It doesn’t end in Santiago. As described yesterday I continue my Camino today towards Finisterre and Muxia. The walk out of Santiago is completely different from the walk into the city. The moment you approach Santiago the first areas contain highways and industrial suburbs and it takes about close to an hour before you finally reach the old city center. Walking out of Santiago is only about 15 minutes through older areas and suddenly you are in the middle of a Eucalyptus forest again. Another 15 minutes walk through the forest and you will have an opportunity for a last look at the cathedral and then off it goes into the countryside.

Also, the pilgrims seem to be different this morning. They look more relaxed, it is as if they all have the same feeling as I have: Santiago has been reached, this is a bonus! There are also fewer pilgrims on the road and the touregrinos are completely gone. We seem to chat more with each other and exchange more words than just the common ¡hola! ¡buen Camino! Pricing is also back to normal: At my first stop after about 8 km walking I paid the usual 2 euros again this morning for a Cafe Solo and a Napolitana while in Santiago it was 3,30 euro.

The landscape continues to be hilly and filled with Eucalyptus forests. Some climb up to 500meter seem to be on the route to remind me that I may be walking to the coast it is not the flat coastline as I am used to in the Netherlands. But somehow I experienced already before that I like the climbing and descending very much. Actually, these tracks have my preference over the flat, homelike, tracks as on the Meseta.

Another Galician building is back in the landscape: the hórreo. These are typical buildings that were used to store the corn. I had seen them a lot and asked one of the hospitaleros along the road what it was. She explained that by the typical design the corn was stored dry and safe from mouses. As the legs, the hórreo is built on are designed in such a way that a mouse can not climb them. Some of these hórreo’s are old and a complete ruin, ready to collapse. Some are very well restored and show off in full glory.

Today was a short walk, only 21 km to Negreira. In these stages to Finisterre, there are fewer Albergues than on the other stages of the Camino. Walking becomes a bit more planning where to stay. Today 21, tomorrow and the day after around 33 km and then Finisterre: the end of the world.

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A last look on the cathedral in the morning light.

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Entering the next Eucalyptus forest.

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A large, well restored, hórreo.

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Cafe Solo with Napolitana (a walker burns a lot!).

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Ponte Maceira.