Day 36: Santiago de Compostela

Weatherwise, today was the dreariest day of our Camino—but our satisfaction in finally reaching Santiago de Compostela far offset the 22 kilometer slog through chilly rain, wind, and fog.

Plus we then lucked out with a fantastic lunch at Restaurante Barbantes near the Cathedral, followed by a warm welcome at the hostal we’re staying at through Tuesday morning. After pausing to smell countless roses along the Way, I loved finding a fragrant pink rose on the nightstand in our room.

Once settled in, we walked a few more blocks to get our Compostelas at the Pilgrims Office. It was a pretty expedient process where we scanned a QR code with our phones, filled out an online form, and then got a number that was quickly called via a DMV type digital board. A couple of stamps later, and we’d officially completed our pilgrimage.

We’re looking forward to the massages we’ve scheduled for tomorrow morning, to touring the Cathedral, and to eating more delicious food over the next couple of days.Read more