We are enjoying time in Nanyuki with Liz Silikan who leads the in-country, on-the-ground support efforts for the charity I started to help Maasai girls attend school.
Our first time in Nanyuki was in 1984. We returned in 2010 where we did a walking safari and met many Maasai.
I liked Nanyuki so much I returned on my own in 2013 where I offered to sponsor a Maasai girl to attend secondary school. A few years later, I formed the charity Maasai Education & Empowerment Today (MEET).
To learn more go to meet5.org
MEET Board Member Aurora Lau is accompanying me on this visit & has been an invaluable asset providing insights & support.
We visited one school in Nanyuki where some girls attend.
There are many administrative, operational, & legal challenges to working in Kenya.
In addition to spending hours with a lawyer to establish MEET as a legal entity within Kenya to be able to fund raise locally, we spent some time at Western Union resolving a snafu that prevented funds being transferred from a bank in America to deposit in our local bank to pay for the girls’ tuition and room & board.
After successfully obtaining our much needed funds, we celebrated by having a “Stoney” which is short for “Stoney Tangawizi“ which is a strong ginger ale soft drink.
We made it to Kenya! Our first day in Nairobi was jam packed. The day started with watching the caretakers feed the orphaned baby elephants at the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust.
Next, we went to feed giraffes at the Giraffe Center.
We ended the day visiting Karen Blixen’s home which is located in Karen named after her. She is the famous Danish author who wrote “Out of Africa” along with many other books.
Then we went to downtown Nairobi to shop at the Maasai Market.
Yesterday we drove north from Nairobi to Nanyuki in Laikipia Province which is located on the Equator.
I’ve always wanted to visit Seville. My oldest known maternal grandfather to leave Europe was named Antonio Gil Caesar Flores. He was born in Seville in 1719 & went to the New World with his parents in 1725. He moved to the Tejas region in New Spain which is now part of western Louisiana in the United States.
When I walked around the old city, it was very moving knowing some of these beautiful buildings were also there when he & his parents left to make a new future.
The Seville Cathedral was completed in 1519. It’s the largest Gothic church in the world.
Christopher Columbus now rests here.
The cathedral’s altar & organ.
The Giralda or Bell Tower was once a minaret for the Great Mosque when Seville was under Muslim rule during the Almohad Dynasty. Once the Christians defeated the Muslims, both the mosque & minaret were transformed into a church & bell tower containing 24 bells.
It is actually taller than Big Ben in London.
At night & during the day when I heard the bells ring, I wondered if my ancestors heard the same pealing of the bells before they left for the New World.
Another impressive old structure is the Alcazar Palace. Here is a brief history along with some images from it. Spain’s Royal family still lives in part of it when they are in Seville. It’s very beautiful & with its elegant & colorful geometric designs, it reminded me of historical homes in Isfahan, Iran.
We just so happened to be in Seville when the Latin Grammy’s were held. The night before the awards show, we saw fans lined up outside the swankiest hotel waiting for their favorite singer to appear.
The Christmas market outside the cathedral was selling items I had never seen before. All the shops were full of items not only to make a miniature nativity scene; but also, to construct the entire Bethlehem village. Much like an elaborate train set, no detail is missing. I wonder how much room these nativity scenes take up in Spanish homes at Christmas time.
Another Seville highlight was visiting the Plaza de Toros de la Real Maestranza where bullfights are still held in the spring & summer. Started in 1760, it is Spain’s oldest bullring & took 120 years to finish. This is also where modern bullfighting that we know today originated.
We also enjoyed a few of Seville’s special food treats. One was at the Convento de San Leandro where the nuns who are completely cloistered make a very unique cookie. Fortunately, a nice Spanish couple helped us obtain the cookies which are more akin to candy than a cookie.
First, I placed money on a lazy susan contraption, rang a bell to let the nuns know we were ordering, told the nun what we wanted, then spun around the lazy susan with our payment. A few moments later the lazy susan spun again & our cookies appeared. Never once did we see a nun’s face or even a hand.
