Lands End & Stefano the Sardo

  I went out to Lands End at the lighthouse this morning about 3 miles outside Finisterre right at the point on the peninsula. It's the traditional ending point for the Camino where people historically burn their clothes they wore on the Camino as a new start. It was absolutely amazing out there in the morning light. I placed a couple stones that friends had given me to carry with me at the cross there and then walked out to the point where there were a few Pilgrims taking pictures. I saw all the different burn piles and I didn't bring anything from the trip to burn or offer. Finally I reached in my bike bag and put my failed brake rotor at the cross, but while appropriate, seemed a bit lame.

 Anyway, everyone left except this one guy who was taking a moment burning incense and making a pole for his flag which I didn't recognize. As we sat alone, we started talking. He is Stefano from Sardinia. His English was quite good and he just looked at me and said "You have to burn something" I looked a bit harder through my bags and couldn't come up with anything except what I had on. I decided on my socks and Stefano had a pair of underwear. We tried for maybe half an hour to light these things with his Chinese lighter in the wind to no avail. Finally, I pulled out some postcards from Leon I hadn't written and success! As they burned, I made the comment, I was't sure if is was my socks or his underwear, but something really stunk! We had a good laugh, it was the Lycra in both our items which we knew...;-)

 He also brought these Jamón (ham) flavored potato chips that we had a good laugh over as well. Who but the Spanish would make ham flavored potato chips!

 We stayed out there for maybe an hour just talking about the Camino and life. He brought some stones from Sardinia from home that friends and family had given him that he threw in the ocean. It was really poignant and he made a phone call back home. 

 Amazing time out there for maybe two hours just watching the light change on the ocean and "being there". It was the ending to the Camino that I was looking for. We took the bus back to Santiago this afternoon and we are going to go grab some Tapas and Tinto tonight. 

 BTW, for any single women reading today; Stefano is 27, a Dentist, into family, just broke up with his girlfriend and.... very much "Italian". ;-)

Buongirno...

Dave