Negreira

July 3, a 6:45 departure in the dark from Santiago onward to Negreira, our first stop on the way to the ocean & Fisterre 

Not as many pilgrims walk the stretch from Santiago to Fisterre, which translates as "end of the earth", so named because that's where the ancients thought the earth ended. Today, however, we met a few others on the path who were doing the same, including Keith from Georgia, who was carrying an ultralight pack (wise for a Camino newbie). We also saw some people walking back to Santiago from Fisterre. There seems to be more walkers trekking the opposite way eastward than seen on our first Camino.

Galicia has a Celtic flavor with stone buildings, green & hilly countryside, and Druid legends. We walked through a string of villages with ivy laden walls, grape vines growing on rooftops, and gardens & flowers in front yards. 

Dad demonstrates his farming roots with a village cow.

Shell design common in this stretch of Galicia

  

A post decorated with shells

     

California dreamin' in Espana

These small structures are called horreos -- they're distinctive to Galicia and are used to store corn. Each one has its own style.

Medieval bridge in picturesque Ponte Maceira -- 

the bridge is over the Rio Tambre with rocks and waterfall.

A sign for Albergue Lua (translated as Moon) includes an image of a "meiga," or 'healing' witch, which are common to folklore in this region. There's a saying in Galicia: "I don't believe in witches, but they do exist."

                               

We've mostly been eating "menu del peregrinos" at restaurants/bars, but tonight for dinner we shopped at the supermercado called "% Dia" -- it's a chain, usually found in larger towns or cities. We bought pan (bread), queso (cheese), atun (tuna), patatas fritas (potato chips), jamon (ham for dad), y aceitunas (olives). Dad drank a cerveza, and I got a KAS orange drink. 

Dad checks news on his iPad before lights go out 22:00 at our albergue, San Jose.