Day 10 - Sada to Santiago [Photos now!] - Land of the Rabbits

July 30, 2023

Day 10 - Sada to Santiago [Photos now!]

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After I made my slightly sheepish way out the campsite - I even took some backroads to avoid running into the owners, I had the horrible vision they were just going to silently hand me my shorts - I climbed away from the coast at Sada and started to make my way south, heading dead for Santiago.

It was a beautiful, cool, clear morning - with a tailwind. The perfect conditions for the last day. I had 75km to make to Santiago, and then another 15 or so to get to the airport to pick up the hire car at 6pm or so. Nice and relaxed.

Lovely conditions and a tailwind - perfect last day

Little stones that people have been carrying on their pilgrimage are left in commemorative piles

I was amazed how much height I gained without too much effort. It seemed the rest day really helped, and also the grades were very mild. I put away 800m without thinking about it too much. I took minor roads exclusively, and started to see frequent pilgrims even on this minor Camino - even whole families.

St Jim the Pilgrim. Think about this - where is he on a pilgrimage to? To Santiago - a city named after himself - to see his own bones? What a narcissist!

Bizarre pilgrimage/farm machinery display

There was some bizarre sculpture by the road

Some amazing murals in the small town of Ordes outside Santiago

Just parkin' up alongside the cars outside a bar

The final hedgerow spring I filled up at. The ride would have been much more difficult without these free, and pretty safe, sources of water. When it looked as clean as this I didn't even filter it.

I cut across a hilly stretch separating two valleys, in order to enter Santiago by the most minor road I could. Astonishingly I seemed to find the only road not frequently used by pilgrims - there was just a standard small town sign, and no peregrinos.

On seeing the towers of Santiago cathedral I shouted out an only partly ironic mon joi! and within minutes I was in the main square. It was full of people, huge groups, singing and jumping up and down, photographing each other, monks and nuns, beggars and life. People really seem to go through something - I guess if you've been walking for 6 weeks it must be quite climactic. A 70km ride after bolting from a campsite is perhaps not as profound.

I couldn't get in the cathedral, and pilgrim's mass was not until 7 - but that was OK as I gather the interior is not nearly as grand. I also have a sneaking suspicion that the bones inside do not in fact belong to St. James. The fact that they were "re-discovered" in the 17th century (i.e. two random bodies were found and it was decided that, hey look, it turns out we never lost the original bones after all!) does not lend confidence. Still, best not to pull on that thread, or the whole pilgrim business starts to unravel. And I need the remission for my sins with the bike shorts last night.

Et In Arcadia Ego. This is apparently a waffle shop!

I found a restaurant where I could lean the bike somewhere I could see it - I thought about paying one of the beggars to guard it, but figured this was easier - and sat (foolishly in the sun, it was midday: mad dogs and Englishmen and all that) and ate peppers de Padron and drunk the single beer I could allow myself - I had to keep remembering I needed to drive a car in a few hours. I had one of those comedy conversations with the waiter when there were a lot of complicated questions - sometimes you have these, and think there's a big problem, but I think he was just being conscientious about me sitting in the sun. He was a friendly chap and gave me a big smile as he served me my spicy fired peppers.

Pimentos de Padron. Highly recommended if you're in the region.

After I ate - and having a mutually amusing exchange with another chap trying to balance his e-bike against the wall - I thought it was time to get to the airport. This was about 15km east of town in a suburb called Lavacolla - which two sources tell me (though I can't verify this) means "to wash to bollocks", after the custom of Pilgrims to get themselves ritually clean there before the final leg to Santiago. Some people claim it means "to wash the neck", but I suspect this is a Bowdlerization. Anyway, this amusingly means the airport is universally known as "bollocks wash airport", even though it's officially named after a Galician poet.

It it a heck of a steep climb up mount Gozo, east of town, and home to a massive a regimented pilgrim campsite. I could however repeatedly use my language-agnostic bit of physical comedy on the lots of pilgrims going the other way: which was to point ahead of me and ask "Santiago?" in a questioning way. Got a laugh out of a few groups like that. What a fool.

Enormous campground and barracks for arriving pilgrims on Mount Gozo

After missing the airport turn (no Jon, the airport is not down a charming country lane) I got in with no problem, and eventually located the car hire place in the basement. As usual there is a lot of paperwork a little instruction - I was given the keys and basically could figure out the car on my own.

It was easy to fit the Shift into the largish car I'd hired - just took the wheels off, and in it went

It was fine apart from a ridiculous parking brake. There was no handbrake, and I actually managed to leave it off as I dismantled the Shift - just needed to take the wheels off, it was a much bigger car than I'm used to - as I pushed against the bumper, the whole thing rolled forward! Fortunately it was pretty level. It turns out that not only is there a hidden little panel just marked "P", you have to push it a certain way, and press the brake pedal at the same time, and then a separate light (not on the button) comes up. Damned if I could figure this out on my own, I had to Google it. It is incredibly easy to do this wrong or forget to do it, and you'll only know about it when your car starts to roll away. Considering the thing is packed full of automated gimmicks (including a thing to steer you back into your lane) this is pretty ridiculous.

I drove out very gingerly - it's been 5 years or more since I've driven abroad - but soon got the hang of it. It was a big old beast, and I had to be careful to position myself as far left in the lane so I didn't swipe any street furniture on my nearside. I also had to remind myself to drive on the right (it is worrying how muscle memory kicks in if you don't force yourself).

Anyway I got to Vilalba, driving some quite exciting country roads, without mishap. I stopped on the way when driving through a small town and spotting a pizzeria. It was really convenient to just pull up and hop out. Though I did have to abandon my meal half way through and run up the road, paranoid I might have left the parking brake off. Fortunately I hadn't and I could return to my pizza. That handbrake is a menace to traffic and society.

In Vilalba I was staying at the Parador for a treat - again, for just over 100 euros for the night including breakfast this is such an excellent deal, both the Paradors are pretty much the fanciest hotels I've ever stayed in, and the staff and service is lovely, they've treated me so well even though I rocked up at one at tent at night wearing dirty shorts. The Parador is in the castle at the top of the hill, it was far too complicated to figure out how to drive up there so I just parked in the easy free parking by the side of the road in town and then walked up. I hope the car doesn't get broken into and the Shift stolen (seems highly unlikely).

I had already eaten, but I did manage to get a beer and drink it in the amazing courtyard - pictures soon. Tour over! Bittersweet.

The Parador of Monforte is in the castle on the hill overlooking the town

Inside the Parador - that's the door to my room!

Today's ride: 93 km (58 miles)
Total: 845 km (525 miles)

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