A Estrada to Santiago (33 km)

The walk was good, I felt good, and so I pushed on to Santiago.

It’s been years since I felt this good walking into Santiago. Last year, injury; year before, COVID; and several years before that it was just a flat feeling. But today, even though it was a long hot day, and even though I got really messed up coming into the city, when I walked into Obradoiro, I felt like things were soaring—gratitude, happiness to be alive, realizing how lucky I am to be physically able to walk the camino. I sat and watched as hundreds of other pilgrims came into the square, just sat and watched. I didn’t know any of them, yet I think we shared a bond.

For some crazy reason, I went to the Pilgrim’s office to get my compostela. One more to put in the closet. There’s a new, much more automated system in the office, and I couldn’t help but compare back to my first compostela in 2000. No familiar faces there for the first time in years. Things change.

This afternoon and evening were for spending time with good friends. And now I’m going to bed. Rest day in Santiago tomorrow.Leia mais