Cee (Spain) | Cities of the Camino - Day 126

Leaving Lago this morning, the clouds hang low, and the fog is thick. This crypt has a small church inside the fenced area, the first I have seen like this.

Day 41 takes me from Lago to Cee. The stage is 25 km (15.5 mi) and is my sweet spot for distance. Again, the day is relatively easy, being flat most of the way until the descent into Cee at the end of the day.

I would probably be better off leaving at 9 am, but it is impossible to sleep once people start stirring in the morning. Surprisingly, Peregrinos still get up at or before 6 am to start packing. Then they start walking around 7 am. I have no desire to walk in the darkness for > one hour. I enjoy seeing the areas I walk through. Starting early would rob me of that experience, and the endpoint would take priority over the journey.

It is warm this morning, even though the fog is present. It feels like I live in a world with a fluffy white ceiling. As I leave my fellow Peregrinos behind, I reflect on the villages, towns, and cities that resonated with me on the Camino. Around 5 km (3.5 mi) from the Albergue, I cross the Rio Xallas River. I check my phone, I am a little over an hour into the day. My pace feels good, not too fast.

A few minutes later, I pass a school and notice the brilliant red flowers on the curb.

I haven't seen these plants before and love the stunning pop of color on this otherwise grey day. 

This little abandoned building reminds me of all the tiny villages I walked through on this journey. Many had abandoned buildings. I especially like the towns in the Basque and Galicia regions. It seems long ago now that I was in the Basque Region. I remember that some days, little villages were all I walked through. Many villages have no amenities, grocery stores, restaurants, or other stores. I recall how difficult it was to capture the essence of these villages in photographs. Walking through them, I could feel their story, but I could never capture it in photos. These villages remind me of small rural farm communities in the United States. Places where people live simple lives without modern-day distractions. These are places where family and community are still important.

This is the largest and longest granary I have seen in the Galicia region. I also notice that the architecture of the granaries has changed in this part of Galicia. Crosses now decorate the roofline as opposed to the small medieval spikes I saw in the northeast part of Galicia. However, I still prefer the aesthetics of the more immense square granaries in the Asturias region over their narrow rectangular Galician cousins. 

Olveiroa is the "official" end of the stage for Day 2 for Peregerinos choosing to walk to Finisterra in 3 days. It is another 6.5 km (4 mi) from Lago. I recall that some of the best Albergues I stayed in were in towns that were not "official" start and stop locations. Towns like Ontón, Cóbreces, San Vincente, Pendueles, A Roxica, and Santa Irene come to mind. Many of the Albergues in these towns provided fantastic dining experiences, which is not common on the Camino Del Norte. Last night, Lago was no exception and was another good call on my part.

The fog is still thick as pea soup this morning. The river below is just barely visible. I spent very little time along rivers on the Camino Del Norte. This is a rare moment to be along one now.

I am always surprised by how pretty the trail can be at times. I've walked on nearly every surface imaginable during this journey, but it is impossible not to enjoy paths like this one.

Leaving the town of Hospital, the route divides. At this point, I can go right to Muxia or left to Finisterra. The two trails are joined by a third that parallels the coast and is oriented north-south from Muxia to Finisterra. Similar to this intersection, the routes form a triangle. Peregrinos can choose to end their Camino at Santiago, Finisterra, and Muxia or return to Santiago. I head left, towards Finisterra today.

So far, this stage is one of my favorites, and I love it! It starts to drizzle. I close up the Pit-zips on my rain jacket and continue walking. Pit-zips are zippers that run from the elbow to the ribs under the armpits of my coat. I think they are essential for rain gear, as they keep me from overheating.

Near Dumbria, I come face to face with the mythical Vákner. In 1491, the Armenian bishop of Azerbaijan made the pilgrimage to Finisterra. He wrote about several dangerous beasts he encountered along the way to Finisterra. The Vákner is believed to be a precursor to the werewolf. This sculpture stands at a critical crossroads at the edge of the Vákner territory, including the Xallas Region, O Pindo mountains, Finisterra, and Muxia. This sculpture, the artist's interpretation of the Vákner, was recently created by Cándido Pazos, a well-known sculptor from Santiago de Compostela.

A few minutes later, I reach the crossroads. The Camino arrows point left to Finisterra or right to Muxia. This is one of the neatest crossroads I have encountered. The markings show no mileage here, simply a direction "A Finisterre" or "A Muxia."

The drizzle continues, and I think of Sergio. He despises this kind of weather. "Tiempo de mierda. This is shit weather. It is too hot for rain gear, but if you don't put it on, you get all fucking wet!" he once told me. I laugh thinking about our exchange this morning. I don't mind this weather and think it is better to walk in than the blazing sun and heat. I do agree with Sergio, though. This misty drizzle will make you all wet. Fortunately, I have good rain gear. When I reach this rest area, I feel good and decide to keep walking. It is more difficult to start walking again when my body cools down on days like these.

