out of food. I had my pack on and was out the door at 6:17am. 

At about 4.5 miles I found an open bar and stopped in for a piece of lemon cake and a muffin. It was a quick stop and I was on the road. I was again listening to Cryptonomicon as I walked and was laughing out load at the story. It just cracks me up. 

At one point the trail make a large loop off the direct route to avoid 0.5 miles of highway walking. I avoided the loop and took my chances on the highway. Pretty narrow shoulders, but I survived the 10 or so cars that passed by as I walked it. Compared to the Japanese Zero fire Bobby Shaftoe and General MacAuthur were dodging in my book, this highway walking was pretty tame stuff. 

I called Sally when I was about half an hour from town to let her know when I would be there. She and Nicki were out at the end of the point visiting the church. 

Muxia is absolutely magnificent. I little compact town on a narrow peninsula, Atlantic Ocean on one side, a protected bay on the other. 

I got to the room at about 11:30am. Sally arrived in just a few minutes to let me in the room and show me how to set up my phone to unlock the door. Pretty cool. 

I showered, then we checked out the street fair of vendor selling clothing and food. We also put a load of clothes in the washing machine. When we got back they were still washing. We hoped to get Sally’s load in, but it just kept washing. Nicki and Sally headed to the beach to swim. I looked up the owners manual and found the cycle we were I was three hours long. I restarted it on the quick 28 minute cycle. When I was finally able to put Sally’s clothes in I then headed to the beach. They were done swimming, but sat on the beach and chatted a bit before we walked back to the room. Somewhere in this time we made two trips to the grocery store. Then we had to dry our clothes so we walked to the laundromat and used €2 to dry our clothes. 

That taken care of, we searched out where we could drop Sally's pack for transport. We found out that the Xardin Cafe serves as a pickup point after inquiring at two albergues. 

With all the details settled, Sally met with Nicki for drinks and I headed for the end of the peninsula to se the ocean, the church and the top of the hill above the town. All as spectacular as I remember. 

Back I the room I ate two fried egg sandwiches (only substantial food of the day). Sally returned, we packed up, and it was bed time to the sounds seagulls and surf. 

Muxia comes into view as I walk towards town

The “Way” with Muxia in the background 

Sally checks the merchandise at the street market 

Muxia from the hilltop between town and church

Church on the shore at the end of the peninsula 

Sally and Nicki at the church site

Carol, Leslie (Netherlands), Christine, Sally and Nicki

Muxia occupies the peninsula