Day 49-51: Finisterre to Madrid, Rest Day In Madrid, Home (USA) | Camino Frances | May-July 2022 скачать в хорошем качестве

Day 49-51: Finisterre to Madrid, Rest Day In Madrid, Home (USA) | Camino Frances | May-July 2022

#camino #caminofrances #caminodesantiago #buencamino #santiagodecompostela July 11-13 Camino De Santiago Day 49: Finisterre to Madrid, Spain "What feels like the end is often the beginning" We awoke to fog on this Monday morning on the top of a cliff overlooking the sea. Our early departure was necessary to ensure we arrived to the airport in Santiago De Compostela on time. Unfortunately, no bus was available at this hour so a taxi was necessary. Thankfully, our taxi driver was already waiting for us at our hotel as we headed out into the mist. And then it really hit me. We were leaving The Way. This was it. It really was over. A mixture of pride, sadness, and excitement filled my soul. We did really do it. Now what? Almost immediately after going through security we ran into our Camino friends Thomas and Michael from Germany. We shared a few beers together before boarding our plane bound for Madrid. We arrived to another heat wave in Madrid with a temperature high of over 100 degrees. This made finding an air-conditioned taxi our number one goal. Our stay is at the OK Hostel, a very well run and organized hostel in the old town section. We were assigned a private room with a small deck, and told they provide a free happy hour from 9-11. We found the closest restaurant which was literally next door and enjoyed wonderful margaritas along with guacamole, chips, ceviche, and tacos. As it was getting late and the heat outside was so unpleasant, we decided to take it easy and head back to our hostel. We are hoping tomorrow to get going early to do some sight-seeing before the heat which will be over 100 degrees again. Home is just around the corner. My leg is still causing a lot of issues and I have already made a doctor appointment upon our return just to be sure everything is A-ok. Tonight, we're just focusing on getting our room temperature cooled down since the room is hot and opening the window is not an option. But we're still living the dream here. See you manana for our "rest day" in Madrid!! Camino De Santiago Day 50 and 51: Madrid Rest Day & Madrid to NYC, USA Our morning started off with breakfast and laundry at our hostel in Madrid. The temperature was well over 100 degrees and we were hesitant to venture out into it. We walked towards the Plaza Mayor, stopping at a beautiful church along the route. Our main mission was to find Takos Pastor, a place our daughter -in-law highly recommended from her previous travels in Madrid. Giselle warned us of the popularity of this taco joint, and she was correct. We arrived to a long line, no shade, but determination to try this popular treat. By the time we got inside, we were covered in sweat, so we immediately ordered frozen margaritas to cool down along with a platter of all 8 tacos on the menu to sample each one. They did not disappoint. That long, unshaded line was so worth every single bite. The royal palace in Madrid with it's 3,418 rooms was beyond opulent, ostentatious, and very heavily guarded. I was scolded by a palace guard not to take anymore indoor photos. We then walked to the Catedral de la Almudena and marveled at it's beauty as well as appreciated it's cool temperature inside. Another architectural, historical wonder. Finally, we headed out into the manicured gardens nearby. We also attempted to cool down in our room but found that only taking a cold shower did the job. Dinner was a Chinese restaurant nearby. Andre enjoyed fresh sushi and I enjoyed tasty ramen. We knew we had an early wake-up call for the next morning, so we quickly went to bed after enjoying the views from our terrace. Today, our 8 hour flight from Madrid to NYC was so smooth and hassle free. We enjoyed 2 meals and free drinks on our flight, as well as free movies. Delta did not disappoint this morning. Currently, we are on a 7 hour delay at NYC for our flight to Denver. And that delay could increase. We are very tired as even though in NYC it is 5:29 pm, in Spain it is 1 am. So we are going on close to 24 hours with no shut eye. If my post seems less creative and enthusiastic, it could be that my brain is totally shutting down. But we're almost home, and ready to be with our family. They are and will always be our beginning, our middle, and our end. We're going on 54 days total (if you count our arrival and rest time in St Jean Pied De Port) of being away from our regular life. We're ready to begin to live it again. What an incredible adventure this has been. I'm reminded of this quote, “Life’s journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well-preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting ‘Holy sh#!…what a ride!!’” Man, this was one hell of a ride.