Praza do Obradoiro

I can’t really describe the emotions on arriving in the Praza do Obradoiro, and finally standing in here front of the Catedral de Santiago.

There’s a Galician gaita piper (think bagpipes) piping us in, as you come down the steps and through an arch. And then, there you are, in the corner of a large square with, to your left, the famous facade of the Catedral looming above.

I’ve been crying tears of joy, wonder, and relief to have made it here after walking just under 390 km. The square is filled with other peregrinos, sharing what I suspect are a similar range of emotions, greeting and congratulating one another. There are many too who are just sitting and watching, some in groups and a number on their own, taking in the scene, as the pipes sound out across the square.

I am so very grateful to have reached this special place, and to have met so many wonderful fellow travellers along the Way.

Having just looked it up, I’m also struck by the translation of the name of this square. Praza do Obradoiro means the Square of the Workshop (probably because it used to be a place where craftsmen had their workshops). The Camino has been something of a workshop for me, and I’m pretty sure for most of my fellow pilgrims too, at the gentle hands of a master carpenter from Nazareth.

And it’s quite a nice feeling to be able to sit down in the square, knowing I don’t have to walk 20 km tomorrow!Read more