Flamenco dancing is very popular in Seville. We didn’t make it to the Flamenco Museum or see a show; but, we saw stores selling the clothes. Fans are sold everywhere.
I’m very puzzled why Spain as well as all of Europe now has Black Friday sales? I thought that was strictly Kim an American thing. 🧐
Interesting buildings both old & new can be seen throughout the city. And, of course, Seville has some street performers.
Before leaving the city, we walked along the Guadalquivir River.
After the New World was discovered, Seville’s port became Spain’s economic center. Seville thrived in the 16th & 17th Centuries until Cadiz became Spain’s main port.
Even though Seville was past it’s hey day when my grandfather lived there, I’m sure it was still a vibrant city. Moving to the New World would have been a really big change for a young boy.
Seville is a wonderful old historical city. Even though Seville is known as being the hottest major city in Europe, I’m happy to see it is now a popular tourist locale. A perfect place to be in autumn or spring when the temperatures are pleasantly warm.
Many streets & squares are lined with orange trees and reminders from the past mix beautifully with the present here.
We did our best to hit a few high points as well as enjoy the local food.
The Royal Palace was very nice & is still used today for official visits. Unfortunately, no photos are allowed in most of its beautiful rooms; but, they were as spectacular as expected from being in a royal palace.
Among my favorites was a room made entirely from porcelain. My husband admired the Royal Armory with its armor & weapons collection that has been open to the public for over 400 years. Unfortunately, no photos were allowed in there as well.
Fun window shopping.
Man walking his 4 little dogs. They were all chained together & followed him down the street without being on a leash.
Trees made from ornamental kale.
You can also find the center of Spain in Madrid. It’s the starting point for measuring the distances for Spain’s six national roads.
Kilometer Zero marker in Puerta del Sol square marks Spain’s symbolic center
Food was a big highlight to our day.
Middle Eastern Breakfast Toast with Chocolate Pistachio Babka at GoldaHeard of a lobster roll? Here they have a calamari roll.
We enjoy watching the show “Somebody Feed Phil” on Netflix. Here are a few places where we ate that were featured on that show.
Casa Dani in El Mercado de La PazYummy breakfast Spanish egg Tortilla de Patata at Casa Dani Chocolatería San Gines which opened in 1894 features Churros dipped in thick Hot Chocolate as its specialty. YUM!!! 😋
Tapas!!! An entire market called Mercado de San Miguel is devoted to tapas. There are easily over 30 vendors selling different foods which means there is something for everyone.
Restaurante Sobrino de Botín in Madrid was founded in 1725 making it the world’s oldest restaurant. It still uses its original oven & is known for its suckling pig & lamb roast.
Madrid also had some old stores. This confectionery store has been operating since 1775. Older than the USA!
I needed some water & stopped in a supermarket. I was surprised to see a big Mexican food section. Our hotel was also having Mexican cuisine week. Looks like some food has come full circle.
Had a lovely time in Madrid. Hope to return for another visit some day.
Distance: 16 KM + 6 KM round trip to the lighthouse (13.7 miles)
Weather: cloudy, 61-64°
Time on trail: 4 hours + 2 hours round trip to the lighthouse
Total days walked: 38 (consecutive days; no rest days)
Total distance walked: 894 Kilometers (555.5 miles)
After many rainy days, we finally had a day with no rain & warm temperatures. Wow, what a blessing!!
We started at 8:50 with a more than a full breakfast. Today’s final walk was only a short 10 miles, so no need for a café con leche or omelette break today.
My last pilgrim silhouette Cee harbor Looking back to CeeCorcubion villageLast pair of abandoned shoes which were in great shape 🧐
One our last day, we walked along old wagon trails through eucalyptus & pine forests.
Plus we saw many mushrooms.
We walked through the small village called Estorde. A home caught our eye because it had scallop shells all over its exterior. The owner heard us talking, came outside, & offered us a shot for which he would not take no for an answer. We think it was a type of brandy.
After a few hours we reached the coastline.
We headed down to the beach to walk a few of the last KM & collect a few seashells.
