We are in Finisterre (Spanish, from the Latin for land's end), or Fisterra (Galician), Galicia, the final end of the Camino de Santiago for many pilgrims, a small fishing port resting at the end of a cape that was once thought to be the end of the world. The coast here is known as the Costa da Morte (coast of death) because of the many shipwrecks on its rocky shores over the centuries.
This is a beautiful point of land jutting into the Atlantic, one of the westernmost capes of the Iberian Peninsula. The land is drier and rockier than in the northern corner from which we came, and to us it feels more comfortable. We have walked the beach and explored the town and admired the endurance of the pilgrims. Lunch in town yesterday was delicious: razor-shell clams from the local beach; pimientos de Padrón, a small green sweet pepper of northern Spain only available in the fall; and the ubiquitous "mixed green salad" of fresh lettuce, tomato, carrot, onion, and canned tuna. Olive oil and vinegar dressing. The typical and delicious Galician pan rústico. Today we ate at an Italian pizzeria, and enjoyed a green salad (without the tuna), a baked eggplant dish with tomatoes and cheese, and a pizza. A nice change!
Though not required to complete the pilgrimage on the Camino de Santiago (the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela, some 90 kilometers east, is the official endpoint), many camino-ites come all the way here, and we saw a lot of backpacks around the harbor. We, of course, can claim no such accomplishment, though we did walk the two+ kilometers of beach from our hotel into town.
Fisterra is an interesting blend of quasi-touristy camino restaurants, hostels, and stores, and a lively local community based around the fishing port. We had fun watching the local scene on the plaza at the harbor: kids playing soccer, parents with toddlers, groups of grandmothers arm-in-arm. The town is small enough to feel intimate and friendly, but also diverse due to all the travelers that come through. Our hotel, Alén do Mar, is small and comfortable, just outside of town and a block away from the beautiful Langosteira beach. We are enjoying our stay. A few photos can be found here:
