Santiago! and Finesstere

We decided to walk the last 32 miles to Santiago in two days.  So, once again,  we put in a 20 mile day, but this time with more ease.  It was still close to a 10 hour day, but we started out by 5 a.m and arrived by 3:00pm.  This section of the Camino is beautiful with paths through wooded areas most of the day.

We stopped at small villages along the Camino and really tried to enjoy the day.  We collected about 5 different stamps to make sure we wouldn't be denied a Compestella.  This day was the most crowded with pilgrims that we had seen, even though we started fron a smaller town.  We had decided not to make a reservation with an albergue as there are many large ones with well over 1,000 beds in town.  I was sure that we wouldn't have trouble as the previous days were half full at best.

As we arrived at 3pm, we were greeted with "completo" signs at the first few albergues.   As we looked for a bed, it was clear every albergue and pension We're was sold out.  We left the girls in town as Marion couldn't walk any extra steps,  later to be picked up by car.

We followed some signs to a new casa rural, a type of pension with a private room, but shared bathroom.   We secured the last two room, 10 minutes before the owner received a call asking for a reservation.   Our last night on the Camino would be spent in "luxury" with real beds, sheets, towels and soap in the bathroom.   Juliana couldn't believe that there were 6 extra rolls of toilet paper in the bathroom.

We skipped laundry for once and walked into town for dinner.  We ate at a nice cafe with a very funny waitress.  I ordered my favorite,  grilled chicken sandwich,  the first time seeing it in Spain.   We were catching all the breaks today.  As pilgrims were still arriving in town, they were looking for non-existent beds.  I'm not sure where they slept or what happens during the busiest times on the Camino.   Resources were obviously stretched beyond capacity.

We woke up at 4:30 the next morning so we could arrive in Santiago by 11am and attend the noon pilgrims mass at the Cathedral.   I had thought the last day would be our easiest and we would be skipping and dancing into Santiago.  But the stress of having to be somewhere by a certain time wad foreign to us for the last month.  We had walked with a general idea of where we would go for the day, but were free to make changes.   We had no reservations or time commitments. ..we had been free.

I snapped at Gisela to pick up the pace and said we could only stop once for food.  This was the best fuel for a mutiny and the three girls plotted against me.  Clearly,  I had forgotten what this pilgrimage was about and what is most important in life.  I gathered the family for a group hug, prayer and apology,  and we were back on track.

We held hands together and our pace quickened.  The Camino was filled with pilgrims and tourists who get dropped off by buses to walk into Santiago.   We hit the town, but still had aways to walk to the Cathedral.   Our pace slowed again as we were feeling the effects of the previous day's 20 miles and the past 475 miles.

We arrived at the Cathedral at 11am, and a great sense of joy and relief immediately came over me.  I was walking ahead with Juliana and we had a quick hug and shout of celebration.  Then we were off to get our compostela at the pilgrims office and mass at the Cathedral.   We saw some friends from the Camino and shared celebration hugs.  Since taking two days off for illness in Ponferrada,  we lost track of most of the pilgrims we were walking with.  We had made uo a day by walking 70 miles in 4 days, so those that stayed an extra day were still around.

Celebrating In Front of the Cathedral

Although I speak some Spanish,  it isn't good enough to understand the mass.  The church is truly remarkable and it was moving to see so many pilgrims.  There was a group of 10 nuns who had walked the camino and were at the service with us.  The expression on their faces showed how much their pilgrimage had meant to them.

I'm not sure of the look on my face,  but this was very special to me as well.  With Juliana turning 18 and starting college,  we don't know if we will ever have a family trip like this again.  The simplicity of the Camino is so calming to the soul, but will be lost once we return to our normal lives.  Our first Camino turned us into minimalists already, but there are a few changes that we talked about changing, including walking and hiking more, and more volunteer work.

We bought a few souvenirs then headed to pick up our rental car to drive out to Finisterre.   We had contemplated walking ti Finisterre,  but with my tendinitis and the group's general condition,  we decided to drive it.  I didn't want to walk it as it is the Camino de Santiago,  not Finisterre,  but wouldn't fault anyone who wanted to continue.  Walking is addictive and as much as we were ready to stop,  a small part of me wanted to wake up the next morning,  throw my pack on, and walk anywhere.

Gisela and Joe Cooper at KM 0.0

As we arrived in Finisterre,  I was glad we hadn't walked.  Finisterre is a nice beach town with a peninsula jetting out into the ocean with a lighthouse,  but it isn't the same as arriving at the Cathedral and attending mass.  We slept in a nice hotel by the beach again with the luxury of towels, a private bath, blankets, etc.  The next morning was Juliana's 18th birthday and we are celebrating by flying to London.   She is thrilled to complete a Camino before turning 18 and be in 2 different countries on her birthday.   London has always been the goal and carrot for Marion as she has recently fallen in love with British culture.

Julie at KM 0.0

So, thus ends our Camino for now.   We have talked about what we have learned, how we have grown,  and how this pilgrimage will change our lives.  I ask Juliana and Marion if they will someday walk the Camino with their kids.  As I asked the question,  I came to realize how out there we really are.  Who tells their two teenage daughters we are walking 500 miles this summer?...Joe and Gisela Cooper.

I hope that you have enjoyed our story.  I'm humbled at the number of people who have been reading this blog.  I encourage you to leave comments and share this with you friends.  If anyone is considering walking the Camino with their family,  I highly recommend it.  It may not be easy,  but it will be days that you will never forget for the rest of your life.

God Bless.

The girls before the Pilgrim's mass at noon.

The path into Santiago

Inside the church at pilgrim's mass

One of the countless arrow markers

Julie - last day of walking