Day 38 was a day of challenges. There was a bit of rain all day, but it was not nearly as bad as yesterday. In an effort to prevent my pack from getting soaked through I wore my poncho again today. Last time I wore it I was so warm I got soaked just sweating inside it, this time the weather was a bit cooler (although I had to strip off a lot of layers underneath that I started with along the way...)
The path split today, between Finisterre and Muxia (there is a path between both cities as well, so you can visit them in either order)
it was very interesting that where the path split, the path to Muxia went past a bunch of windmills and greenery, and the path to Finisterre went past an industrial plant that was spewing out smoke, and the landscape was covered in burned brush and dead grass.
Very appropriate for the path leading to the end of the world.
Today's path was full of challenge, there were large rocked hills
paths that were doubling as streams
but the worst had to be the small shore towns where the arrows appeared just to stop showing up. One time I had to backtrack and ask a woman at an albergue, who helpfully explained to me (in Spanish, while pointing at a map) that there was a shorter way through town to get back on the Camino. Another time the trail of arrows vanished, so I just kept walking through town... Eventually finding a tourist information center, which was closed, but had a single yellow arrow on front of it which pointed me back to the Camino.
As I neared Finisterre, I walked along the beach on a path that seemed to take forever to give way to town. Eventually I made it into town and checked into an albergue, and dropped off my bag before heading back out to do the last 3.4km to the cape, the actual "end of the world". Walking this last bit without carrying my whole pack was very energizing, and probably a bit symbolic, unloading myself of all my burdens and all that. It certainly put me in a good mood for reaching the top.
Once there I found the 0.0km marker
as well as a nice bar where I had a Beer At The End Of the World
All and all it was the perfect end to the Camino. It was tough, challenging me both physically and mentally, but it was a challenge I was prepared for. No where in these last few days did I think that I might not make it to the end, I knew I would make it, it was just a question of what obstacles I'd overcome to get there. I am quite pleased with how my Camino turned out.
