Finisterre

[Michael P. Barham]

When I walked to Fenisterre, part of the most imporant part of my personal pilgrimage, I waited until an hour before sunset to go up to the light house.  It was plenty of time to walk it, and much cooler later in the day.  I spent the afternoon checking in, washing clothes, buying a bottle of champainge and some votice candles to set under the fire for my clothes and stuff like that.  One other pilgrim and I had a little celebration up top.  The hardest part is the descent down to the water behind the lighthouse.  It looks more difficult than it is, but is quite easy to maneuver.  Be prepared for sore thighs and led muscles the next morning after walking back up the step rocks.  Squat and lift type getting up rocks.


  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Howard Mendes 
  To: GOCAMINOaPETE.URI.EDU 
  Sent: Monday, February 25, 2002 8:01 AM
  Subject: Re: Finisterre


  In a message dated 2/24/2002 11:21:37 PM Eastern Standard Time, barryevans9aYAHOO.COM writes:



    Jennifer, if you get to Santiago 'early' you can always go on to Finisterre, 3 days on,
    very pretty trails, good refugios. Bus back.
    barryevans


  Just a warning.  We had taken an early morning bus from Santiago to Finisterre.  We were not prepared for the steep uphill climb to the lighthouse and the place where you burn your old clothes.   There was no shade and it was brutally hot.  Halfway up, Mary Boyle, John and I were so exhausted, that we hitched a ride the rest of the way up (and also ALL the way back to town with another nice couple).  

  We had thought that it was easier than the Camino.  I would strongly suggest that you consider a taxi to the lighthouse (and maybe walk back downhill) unless you are a glutton for punishment.  It was worth the trip to go to the lighthouse and see the Atlantic.  

  The three of us had a brief informal ceremony disposing in the ocean the ashes  of someone Mary knew who had a very difficult life and died young.  Mary bought flowers and threw them in the ocean too.  One flower dropped to the ground by chance and Mary kept it and gave it to the person's sister who was very touched.  I took photos of the ceremony and Mary also gave them to his sister.  

  Howard Mendes, NYC 
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