Today dad and I spent our day seperatly. But before that we went to a Spanish doctor in the health care center of Ribadeo and she told me that I should only walk again if all pain would be away.
So I had to take the bus and he walked 27 km. He saw a lot of animals on the way like cows, horses, dogs and cats. The altitude rised and it was not easy to walk – but with some sugar and Cafe con leche (and sugar) he made it to me at Lourenza. I met several diffrent pilgrims in the bus and before I drove to Lourenza I talked long to a Mexican pilgrim about our lifes and cultural dishes.
At Lourenza we were two of three guests of our Albergue, which felt pretty strange because the Albergue was meant of 24 persons, but we had one dormitory for us! At dinner we stayed in a restaurant and enjoyed Dorade and a lot of meat.
Today we woke up late and were (once a time it’s nice to do it) the last pilgrims that left the Albergue. We had our breakfast at the beach and watched a surfers. 🏄
For the first time we saw a big group of pilgrims, mabye about 15 people. Then we went along the beach and the shore 🌊 and through endless corn fields. 🌽
At a church we made our second stop and had (for some days) the last lunch with sea view and big waves with surfers and surf schools.
Afterwards we walked over the bridge from Austuria to Galicia – 600m way and very beautiful canal with some boats. The whole way my knee was not so bad but I felt it some times.
We arrived at the first Albergue and got two beds. This is so far the beautifullest Albergue and the woman who owns it is friendly and all bedrooms, the living room, the kitchen and the garden.
Soon we’re going to the city center of Ribadeo and probably first to a pharmacy to by something for my knee and then we go to eat dinner with H. (Germany) and P. (Espagna).
We woke up at 7 a.m. and started walking. We walked almost the whole way to La Caridad with O., a French pilgrim we met on the way and talked about the camino, our future plans of hiking and traveling, our family, traditional food and dishes of our homecountries, lives at home and found some figs that were ripe and delicious.
At La Caridad we had lunch and met G. from Poland who currently works in Germany in Landshut who walked the last two days 55 km each day and had a backback with more than 13kg, which seemed a little crazy to us.
Then we dicided to continue walking to Tapia and said goodbye to both. On the way my knee began to hurt, not bad but I could feel little pain which was never a issue I had.
So my dad and I decided after a break that he would walk the last 7 km and dad would call a taxi for me – yes, sometimes the Camino means calling a taxi. The driver was very friendly and we talked the few minutes with a translator about the Camino and Tapia🚕
At the Casa Cultura/Tourist Office I reserved two beds for dad and me. Before we went to the albergue we decided that we will walk only about 12 km tomorrow and have a lot of rest so my knee will heal hopefully.
Then we walked to the beach at a wonderful bay. There were many locals and some tourists and we bath in the comfortable (it was not as easy to go in as in the Mediterranean Sea, but staying in there was comfortable) water. The waves were high and strong and it was a lot of fun to jump with and into them. 🌊
After a quick shower we walked to the Albergue, made our beds ready and washed our laundry – there I met another German Pilgrim in the Women’s Restroom who currently works in Barcelona and talked to her a bit. We enjoyed our dinner (Platos combinados with chicken, salad, eggs and fries and a pizza) at a local bar. Afterwards we shortly walked thorugh the city center and crowded pedestrian zone, saw some fish and looked at the harbour and the small boats. ⛵
Today we started with a beautiful sunrise over the Spanish hills. Then we walked through Luarca, a village near a habour where we shopped in a backery and a supermarket. Afterwards we made our first breakfast and we ate a little too much. We went up some hills, walked by ruins, churches and a lot of corn fields. We saw swallow/Schwalben and sparrow/Spatzen.
Now we arrived at our Albergue at Piñera where we were the second people that checked in but a few hours later the Albergue began to fill.
In the afternoon we talked a lot with a French pilgrim and had dinner with a German boy. It was really nice meeting and talking to all this people. We ended our day with a sunset and a lemon we shared together and I had carried for 2 days 🍋
Because of some mosquitos in our room we started walking early at 6 a.m. The first adventure was a dark tunnel that seemed from the outside like it never would end (but it did) and we continued walking. We stopped and had a breakfast – half croissant and half dark chocolate for each of us. 🥐🍫
Our way crossed rivers, a lot of mud and beautiful flowers and blackberries. 🌺
We enjoyed our lunch at the shore of the coast and ate bread with tomatoes, cheese and peach. And we met a dog we called Idefix. 🐕
We wanted to stay in an Albergue in Cadaveu but there was a huge festival so everything was booked out and there was only one place in the albergue left (this was a tent with a matress) so we decided because it was already afternoon that we reserve a hotel 7 km away. So we walked in total 28 km today and arrived a little tired at our accommodation „Hotel Canero“. And we probably had reserved the last available room so we had a lot of luck. 🍀
After a shower we now want to take a nap and later eat the „Menu del Dia“.
