Day 9: Santiago de Compostella!

 

As we set out for our last day of walking, these feet look better than they feel. But they have served us well.

Though I am eager to get to Santiago, in some ways, I wish this pilgrimage would never end. I guess you could say it doesn't.

Thinking about the many pilgrims--peregrinos--who walked by this door.

So many lovely sights along the way.

To take our minds off the hill we are about to ascend, we talk about the things on the Camino that surprised us and that we learned. Given the warnings about the rainy weather, I was surprised by all the sunny days. I learned that I have to learn the same things over and over (patience, living in the moment, not jumping to quick conclusions).

As the day wore on, we said extra prayers.

The cows always provided comic relief. "I'm not ready for my closeup," the one above seems to be thinking. The two scents that I will forever associate with the Camino are fresh mountain air and cow manure. The ying and the yang.

These adorable dogs were funny too. They were yapping up a storm; definitely not camino dogs who barely glance our way as we walk by.

We have shared the Camino with quite a few bikers. They go fast on the downhill, but in the mud, not so much.

As Santiago approaches, we will leave the countryside behind.

And start to see the scallop on roads.

And sidewalks.

At a hill overlooking the city is a Monument to Pope St. John Paul II and St. Francis of Assisi, both pilgrims to Santiago.

We approach the city blessedly on the downhill.

This Templar Knight pilgrim greeted us as we entered Santiago. The Templar Knights helped protect the Camino route, among other things. Though we are in the city, we still have a couple more miles to go.

Our first glimpse of the Cathedral. "A Pilgrim's Guide to the Camino de Santiago"--the bible for the Camino--by John Brierley that we have been following says to take time to arrive and honor one's reactions. A few things about this: we aren't able to take much time because upon arrival, we have only a half hour to check into the hotel, which is fortunately across the street from the Cathedral, and then find the chapel in the Cathedral where Mass is being celebrated. 

At any rate, my first reactions are relief that we have finally arrived; I'm exhausted (I understand why St. Francis of Assisi, who was also a Camino pilgrim, referred to the body as Brother Donkey) and slight disappointment that one of the spires of the Cathedral is covered in scaffolding. But never mind because I have learned not to always trust my first impressions and there are more chapters to this story!

On the way to the Cathedral we meet our new friends from Australia. They started on March 23 and walked the entire Camino!

Father Michael prepares to celebrate Mass for our group in the Chapel of the Pillar.

The red Cross of St. James, high on the chapel wall.

The chapel ceiling.

The ever present scallop shell, now at the source of its symbol. So is the pilgrimage complete?