Once we found our hotel in Finisterre & enjoyed a 30 minute break, we headed for the lighthouse & the Camino’s official end point that was still 3.1 KM (1.86 miles) away.
Last pilgrim statue
We finally made it to KM 0.000!!!!!
It has been a few years since I have done something physically hard. I wasn’t sure I could walk 894 KM (555 miles). I’m actually amazed I did! We averaged 14.5 miles a day. It wasn’t easy; but, it was a very enjoyable experience which will be impossible to forget.
Views from the End of the World.
On both the way to & from the lighthouse, we met a few old Camino friends who had also made the 4 day journey to Finisterre. It was nice to see them one last time.
My second goal for the Camino was to meet people from around the world. We met & talked with people from 25 different countries. Many folks I would welcome into my home. Most walkers came from European countries; but, we also met many from Canada & Korea.
Here is some history about Finisterre & why many pilgrims try to come here after reaching Santiago.
We only had one thing left to do to complete our journey across Spain… laundry.
Now we are ready for Phase 2 in our trip. Next stops in Spain will be in Madrid, Seville, & Barcelona. To continue our journey, we are taking a bus back to Santiago & then taking trains to our other destinations. We are both looking forward to seeing & experiencing more of Spain.
I’ll continue to post to this blog until we are home; so, if you are interested, then come along with the Wanderers.
Time on the trail: 7 hours 20 minutes including all breaks & stops
From the moment we stepped out the hotel’s door until noon, water fell from the sky. Within 30 minutes our outer gear was once again soaking wet.
Having no choice, we simply moved on hoping the precipitation would not last all day.
We entered a new province in Galicia.
Lunch was around noon at the last bar open for the next 15 KM. It was called Pilgrim Hospital which is so appropriate for hungry, tired, & wet pilgrims on their way to Finisterre.
Café con leche & eggs became my go to lunch over the entire Camino. Nothing like a little protein & a mild stimulant to get an old hiker through the rest of the day. 😁
Super thankful that the rain let up some after lunch at which time it was replaced by fog. Additionally, we walked past many clear-cut fields from which forests were felled. Felt like home in Washington.
We had a few interesting sightings along the way.
Be sure to read the 2nd paragraph about the werewolf.
Our trail split here. One going west to Finisterre & the other going north to Muxia.
A volunteer station operated on the honor system.
Another bar closed for the season.
Big Pilgrim shoes to fill
We also passed the old church called Ermita de Nuestra Señora de las Nieves which dates to the 18th Century.
The water from the spring by the chapel is supposed to help female animals & nursing mothers. The water is believed to help aching feet. Perfect for a passing pilgrim.
An hour later, another old church provided us with the perfect spot to rest before walking to Cee.
Our first view of the Atlantic Ocean.
To paraphrase Cheryl Strayed from her book “Wild” about her perspective as she hiked the Pacific Coast Trail:
“It has gotten easier, but, it is never easy. “
This is exactly how I felt when we arrived at the hotel around 4:20. Always happy to be finished.
My husband & I have talked about what makes a day easier or harder on the trail.
These are the factors listed in no particular order which we feel determines whether a day is easy or hard on the trail:
1. Physical condition (aches, pains, ailments)
2. Distance to cover
3. Terrain along the path
4. Trail Quality
5. Weather
Today is the 37th straight day we walked & are averaging just over 14 miles a day!
I’m a little sad that tomorrow will be our last day hiking when we reach Cape Finisterre; but I think my feet, legs, & knees will be extremely happy. Vitamin I (Ibuprofen) has become more important over the past few days than I would prefer.
Time on trail: 7 hours 50 including all breaks & stops
We were told to expect rain in Galicia in November which has been true. Today started with a light mist, then changed to a continuous drizzle by mid-morning which then became constant rain in the afternoon.
Seeing rain was in the forecast along with a having 17 mile day, we made sure we left early.
The hotel ensured we had a good breakfast by serving huge croissants.
Negreira looks like an old English or Irish town. Not surprising since the entire Camino has strong Celtic connections.
