Santiago

End of the physical Camino, Santiago Compostela, and the end of our walking journey. Although we ended our walking in Portomarin, we caught a bus to Santiago, spent the night, then went to the Pilgrim Center to see if we had walked enough to earn our “compostelas,” the diploma given for walking at least 100km of the Camino, and sure enough we had! We also received certifications for how much we had walked (in Latin, no less!).

And of course, we ran into people whom we had met along the way, including a German fellow we met all the way back in Roncesvalles, day one!

The cathedral is huge (as you can see in the picture) and the plaza is equally so. It was quite a feeling, having thought and planned for well over a year, then walking (and busing and training and dialyzing) for five weeks. To reach the physical termination point of our Camino was both a relief and a letdown, of sorts. What to do now that we had fulfilled this long quest?

Many people return to walk the Camino again. Possibly taking another route. (There are many Camino routes, though the one that we walked—the Camino Frances—is the most commonly traveled one, and therefore the one that best supported my need for dialysis.) Sean spoke of that possibility. For me, I think I’ve “scratched that itch” and pushed my physical limits as far to the edge as I can. We’ll see.

For now, we will enjoy our halfway Compostelas, full Compostelas, mileage certificates, photos, friendships, and memories. And, hopefully, a good night’s sleep.Читать далее