On the road trip across France, Spain and Portugal.. From Europe to the Atlantic Ocean

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Saturday, May 9

Cabo Vilan - Muxia - Santiago - Finisterre - Combarro - 275 km


As agreed with the owner of the pension leave the room key and leave the hall, not raining but the sky is cloudy, the night before we had spotted a bakery and we stop for breakfast, cappuccino with churros that look like long biscuits and pancakes that are filloas with sweet cream and at 9 we travel to Cabo Vilan.
The estuary extends from Punta Camarinas by boat in the south, north to Cabo Vilan, the dirt road climbs up the sides of the cliff, the wind allows wind and exploitation del'energia here in the park of Cabo Vilan blades move at incredible speeds.
The lighthouse stands on a small spit of land that enters the sea, facing a small island called Vilan of fora, built on a ridge of pink granite octagonal, is alto125 m and is accessed by climbing a staircase of 250 steps, was the Spanish first lighthouse to work with the electric light, the base is a large white building features a covered walkway, is the home of the guardian
Nearby Cabo Vilan numerous shipwrecks have occurred, the most famous is that of the British ship Serpent occurred November 10, 1890 which killed 172 naval cadets of the only three that surpasses wore a life jacket.
This fact became known to the British navy made that the jacket became mandatory on vessels
The three survivors were helped by the inhabitants of Xavina, who gave burial to the dead in a field near the beach that has become known as the graveyard of the English and you can continue along the road to see the lighthouse
All around is a riot of colorful flowers, which dal'alto the rocks down to the sea, the yellow predominates, but there are also red flowers, purple, pink, fuchsia and others is a wonderful sight that will remain forever seared
We move up to Muxia small fishing port situated on a point of land in the Ria of Camarinas, famous for the shrine of Nosa Senora Da Barca set on a cliff near the lighthouse of Punta Boat From all around the large granite rocks which you can walk down to the sea This sanctuary is connected to the road to Santiago, the legend reports that Our Lady appeared to the apostle here on a stone boat to encourage him to continue his preaching, according to residents of the area is Muxia end of the road to Santiago, even though few pilgrims arrive here, they all head for the most famous Finisterre
Inside the church on the 'altar retable of the eighteenth century with abundant decorations and statues of the twelve apostles, hanging from the ceiling several models of sailing ships and boats
Pilgrims pay homage of devotion to the Virgin to protect the sailors on the whims of the ocean, in the four days following the second Sunday of September trying to move "to Pedro de Abala" (stone oscillating) the boat that symbolizes the Virgin swing which gives a long lament, or go under "in Pedra dos cadris" granite blocks shaped by the power of natural elements, it is said that kidney diseases are healed
Higher than the church we see a monolith called "the herida" (the wound) erected by the "Nunca Mais" (never) to witness the disaster caused by 'sinking of the Prestige 19 November 2002 took place in front Muxia 70.000tonnellate losing that fuel has had a tragic impact on the Galician coast, a disaster that has' s economy to its knees, 60% of Gallegos living from the sea
A Muxia was possible to verify the disastrous impact that an incident like this can generate, the rocks, the beach and even the pavement of the square of this pretty village was covered with a layer of oil, often in some places several inches
Before we sit on the rocks and look at the powerful spray of 'ocean, though the day of the disaster have been almost seven years and the wind and rain have battered these shores the wound is still visible, the cliffs in some places is still blackened from the tar.
Fisterra the point where the ancient people believed the world ended, and the earth seems to leave room for the 'infinity of the sea and its mysteries, is our next stop is the end point of the road to Santiago where pilgrims went to collect The proof of the scallops' pilgrimage place for us is a choice of route of comfort as the Santiago we will visit later.
The road leading to the lighthouse passes from the city of Fisterra, there are many houses and construction sites that litter the landscape, we continue along the ocean and the scenery improves, even if there is no comparison with Muxia and Cabo Vilan, pilgrims who meet in bicycle, some on foot with backpack and walking stick, got to walk the cliffs and lighthouse near a cliff with a large stone cross we see the charred shoes, many around the remains of fires, according to tradition, pilgrims burn clothing used during the route