We started our day maths and then went shopping in supermercado Coviran. Then we wanted to buy some bread for the day and from the whole panadaria we chose the most savory (herzhaft) bread called „Chorizo Envuelto“ with a big sausage in it – the complete opposite we wanted for breakfast but it was an expanding our culinary horizons.
Afterwards we took the bus to Muros de Nalon and got welcomed by some Spanish camino rain. After some kilometers the rain got less and we had some sun. At half of the way we made a break and talked to the French Pilgrim O..
She asked about our relationship and we could see in her face that she preferred the answer that Johanna is the daughter of Martin much to the possibility that Johanna would be the much younger girlfriend.
The first 15 km had pretty views including the Eucalyptus Trees and a beautiful bays and some ups and downs – a very varied route.
At 5 p.m. we arrived at our Hostel in Soto de Luiña and took a nap, drank some Cappuccino with cocoa in it (which is not normal) and then went shopping in the supermarket.
In a restaurant we had a huge menu and dad finished more than 3 quaters of a bottle vine on his own because Johanna doesnot like wine🍇. After the desserts we rolled back to our hostel, called our family at home and now after writing this we will fall into bed. 🙂 💫✨
We started our day early at 5 a.m. and said goodbye to Laura & mom/Beate & Sisi. Then we took the train to the Airport and checked in, dropped our language and boarded. The flight was wonderful and we had a beautiful view of the Alpes, a lot of lakes and the Pyrenees. ✈️
We arrived in Bilbao and took a bus to the city center. There we looked around the „Guggenheim Museum“ with modern art and a modern architecture.
Afterwards we ate lunch in a park and went over detours in the direction of the bus station by a children’s festival and some parks. 🌳🌴
At 3 p.m. we drove with the bus until 6 p.m. where we arrived in Oviedo. Most of the time we slept in the bus and in the first hour got amazing views of the Spanish coastline 🏖🚍
We checked into our hostel, bought Tiger balsam for me ( I had a little headache because of the other climate and a lack of sleep) and then searched for a traditional Asturien restaurant. There we ate the special dish „Asturien Fabada“ (a recommendation of the Spanish tour guide J. we met in Ireland) and a big green salad 🥗🍲.
On our way back to the hostel we went by the Cathedral of Oviedo and saw our first Camino signs 🙂
Now we both take a shower, prepare stuff for tomorrow and then go to bed ✨💫
We started our journey back home slowly. We slept in and had a chilled morning with breakfast, coffee and tea. I did some chemistry and we all sorted our laguage for the last time. Then we started driving into the direction of Rosslare. It began very adventurous with a closed/blocked highway so we had to take a detour but beside of some signs on the way we whether knew how long it took nor what real detour we had to take – we followed a trucker and a car and after 30 min of detour we were on the rigth way again🛣️
The weather was rainy and stormy, we thought that Ireland cried about our departure that day. 🌧
We stopped at our last Irish local restaurant – it was delicious and we had a lovely waitress🍴
At Rosslare we stopped at the beach but Ireland was still mourning because of us so we decided to go into a „gelataria“, enjoyed some coffee, tea and ice cream 🍦🍵☕
We went on our last walk on the shore and said goodbye to the sea 🌊. Suddenly the sun came out and Ireland said the last goodbye with lovely weather. We stopped at a church, another coffee shop, a small park and near the habour and observed the ships. At 7 p.m. we wanted to check in but everything was a little bit later so we waited. At 10 p.m. we were inside the ship, placed our car and got on the ship gate and saw Ireland and stars ⭐🚢.
We departed and ate our dinner in iur cabin we booked for this crossing. After that Laura and I went to bed and mom & dad drank 1/2 pint of Rockshore & Guinness. The night was in the beginning very moved because there was a storm outside and the waves were pretty big but as we laid in our beds the water was rocking us to sleep. 🛌💤🌊
Laura and I ate breakfast on the sundeck in the early morning so nobody was there. I drew something with aquarelle and Laura read her book. 🎨 📖
Mom and dad came with their coffees and we explored most of all the pedestrian reachable parts of the ship and then had lunch – our last Irish fish and chips. 🐟🍟
We spent our afternoon most of the time on deck because the weather was wonderful, we had a lot of sun and ciuld read, do something for school, paint, walk around or observe ships/Great Britain in the distance with our binoculars ✨
We were a little bit late so all got tea & coffee for free and at 5 p.m. we arrived in the harbour of Rosslare and saw how our big ship docked. 🚢
Afterwards mom & dad drove us another 2 1/2 hours to Roune and arrived there at almost 10 p.m. and checked in with half French and English on the phone with the owner. 🚘
On our short way to the apartment we also experienced the evening atmosphere in Roune. We ate dinner and after some preparations for the next day we all fell into bed 🛌
Today we woke up early at 4:30 a.m. because we had to drive about 1000 km back to Munich. So we had first to try to pay our parking ticket which was not as easy as migth someone think but we made it 🎟
Mom and dad drove perfect and we were pretty good in time and there was no traffic jam. For lunch we stopped at a village nearby the highway but the restaurant Laura had chosen first was closed despite of the online opening times. But then we drove to another pretty fancy restaurant – and ate a delicious well prepared lunch 🍴
At 7 p.m. we arrived in Munich and were lovley welcomed by our cat Sisi 🐱.
