Stage 33: Sobrado dos Monxes to Arzua

It's the people!

What makes the Camino special to me? I'm sure I'll be asked that when I return. The question has been accompanying me on the journey so far.

The landscape I get to experience is fantastic, and the experiences I've had in the spectacular nature will stay in my memory. But above all, it's the people. The ones who live here and always have a friendly greeting on their lips, with whom I have had good exchanges despite my limited foreign language skills. Even the truck drivers honk and/or wave at me. And then there are the encounters with other pilgrims, Tom and Rado, who met at the beginning of the Camino and have been inseparable ever since. They have already arrived in Santiago a few days ago. Both of them eventually took a detour to the 'Primitivo'.

Michael, who has been outpacing everyone under time pressure, luckily met his travel companion and 'Camino mentor' Franzisco again in Santiago on many stages.

And many others, Claudia, Maria, Franz, Ralf, George, Moritz, Elvira... (Apologies to all whose names are not mentioned here).

Above all, it is the people who are not on my Camino, Monika, our children, their partners, our grandchildren, Grandma Karin and Grandpa Alfons, my sisters, the whole family, and then there are the many friends, 'Boulesoir', 'Jecke Mädels Männer', SMB Jüchen, 'Waterski Ride in the Wave', 'Operation Malaria', 'Hiking in the Palatinate', 'The White Kenyans', '29.02. gifted time', 'Lunchtable' Krippenbauer St. Jakobus... and many others, whom I think of fondly on the Camino del Norte, which provides the necessary tranquility. Why am I writing this today, I'm not even in Santiago yet. On the one hand, the WhatsApp photos of those who are already there remind me, and on the other hand, today was the last stage of the 'del Norte'. Here in Arzua, you meet the 'Francese' and I have an uneasy feeling that the leisurely pace is coming to an end, well, only 2 stages left.

The city is full of pilgrims, an unfamiliar sight for me, and every third house seems to be a hostel, with cafes, supermarkets, and souvenir shops in between. So the sightseeing tour was quickly over for me.

Today's hostel is great too, practical, affordable, and friendly people who also speak German.

Oh yes, the route today was a bit like 'Hohes Venn'.

Regarding the picture with the hat on the post, there is a family anecdote. 'Grandpa Scharfhausen' goes out of the house in the morning to the village to buy rolls. He sees his buddy on the other side of the street and calls out, 'Hey, Jupp!' But Jupp doesn't respond. 'Idiot,' he thinks and continues on his way. On the way back from the bakery, his friend is still standing there, and he tries again: 'Hey, Jupp!' But still no response. He can't let it go and decides to confront Jupp. When he reaches the other side of the street and stands in front of Jupp, he has to realize that 'Jupp' is a tree stump with a hat on top. 'Grandpa Schaffhausen' went to the optician the next day.

In the evening, I stopped at the 'Italian' Il Fornaccio. Cool location, great food... ---- a real tip!