O Pedrouzo to Santiago de Compostela

34 days of walking. 500 miles through 274 cities, towns, and hamlets. Roughly 1,023,000 steps in 170 hours of walking. I’ve made it to Santiago de Compostela and completed the Camino Francés!

I started walking early this morning at 7:00 am and got to Santiago in time to get my Compostela (certificate of completion as well as a secondary certificate of distance completed). I then went to the Cathedral and attended the noon pilgrims mass. Pilgrims (in announcements in multiple languages) were reminded before communion that if they were not Catholic, they were not welcome at the Lord’s table; that caused a lot of people just stand up and leave at that point. I stayed for five more minutes and then followed the other outcasts out through a church side door. Sigh.

I then had a hamburger and a glass of wine before walking to the Anglican Pilgrim Centre. I was hoping to stop in and take some photos for their website which I help support, but no one answered the door. So, I checked into my hotel and rested a bit before venturing out again.

Tonight is the eve of Ascension Day, so tomorrow is a bank holiday. Concerts were going on in huge outdoor stage venues on opposing sides of the cathedral. I watched the music events and then tucked in very late (midnight!) as I have a bus tour early tomorrow to Finisterre and Muxia.

I’m feeling loved and supported and grateful to have the time away from my ministry work to do the Camino Frances. And I’m looking forward to seeing my husband, Bryan, in a couple days and enjoying some time together cruising the Mediterranean.

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