• ShaunLCCamino de Santiago - May 2025Traveler
    On the outskirts of Santiago
    Early morning forests before sunriseWelcome! 7km to go.Me and my shadow still going strongAlmost at the squareGlimpses of the cathedralThe traditional welcome2I did it!I got in at 10am in the dotIan, Karen and Marissa coming in1Me, ?, Karen, Kim, Marissa, IanLee and Maz jumping for joy1Nora wa happy, watched by KyleThe streets of Santiago

    Day 35 - The final leg

    June 3 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C

    O Amenal to Santiago de Compostela
    17.8km
    Accumulated distance 849.1km
    I didn’t sleep too well, so up early and out the door for the last time at 6.30am for the approx 15km. The sun wasn’t up but light enough to walk, although the forests had a different feel with less light, but familiar birdsong was starting up. Surprisingly others were on the trail too, everyone keen to finish the final push.
    I didn’t see anyone I knew on the trail, so a quiet walk and good pace.
    A late breakfast with about 6km to go, and collected my last ever stamp in the passport so that I could claim my compostela.
    The last 5km or so were the outskirts of Santiago so not much to see and experience as I walked along the footpaths.
    The last stretch along the pedestrian street approaching the cathedral has a surreal feeling, then the Italian chap in front of me and I both took a wrong turn, had to backtrack and then the last few hundred metres into Obradoiro square.
    It was a funny experience, no excitement or emotion, we just arrived. There weren’t many pilgrims in yet, so a bit subdued, and with some construction work going on. Me and the Italian wished each other, had a hug, shared photos, then I waited for familiar faces. The clock stuck 10 which was nice. No bagpipes to welcome us either.
    I bumped into Claire and mum from Perth, we parted ways just after Alto Pedron. It was really nice to share the experience with her.
    At 10.30 the bagpipes started up, which was nice. Then Ian, Karen and Marissa came it, which was very exciting. We went and received our certificates and back to the square to wait.
    Then the others started. I spotted Kyle from Florida and caught up. Then Maz and Leigh arrived, very exciting and they were quite emotional, and had Richard from Byron Bay too.
    Out of the blue Nora arrived, she’d been in town a couple of days already. So good to have everyone together.
    A shower and freshen up, then out to lunch with Maz, Leigh and Richard for a great steak.
    Nothing happened for dinner, everyone fell asleep. I did pop out, saw Nora again, also Clair and mum, and saw Kelly and hubby (?) from US who’d I’d last seen before Burgos. I didn’t eat, back to the pension for an early night.
    What a day!
    Moment of the day was sitting in the square greeting the pilgrims, just fantastic! The energy and excitement just built up as the square filled up.    Read more