Camino: Fisterra to Muxía
After arriving in Santiago de Compostela following the Camino Portugues route, mom and I boarded a bus to the end of the world-Fisterra, on the coast. Last time I was here in 2017 I continued walking from Santiago to Fisterra after my Camino Frances walk. And this year I wanted to walk to Muxía, another town on the coast just North of Fisterra. But after 100 miles mom didn’t really want to do another 50+ so I compromised with a bus to Fisterra and the 18-mile walk to Muxía broken up over two days.
Fisterra
We arrived in the afternoon and I eagerly headed in the direction of a small little restaurant I visited last time with my hiking partner Anna-Etel & Pan. It held a special place in my heart because Anna and I happened upon it last time and we both loved it. I’m pretty sure I told the owners it was the best meal I had in Spain. We loved it so much we went back a second time and enjoyed being off the beaten path and having a small empty plaza all to ourselves. However, this time we were met with closed signs. They were closed Tuesday and Wednesday, the only days we would be there. I was so disappointed I cried a little. It was one of the main places I looked forward to returning to in coming back to Spain. Sadly, I found another restaurant for lunch and then we checked into our hotel. Then with bikini and towel we headed to the beach. I took mom to what I like to call the secret beach. It’s just the beach on the other side of the small peninsula but I don’t think as many tourists visit it cause it’s not not the big one you see when you arrive in town. Again, Anna and I had visited back in 2017, but at least this time it was perfect weather and hot enough to get in the cold water a little bit. Mom liked the area because of the cliff sides bordering the beach. Then after beachtime we took a taxi up to the lighthouse where the 0km Camino marker is. Mom had started having issues with her legs and couldn’t get around as well so we decided to skip the 2 mile walk up and decided to just walk it back to town after seeing the Atlantic Ocean off the tip of the coast. Later we found one of my new fave restaurants there-As Baleas. We got a jar of tinto de verano (similar to sangria but just red wine and some kind of soda) and I got a salmon and avocado with mustard sauce pizza that was divine.
Fisterra to Lires
The next morning we quickly realized that mom wouldn’t be able to hike anymore. She thought she had pulled a muscle in her leg and she was walking with a significant limp. So we decided that she would stay till check out, take a taxi to the hotel we had booked in Lires, and wait for me there. And since she would be taking a car I was able to leave my pack with her and only carry a daypack-like what we call slackpacking on the Appalachian Trail. I left a little later than normal and didn’t get far before I stopped in this cute pink café with flowers all over the place. I got my usual café con leche and wrote in my journal. Then back on the trail. I quickly met two Canadian women and walked with them for a little bit and parted ways once we started going uphill. I was excited to finally see inside a grainery, which is a common site to see in the Galicia region of Spain, and I was surprised to see it full with corn. I thoroughly enjoyed the light pack, the forested and ferny landscape, and the solitude as I only passed folks coming the opposite direction and then after a point never saw anyone else, a stark contrast to the other Camino routes.
I came across two old local women walking down the path at different points and tried to communicate as best I could with my limited Spanish. I found it heart-warming to finally be able to interact with locals and being alone and a woman I think it made it easier for them to call out to me and engage in conversation. I grasped hands with the first woman saying gracias and as I parted I teared up a bit at the simple sweetness of connecting with random strangers in a different country and with ones that you can’t fully communicate with. It just goes to show that you can still connect with others without having to speak the same language. A reminder that as fellow humans we have more in common than we have differences.
And since I had time I took a detour to follow the coast. That was one of my reasons to walk to Muxía because I wanted to walk along the coast. And I was greatly rewarded. Even on a cloudy day the waves crashing on the cliffs and the yellow bushes were glorious to behold. I reveled in the beauty and walked with a big grin. I quickly arrived in the small town of Lires and saw mom waiting on the balcony outside of our room. We stayed at As Eiras Lires, which was recommended by a fellow pilgrim, Cathy Seitchik Diaz, whom I met on the Camino Frances and who just finished her 5th Camino. She has a wealth of Camino knowledge and gives it willingly to anyone who may need. (Look her up if you ever want to know anything about the Camino. She has detailed info on everywhere she stays.)
Lires to Muxía
This section wasn’t as nice as the day before. Not as forested, more road walking, and more people. It was a dreary, windy, and cold day, and I had to ascend most of the day. I walked near lots of wind turbines that when close sounds like airplanes taking off, with the rushing wind noise. I noticed lots of homes for sale, even some stone ruins that I daydreamed about buying and fixing up. I came across a goat enclosed in a courtyard of a home for sale with his right front and back legs tied together so he couldn’t run which I found sad. And before I knew it I was walking the road into Muxía. Mom had taken a taxi again and just checked into the albergue, Muxía Mare (what Americans would call a hostel) when I arrived. After cleaning up we had a small lunch and walked around the small town checking out the harbor, murals, the church by the water, and their 0km Camino marker. It didn’t take too long to see everything so we went back to our private room in the albergue and relaxed till we went out for dinner later. Our fave restaurant from Fisterra had another location there so we ate there again and we got the same thing cause I liked it so much.
Muxía to Santiago de compostela
I didn’t really take stock in the fact that I was finally done with my Camino walk because I was focused on what was to come. Travel back to Santiago, then Madrid, mom leaving, and me figuring out what to do next. During the walk I had decided that I didn’t feel compelled to do another Camino again. I feel as if I’ve fully experienced it and that I would rather visit other places and do other hikes from now on. Although I never say never, it might be nice to do again when I’m in my 60s or to take my sister or any friend that may want to try it out. But mostly I’m more of a fan of less crowded trails. The amount of people you see daily is a distraction for me, and it’s not like you’re interacting and meeting others. So even though I love walking through the small towns, by the vineyards, on the ancient cobblestone roads, and experiencing the Spanish culture and history, I think I can move on to other things now.
Anyway, back to topic…we took a bus the next morning back to Santiago de Compostela. Since it was early we spent some time in a café then found a laundromat to wash our clothes. By then it was time we could check into our room at Hostal Alameda. We walked around town and stopped at a tapas place for a quick bite and kept touring down streets we didn’t get to last time. We found the chocolate store I had bought my chocolate shells at back in ‘17 and got some more treats for mom to take back. I found some jewlrey and art that I liked. Then I literally bumped into Julie while walking by the cathedral. I knew she was there and we had planned to meet up at some point but we just so happened to find each other on the streets. How neat and special. Julie was one of my roommates up in NYC last year when we worked at the US Open, and she had just finished her own Camino walk. So we chatted and caught up with each other’s lives over celebratory sangria. Later for dinner, mom and I went to Taverna Galega Fogar do Santiso where we shared a long table with other diners and split a goat cheese flatbread, turnip croquettes, and fries between the both of us.
We left the next afternoon on a train for Madrid. I said my farewell to Santiago with one last café con leche at a café on a plaza beside the cathedral. I bought an art piece that will always remind me of this special place. And who knows, maybe I will be back one day, hopefully to share with others.
Next: Madrid, Spain