However, after a brief uphill, I head inside when I reach this little church. The stone church provides me with a warm, dry place. I sit on one of the simple benches and take a few minutes to meditate. When I am done, I make a donation and take a candle. Cami frequently told me that she wanted to do this very thing, but I never understood why. Today, I know why. As I light the candle, I take a moment to acknowledge my loved ones and friends back home, my fellow Peregrinos, and this church for providing me with a warm, dry place to rest this morning. Then, I place the candle on the altar next to the others, walk out the door, and resume my walk to Cee.

By the time I arrive at the Albergue, I can't wait to take a warm shower. My gear is wet, my shirt is damp, and my shoes are wet. I fill my shoes with newspaper and get cleaned up. The Albergue is 0.75 km (0.5 mi) from town, so once I am cleaned up, I head into Cee to get lunch and groceries and hit the BBVA ATM. It is 330 pm when I return to the Albergue and find Nancy and Yosef there. There are only 5 of us here tonight, which suits me perfectly. Perhaps I'll get a good night's sleep. The port of Cee is socked in today.

5 Large Coastal Cities I would like to Revisit

These are cities I thought about today that I stopped in for at least one night. I would like to revisit these on a future trip. Despite my short time there, they left a remarkable impression on me.

1 - San Sebastian - The city was the end point of Day 1. San Sebastian is a beautiful large city located right on the coast, in the heart of the Basque Country. The city has an extensive beautiful beach and stunning architecture and is known for its excellent gastronomy. I did make enough time to explore this large city there, and I look forward to exploring it more thoroughly in the future. The city is easily accessible through a major airport that is nearby. There is no better place in Spain to experience all that makes the Basque culture so great!

2 - Santander - This city is the capital of the Cantabria Region of Spain. I reached Santander on day 12 and enjoyed the scenic town. Santander has one of the prettiest bays in the world, a fantastic beach, and excellent food. Known for seafood, including razor clams, sardines, red mullet, and calamari, Santander is a great spot. I explored the old town near the hostel and the Cathedral briefly. This city has a great vibe, and I need more time there. One day was not enough to enjoy this beautiful city. I would include a trip to Santillana del Mar, which is only about 30 km (18.5 mi).

3 - Santillana del Mar - This tiny town was one of my favorites on the Camino del Norte. The picturesque medieval village with cobblestone streets was quite a site to see. It has several fabulous museums, like the Museo de Tortura (Museum of Torture). Unfortunately, I arrived around 530 pm at the Albergue and left early the following day, which made it impossible to visit much of the village. Based on its size, one day or an overnight trip would be ideal. I was in this town on day 13.

4 - Gijón - This is the largest city in the Asturias Region of Spain and a great place to experience great food and the Cidra that made this region famous. It has a big airport, so travel is easy. I explored mainly the old port town part of Gijón and know there are so many great places to see. It has beautiful architecture and a unique cultural atmosphere. I took a rest day in Gijón and still feel like I was only scratching the surface on days 21 and 22.

5 - Bilbao - This city is more of a port town than a coastal town. Nevertheless, the city of Portugalete is near enough that the beach is accessible. Bilbao is home to the world-famous Guggenheim Museum, great food, and beautiful architecture. It is the last city in the Basque Region of Spain, about twice the size of San Sebastian at 350,000 people. I was there on Day 6 but didn't have much time to do the city justice. 

3 Cities to Re-Visit that I Only Passed Through

Some beautiful cities caught my eye during this journey, but unfortunately, they were not an endpoint for me on the Camino. Meaning I did not stop or start there. Consequently, I only got a brief glimpse of the town. However, I remember talking with Peregrinos who stayed in these towns and recalling that they loved their experiences.

1 - Llanes - This coastal town is west of Bilbao and is known for its rugged coastlines and beautiful beaches. I passed through Llanes on Day 17 and only stopped for breakfast. I remember thinking I loved the town and how it felt when I first saw it. Peregrinos often told me they really enjoyed their stay in this town. Located in my favorite region of Spain, the Asturias Region.

2 - Luarca - The port is terrific in this town, and I remember being blown away when I saw it for the first time. The city and port are built in a small valley. Besides the scenic harbor, one of the things that stood out for me was the town had multiple pastry shops, and the downtown was very picturesque. Luarca is a town of only 5,000-6,000 people, but it feels bigger. Located in Asturias Region.

3 - Laredo - Located in the Cantabria Region, this city of 12,000 people feels much bigger. It has excellent beaches and a lovely boardwalk. I passed through this town on Day 10 on my way to Noja. Noja has a fantastic rocky beach accessible via a short ferry ride to Santoña. I remember enjoying the town's layout and the long walk along the Playa La Salvé de Loredo. There is also a monastery that provides a unique Pilgrim experience.