Ultreia (onward)!

I fished my Camino on the 4th of July. It's a great feeling as you approach the Cathedral in Santiago and hear the bagpiper playing. For those of you who don't know, Galicia was settled by Celtic people long ago.

The scene in the plaza is one of celebration, laughter, tears, singing, cheering, and applause. Within a few minutes, I ran into people I had met along the way. I went to the Pilgrims' Mass at the Cathedral and got to see the Botofumeiro swing. It's a giant incense burner that swings from the ceiling on a long rope. It takes 6 men to operate it.

After a couple of days in Santiago, I took the train to the city of A Coruna, on the coast. It's a beautiful city, with an 8 mile promenade along the beaches and harbors. There is so much to see that I've decided to stay an extra night.Read more