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India and Nepal 2022
Sigueiro to Santiago de Compostela
I walked the last 16kms on my own this morning and I enjoyed being in the Camino 'zone'. As the sun shone through the forest, I took off outer layers of clothing and put on 'The Way' music to get me into the rhythm.
There is a sense of anticipation as you reach the outskirts of the city as pilgrims from England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland have done, walking this route over the centuries. The solitude of the morning in the forest finally gave way to a busy city with hundreds of tourists. It's quite a difference.
I walked into the main square where the Cathedral is situated and felt quite emotional. A couple of tears ran down my cheeks as I recalled other Camino endings at this place and the wonderful times I had shared with very special people.
As in perfect symmetry, five minutes after arriving, I bumped into my Australian friends who I had met a few minutes on departing from Ferrol six days earlier.
The queue for Compostela certificates at the new pilgrims office was long and we had to wait over an hour to be processed.
I walked up to my favourite bar, A Gramola and watched as pilgrims of all nationalities, all ages, all shapes and sizes, take the final few hundred metres to complete their journeys. I was joined by the two Polish pilgrims, Adam and Andi and a couple of glasses of wine and a large anis later, I felt very mellow.
I felt a mixture of joy, a sense of achievement and real poignancy. The Camino experience is very special each and every time.
- comments
Peter Hayes Hi Bro - great achievement. Very inspiring to others and camaraderie for a lifetime. Priceless! Peter & Pam
Philip hayes Brilliant another notch on your belt.
Carol Frey Miller Even though your 2016 Camino happened seven months ago, Rich, your blog makes me want to congratulate as if you'd just walked into the cathedral plaza! Thanks for free ride, my friend. Ed and I look forward to a fabulous 2017 walking the Camino Ingles in September and then watching our daughter get married to a very sweet guy. I'm also eager to know what you've learned in Myanmar about helping in another culture. So I'm going to be lurking on richalive. Fair warning! God bless you and yours, friend.