Unlike yesterday, we saw many hikers on the trail; but, far less than our days heading towards Santiago.
For most of the morning, the trail passed an through beautiful woods & was often on old wagon paths.
I absolutely love how the Spaniards are so creative with recycling various items for planters & decorations.
A few sights along the way today.
More dairy cattle & smelly barnyardsMushrooms of all varieties
Thankfully, a nice bar which was a perfect location for us to have lunch at noon.
If you have been reading this blog, then you know my favorite trail drink.Check out this egg sandwich for only 4€!!! Big enough for both of us.
It was fine until around 1:30 pm; but, gradually the drizzle turned into constant rain for the rest of the day.
Our last rest stop. We were happy to find some shelter from the rain to take a break. From here, we hiked for almost another 2 hours to reach our hotel.
From what little I could see due to the rain & fog over our last stretch, this area is very green with rolling hills. It looked & felt like Ireland.
We were very happy to see our hotel just before 5:00 pm. The temperatures were in the high 50s, so it wasn’t cold; but, we were both very wet from head to toe.
Unlike at every other places we stayed, the hotel clerk didn’t ask for our passports; but, took us directly to our room. He also told us when the bus leaves tomorrow for Finisterre. When we said we were walking there, his response was “Perfecto!”
Rain is forecasted again for all day tomorrow; but, at least it’s a shorter walk.
Our hotel has a restaurant, so fortunately we don’t need to go back out into the rain this evening.
Time on trail: 6 hours 10 minutes including all breaks & stops
Yesterday, I was extremely tired once we reached our hotel around 1:30 pm. At that moment, I wasn’t so sure I’d be up to do 4 more days on the trail.
However, after an afternoon nap & a good night’s sleep, I was once again ready to go.
We enjoyed a leisurely breakfast along with our new German friend who was staying in the same hotel.
We learned that she had walked the Camino many times & had done different routes. The Camino Primitivo was her favorite; but, she also enjoyed the Camino Portugues which follows a coastal route. Good food for thought if we decide to walk another Camino.
On Tuesday, she decided to take advantage of the nice weather & walked a double leg all the way into Santiago arriving in the early evening. So, on Wednesday morning, she was among the first pilgrims in line at the pilgrim office.
For many years, the 1st ten pilgrims in line each morning to pick up their completion certificate have been offered a free lunch at the Hostal Reís Católicos (oldest hotel in the world.) She said it was very nice.
Capitalizing on the nicer weather this morning, we snapped few pictures around the cathedral before heading on our way.
Magnificent structure Look for the 3 pilgrims Entrance into the cathedral
I wasn’t sure if we would still have the yellow arrows guiding us to Finisterre; but, thankful we do, along with the ubiquitous KM markers.
Our last view of Santiago with the cathedral dominating the skyline.
On our way again.
There are very few bars on this Camino. You have to hope to find one open that is used more by the locals than pilgrims. This one came along at the perfect time.
Notice no other customers
We saw very few pilgrims/hikers today; but, to our great surprise, this young Korean man was on his way to Finisterre. We have seen him off & on during the entire trek.
It was great to see him again & finally learn his name.
Even though it wasn’t the weekend, some men were bird hunting with their dogs.
After a long steady climb, we found this nice spot in the eucalyptus woods to enjoy our lunch.
Other sights along the way.
No Bull, a Real Bull Farm🤣
We crossed a very old stone bridge at Ponte Maceira which was built in the 14th Century & refurbished in the 18th Century.
A Spanish village.
Tomorrow is our last very long hike. We plan to start earlier & take more breaks. Forecast is for rain all day. Unfortunately, there will be few places along the route, possibly with a bar where I can enjoy a break for a cafe con leche.
It’s official, we walked into Santiago today.! The forecast showed rain all day & that’s exactly what it did.
But, a little rain is not going to stop people who have already walked over 475 miles.
We were on the trail at 8:40 wearing all our rain gear.
Fortunately, today was a short walk. An hour into our walk, we saw our young friend from Italy. She stayed with us the rest of the way.
