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Final Day. In Santiago de Compostela
We again attended the noon Mass which was longer and more elaborate than yesterday. More priests and nuns and the purification ceremony of swinging the incense burner took place. Apparently some well-heeled peregrinos ponied up the 500 Euros for this. Very impressive. We also took a tour of the upper floors and roof of the cathedral and learned it's history.
We are staying in Hostal de Los Reyes Catolicos - Parador Santiago de Compostela. First opened as a Royal Hospital for pilgrims in 1499 and is now thought to be the oldest hotel in the world. Five star and out of this world beautiful with four separate cloisters, long wood lined halls and traditional furnishings & decor.
My thoughts on the Camino are all over the map. Still don't know why I wanted us to do it and yet am very glad we did. We have so many memories of rural Spain and its culture that we could get no other way. Most good, some not, but all firmly imprinted in us.
Before the walk I was toying with thoughts of taking more work, perhaps even full-time. Now I am pretty sure I will not. Too many items on the bucket list, and besides, work is over-rated. So in that sense the walk helped.
I was continually impressed by people we met, their reasons for walking and how much they travel. And how many times they come back to the Camino. I now understand we are home-bodies at heart, not nomads. Future trips will be shorter. But likely not to the Camino as there is so much else to experience. I learned Lynn has as much perseverance as I do & with just as positive an outlook.
We are booked on a flight to Paris tomorrow then to Vancouver on Sunday. We were planning on doing some touring in Spain but we felt we just wanted to remember this time as THE CAMINO. And, frankly, we're plain tuckered out!
Thanks for joining us as we blogged and slogged our way across northern Spain.
Adios y Hasta Luego
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