Camino Pilgrimage Day 10

May 25, 2016

Santiago de Compostela! We've reached our destination, some of us a little the worse for wear, with 'tweaked' knees, muscle aches and pains in our legs and backs, and of course, those irritating blisters on our feet. Although I tweaked my knee on our first day of walking and was worried it might keep me from completing my pilgrimage journey, a knee brace and hiking poles kept me going. To know that I was able to walk these last 100+ miles to Santiago, slogging through mud and picking my way over stony ground, up hills and down, in blazing sun and torrential downpours, not only gives me a sense of accomplishment, but also a sense of immense humility as I realize my accomplishment is minuscule compared to that of my fellow pilgrims who walked the entire 487.7 miles of the French Camino. As I watched them drop their backpacks and lie on the ground in the cathedral plaza with their arms outstretched, I wondered if this posture was in thanksgiving that they had reached their destination or  simply exhaustion from the many miles traveled (or maybe it was a little of both). Whatever the reason, I felt very connected to them, having shared at least part of their journey.

Today's route took us initially through dense eucalyptus forests, although they soon gave way to asphalt roads and city traffic as we made our way through modern-day Santiago to the cathedral in the historic center. Rain came and went, with my poncho on and off. For the most part, however, it was a fairly pleasant walk. The worst downpour occurred when we were in Lavacolla for our morning coffee. As soon as we walked under cover at the bar, the heavens opened up. We simply waited it out, giving us an excuse to linger a little longer over coffee and have an extra pastry.

We stopped for a quick lunch near Monte do Gozo (Mount of Joy) and from that vantage point caught our first glimpse of the cathedral spires, just like medieval pilgrims did before us. From there we proceeded as a group into Santiago. After reaching the cathedral, we toured the plazas surrounding the church and then made our way to our hotel to shower and rest a bit before meeting up with our group at 8:30 for a celebratory dinner. Becky, Marianne and I decided to attend the 7:30 pilgrims" mass at the cathedral that evening. At the end of mass 8 men dressed in red cloaks untied the botafumeiro (a giant incense burner weighing @ 120 pounds) and began pulling on the ropes to swing it as high as possible over the congregation. It was a sight to behold!

We said goodbye to our guides David and Carol this evening and will say goodbye to each other tomorrow morning after our tour together of the cathedral. Becky, Marianne and I head to Lisbon on Friday to meet up with Rich and Jerry. Buen Camino to all my fellow pilgrims who shared this journey with me: to David and Carol who always had smiles on their faces even when David's feet were aching and sore; to Belli, Robyn, Carolyn and Gay who shared so many Camino miles with me; to Leah, Marcie and Joleen who I didn't walk with but got to know better over our communal meals; and to all the other pilgrims I met on the road whose names I never learned, but who offered  help and encouragement along the way. I wish you all well and safe journeys.