At one time pilgrims would stop near here to wash & clean themselves before reaching SantiagoOnly 10 KM to go
The count down begins.
It is hard to explain the feelings you have when you reach the Cathedral Santiago de Compostela. Pure joy & disbelief are just two.
We did it!
Pictures never do justice to this church. It is incredibly large & you can feel it’s all encompassing presence. Experiencing it justifies all the time spent to reach it.
After we arrived, we watched trail friends arrive. Many hugs & big smiles were included in the greetings.
Young girls from Italy & Mexico1st day jacket saver
We also had hugs with several Koreans who had been walking with us from the 1st day as well.
Our next stop was inside the cathedral.
AltarEntering the crypt St James’ remainsBotafumeiro- large incense burner that swings in church during select masses. It is said that it was initially swung to cover up the pilgrims’ smell.
Next we went to the pilgrim office where you show your pilgrim passport with all the stamps collected on it since the start. You need at least one stamp each day which are collected from hotels, churches, restaurants, & volunteer stations.
Once you show your passport stamps to the official at the pilgrim office, you are issued the official completion certificate.
Our last stamp!!!Completion Certificate- My name is written in Latin tooNo more KM to go.
Our hotel adjacent to the cathedral was once a 16th Century Monastery.
In the square next to the cathedral is the world’s oldest hotel started in 1489 by Queen Isabella & King Ferdinand to accommodate pilgrims.
We celebrated at our evening meal with a Torte de Santiago.
What a day!!!
Tomorrow, we head for what was once believed to be the “end of the world”, hence its name Finisterre. I hope my knees, feet, & legs can handle walking another 90 KM. It will be interesting to see if we know anyone from the Camino Frances on the trail or make new friends along the way.
Weather: cloudy with periods of light rain, 45-54°
Time on trail: 6 hours 40 minutes including all breaks & stops
Next to a perfect day on the Camino. Only some light rain during a nice autumn day walking through woods full of oak & eucalyptus trees. With the ground covered with so many fallen yellow leaves, it was easy imagining being somewhere in Vermont in October.
As we get closer to Santiago, we almost always see pilgrims either in front or behind us most of the day. It wasn’t until the last 5-6 KM that we had the trail to ourselves. This was because most people stopped before us in Pedrouzo.
With the number of pilgrims currently on the trail, it is hard to envision how crowded the Camino must be during high season.
By 9:00 we were high above Arzua & on our way.
After several rainy days, you could feel the happiness in the air from the pilgrims as well as everyone knowing that Santiago was very close.
Morning 🌞 Lovely wooded trailsWith all the rain, mushrooms are everywhere Most signs & this railing are covered with stickers left by pilgrims More dairy cowsNo time to relax like this ladybug
With few bars open, it is not uncommon to see friends congregated at the first major bar during the walk, which today was about 2.5 hours into the trail.
Bars also provide the opportunity to introduce yourself properly to people who you see each day. Now I finally have a real name to go with “orange jacket” & “black glasses” who walk together. 😉
Café con leche of course (funny, I NEVER drink coffee at home or at the local Starbucks (but, I love it when I travel)Coins were all over the bar’s wallsMy new young Italian friend
The main obstacle today was trying to avoid the mud.
Belgian couple who are hiking the Camino with their dog, then continuing their hike to Lisbon, Portugal
Around noon, we came across this bar/restaurant. I only wanted tea; but, their salad looked too good to miss.
It was delicious 😋
Cute menu too.
When we left the restaurant, it started raining; but, it was a short shower & we enjoyed the remaining afternoon rain free.
Yea for the Camino volunteers who maintain the trail. These gentlemen are here from Italy. 🥰Check out the clever way to carry an umbrella Shoe planters Cleaver display perfect for the CaminoGetting closer with every step
Came across this man offering inspirational quotes & smoothing music.
Solitude in the forest on our next to last day to Santiago was a wonderful way to end our hike.
Tomorrow, I expect a crowded trail even though rain is forecasted all day. Some people rise very early to hike in the dark to reach Santiago at sunrise. We don’t plan on participating in this custom. 😂
The Wanderers 