Day 12 - Life is good (Santa Irene to Santiago 24 km)
Wow! That was some 24 hours! Where do I begin?
On Friday morning, Dan and I started in the darkness together one last time. There were no stars to see as the fog was too thick and light came before it dissipated. There were so many familiar sights on this day - memories from 2019 with my first Camino family brought many smiles to my face. The path was full today with both familiar and new faces with a look of anticipation in everyone's eyes. We met and chatted with Elizabeth from Boston who was on her final leg of the Frances. Prior to entering the centre of the city, we stopped and waited for Marine and Erlind who had walked with Dan from near the beginning of the Norte.
It is hard to describe the walk into the cathedral square for a second time. I can liken it to the feeling that I had when I arrived in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port at the end of my Podiensis three weeks ago. I felt like I was home with my Camino family again. All of them. The ones who have walked over 1,000 km, the ones who only walked for a few days, the ones who limped in on broken bodies, and those who will continue on from here. We are all family.
I was overjoyed by the many familiar faces who greeted us and who we greeted as they arrived. It was very difficult to leave the square. I personally was overwhelmed by the extreme happiness that exuded from the pilgrims and I felt happier for them than for myself. Each one had endured some sort of struggle, had made a life changing decision, had met incredible friends, or simply checked off a bucket list item. Being in that square with my fellow pilgrims, almost all of them strangers, brought great joy to my heart. I cannot adequately describe the happiness I feel when I'm with this special group of people. I could sit in the square all day to experience the warmth and joy.
The congratulatory hugs and photos continued for quite a while in the square. Eventually we made our way to the pilgrim's office to get our number to pick up the pieces of paper we had all worked so hard for. Once that was completed, we checked into our lodging, cleaned ourselves up and prepared for dinner.
The family dinner was outstanding. Nine of us from eight-ish countries enjoyed a delicious meal and wonderful stories from our adventures over the past several weeks. We continued on for extra refreshments at a very unique basement drinking establishment. More memories were made.
After breakfast on Saturday, Dan and I went to the cathedral for morning mass and we were very excited to learn that the Botafumeiro would be used. This is the swinging incense burner that is propelled high above the congregation by several men pulling on a rope (https://aleteia.org/2018/11/27/the-botafumeiro-an-incense-burner-so-large-it-needs-a-whole-church-to-swing/) It was amazing! At the service I also saw new friends from the past few days - Elizabeth from Boston, the group from Atlanta, and Angela from Kirkland. I had more great chats with these wonderful people.
There were many goodbyes over the last 24 hours and many more to come. But this group of pilgrims I have met in the past seven weeks will always be family to me. I am very grateful for the discussions we have had, the joy and pain we have shared, the lessons they have taught me.
And now for my Camino brother Dan. He has walked over 1300 km and I have walked almost 1100 (so far). Over 800 of those km were together. We have learned a great deal about each other in that time and without hesitation I can say that I would walk to the edge of the world with this man - just not as fast. He truly is my brother and I look forward to our next adventure.
Dan will be heading home in a few days while tomorrow, I will begin my final three days of walking to Muxia on the Atlantic coast.
Finally, for all of you who have followed my journey on Facebook or on my blog, I thank you for your comments and for your support. I am eternally grateful for my family, my friends and my fellow pilgrims for your interest in my ramblings. For interest sake, since I started this journey, my website has been accessed by almost 2,000 unique visitors from 23 countries (10 provinces in Canada, 22 states in the USA). I am truly gobsmacked by these numbers. Thank you!
I still have some walking to do and more travel in Spain and France before I head back to Canada so I'm not sure when I'll post again.
Stay safe my friends. Buen Camino.