Now as we arrived all the memories we made proceed slowly. The landscapes, nature reservation parks, the wide of the Irish land, the cold freezing Atlantic, the left-hand traffic, amazing and delicious Irish traditional food, lovely, funny and nice people we met, all the animals we saw, the sheep on the streets that were more afraid of tourists with carrots than of cars, wide and big hills and mountains, lakes, beaches, cities like Dublin and Galway, the hospitality, Fish and Chips, delicious seafood, the atmosphere in PUBs, giant Cliffs, hikes and walks, interesting museums and gardens, driving on small highways and streets, forests, a lot of sun and just a little Irish rain and all the placed we explored like the Wicklow Mountains, Connemara Nationalpark, Nephin Mountain National Park, Achill Island and all the places we stayed at: the Glissman Glamping with the small caravans, Belmullet with the tidal pool, the Dolphin Hostel in Crossmolina and the Nephin Mountain, Hollybanks with Jane, Molly and J. near Galway, Clares House at Tuamgraney and Crews Apartment in Dungarvan! In conclusion it was an amazing, interesting, wonderful and as the Irish would say (super) lovely stay and we all want to come back and want to explore new places of this wonderful country. And for now we are grateful for all the memories we made, the stories we can now and the whole adventure✨✨
We had delicious porridge and Irish breakfast with mushrooms, egg and tomatoes and toast at Clareshouse and checked out. At the breakfast table we realized that the german song „An der Nordseeküste“ is in original an Irish folk song that exists since 200 years – and was played in a PUBs and events at our stay in Ireland.
We drove to our last accomandation and stopped at the „Kildanogue wildfowl sanctuary and nature reserve“ for lunch directly in the forest between birds and nature. 🌳🌲
Then we drove into direction of the sea and got amazing views of the whole area and some mountains too. We arrived at the Clonea Beach and got into the water straigth after a cup of coffee, hot chocolate and Chai Latte for everyone. It was pretty cold but not as cold as at the Keem Beach at Achill Island. We stayed inside the water short so we had some time to relax outside the beach. Laura and dad played „Boule“ with stones, mom read and I went for a short walk along the shore and watched some birds and wonderful cliffs on other coastlines. 🌊🌊
Afterwards we drove into the center of Dungarvan and checked into our apartment (Crew’s Apartment). After a short break for everyone we headed outside in the restaurant „The Local“ and ate Burgers and shrimp 🍔🍤🍟. In the restaurant we met a cute Irish couple: Jim and Lily, seniors who lived near the city.
We went on a walk along the harbour and met them both again and said goodbye after nice chatting. Moreover we saw the pink sunset and a heron. And we saw Jim and Lily for the third time and this time they greeted us with honking 🙂 🚘✨
We watched one episode of the Race and now we’re all ready for bed. ✨
After breakfast we sorted our laguage and said goodbye to Molly (the dog) and J. They were so lovely and it was hard to leave them because the stay at Hollybanks was so comfortable. 🏠
It was olny a 15 min drive to the center od Gakway and duting the drive we listened to „Galway Girl“ from Ed Sheeran which was pretty cool – to be in the city where the song comes from 🙂 ✨
We parked our car near the cathedral and Laura and I made a quick funny stop at the fitness parc. Then we walked along the river Corrib (one of the smallest rivers in Europe, only 6 km long & with the water from the biggest lake Corrib of the Republic Ireland) and read something about the city Galway and the past. This way ended at the Spanish Arch, a beautiful monument near the habour. There was also one small market where they selled pottery, tea, food, knitted and crochet things,…
Nearby was the pedestrian zone where most of the tourists were and a lot of street musicians. When you stood at one place you could probably see and hear 3 of them. 🎶 Then we found something to eat in „the Frontdoor“ PUB and enjoyed a delicious lunch with a beautiful atmosphere and environment. 🍴
Afterwards we looked around some gift shops and visited the Saint Nicolas Church and there was a medival charity event/festival inside and outside the church where they showed the old traditions for example how they made wool from the sheep ⛪. Outside was another market, but more local and specialized on food: there were cheese, milk, lots of vegetables and some fruits and bakeries too. Our last stop was the catheral from inside and that was also really impressive.
We left Galway and drove another hour to the Cliffs of Moher – probably the first thing people think about when they think about Ireland. It was very touristic and there were a lot of people but because of the big territory it was no problem. First we looked around the visitor center, learned something about the cliffs and explored them in the 4D cinema. 🎦
It was impressive standing in front of this giant cliffs and just looking at how huge amounts of water hit the stones and the ligth that shone through the clouds on the ocean. We went up a tower and got another amazing view of the landscape. 🌊
At 6:30 p.m. we drove to Clarehouse where we checked in at 8 and then had our dinner, talked and continued watching the series „the Race“.
