The End of the Camino

Buenos!

Well, we made it! Paul and I arrived at about 1:30 in the afternoon on the 22nd of May! For some reason, the last day went VERY slowly and VERY painfully. Both Paul and I had bad feet and had to stop about every hour.

It´s funny, but neither of us had really planned on going the distance together. We just enjoyed each other´s company so much. Paul´s a good 20 years younger than me, but that´s the Camino fo ya! We´ve had a good time together and made each other laugh and kept each other going when our feet were on the verge of giving up! I am so thankful for that!

We had a beautiful, cool, sun filled last day for our journey´s end. Once we got to Santiago, we still had about 3km to go before reaching the Cathedral. It took almost an hour as suddenly the yellow arrows and sign postings we had come to depend on became few and far between. And we were moving pretty slowly anyway! We took the traditional approach (by accident) through the Porto de Santiago, a long archway leading around to the huge square in front of the Cathedral. The Cathedral is immense! As soon as we entered the square, we did a pole click to celebrate! An older couple came over and asked to have their picture taken with us! We felt like celebraties for a moment! You can tell the peregrinos from the tourists by the backpacks and sticks we carry! We immediately saw several pilgrims we´d seen along the camino and we all congratulated each other.

We then entered the cathedral to attempt the traditional end of the Camino. There are four steps a pilgrim is supposed to do: place you hand on the center column when thousands of other pilgrims have done so, wearing a handprint into the marble; go to the other side of the column and place your forehead on the column creator´s forehead (the sculptor´s self portrait in stone) as an homage to his creativity; proceed around the right side of the cathedral and behind the altar to give the statue of Santiago a hug from behind; and then down a set of stairs to view the crypt under the altar where the relics of Santigo are kept. However, when we entered the Cathedral was extremely crowded and they had a barrier around the column! GRRRRRR!!!! Something about preservation..... Um,..... bit late for that! Seeing as how a handprint has been worn into it! We took a look around and left, hoping that today would be better.

Paul and I split up, having made reservations at different hotels. ....... Or so I thought....... I arrived at the hotel I thought I had a reservation at and they didn´t have it! They claimed they got my email too late to confirm it..... I looked straight at the guy and said, "Seriously.... you´re killing my Camino buzz." So, typically, he didn´t offer to help me find other accomodations and I left. I took a taxi to the hotel I remembered Paul said he was staying at, asked for the same room rate and they were wonderful! Got a room for two nights at a decent rate and got my Camino buzz back!

Just as I was about to leave for my new hotel, I ran into the pilgrim from Liverpool and he asked about Paul. And he invited us to a get together later that night to celebrate and see him on his way to his evening flight.

So, Paul and I cleaned up at the hotel. I just have to say, having a room to myself and a hot shower is something I will NEVER take for granted again!!!!!! Then we went back into the square under a torrential Galaciian downpour! We´d beat the rain into Santiago by about 5 hours! We met up with a large group of pilgrims from Denmark, England, Germany, and Ireland and headed over to an Irish pub that someone had stumbled upon earlier in the day. As you can all guess, this was the high-lite of my day! Guinness on tap! I was in heaven! The perfect end to an amazing journey! After a couple of pints, we bid our Liverpool pilgrim goodbye. He is such a nice guy. He is a deeply religious man without being pious. He was overcome by the whole experience and teared up at leaving it all behind. A group of us then left for dinner and then returned to the pub for a few more pints. It was weird not having to be a the albergue by 10PM (when the doors are locked and the lights go out!). In fact, it was weird going to bed after dark. We´d been going to bed between 8 and 9PM when it was still light outside! The pilgrims that I met last night were so much fun! It´s amazing that people of different ages (20-50+) and nationalities share a journey and bond so well. Maybe we should send all the world leaders on the Camino!

This morning, I slept in a bit. Then had a lovely breakfast at the hotel and I read a newspaper for the first time in three weeks!

Paul and I then went to the pilgrim office and got our Compostelas. It´s a diploma/certificate document in Latin, attesting to the completion of the Camino. Then we went to the Pilgrim´s Mass at the Cathedral. It was packed with so many of the people we had come to know along the way. And lots of locals and tourists. Throughout the mass, we could see hands coming around from behind the statue of Santiago on the altar! Kinda funny.....

I had been debating with myself all along the Camino as to whether or not I should take communion, as I am not Catholic. But then I talked to a fellow pilgrim (an Anglican from England) who told me that he had met a man along the way who turned out to be one of the priests at the mass the day before! And he told the priest that he had been unsure if he should take communion, and the priest said it was not frowned upon and that he was welcome. So I did take communion. And I have to confess that as I walked back to my seat, I got a little choked up. I´m not sure why, really. I´m still processing that one....

So, now I´m off to do a bit of shopping before another gathering planned for tonight that promises to be just as fun.

I have an early flight toMadrid tomorrow morning. I´m planning on spending the day at the Prado Museum. Then flying home on Sunday and sleeping .... in my own bed.... by myself ..... where no one will be snoring ....... and I might even have a HOT shower! Ahhhhhh.... the luxury!