Portuguese Coastal Camino

August 26, 2025 8 kilometers. I made it! My hip and knee behaved and after leaving behind farms and forests, I traded the peace and quiet for the busy bustle of the city.
It's been a busy day. I took my photos in front of the Cathedral, lined up for my Compostela (which is a certificate of completion of the Camino) and my distance certificate. Even in the busiest month of the year, there was hardly any wait at all at the Pilgrim's Office.
After getting my documents, I attended an English mass in the pilgrims chapel and headed over to the Franciscan church for another certificate dedicated to walking at least part of the route St. Francis of Assisi walked 800 years ago.
That was just the morning. In the afternoon, I had a celebratory lunch of tuna empanadas, followed by octopus and seafood paella. I had to skip dessert because my leisurely lunch almost made me late for my yoga stretching session that I signed up for. After some stretching (I really need to be more flexible), we finished with a 20 minute "sound bath" meditation where we were immersed in the musical vibrations of gongs, chimes and multiple singing bowls. It was relaxing and very cool!
I attended the evening Pilgrim's mass in the Cathedral and then lined up to descend to the crypt to see the resting place of St. James. Afterwards, we climbed up behind the altar to "leave our burdens" with the statue of St. James. These are rituals that pilgrims have followed for centuries after finishing their Camino.
I still have a guided night tour of the Cathedral at 10:30 tonight. It will be in Spanish, but I'll get a small group visit to the church which will be nice.
What a day! Did I mention that I teared up when I got my Compostela? Being a pilgrim is not for the faint of heart! Buen Camino!Leggi altro