Alameda Park

Started my walk into Santiago in the dark using the flashlight on my phone because I lost my second headlamp🥺

Clear night and the sky was lit with stars. All of the winter star sky😍. It was beautiful....

I heard an owl either catch something or it was a screech owl? I am unsure....I also heard one hooting. It truly was magical.

I did go off track..but discovered the error very quickly.

Marched into Santiago and arrived at the Pilgrims office just when it was opening at 9.

I was so happy to receive my Compostela 😅👏

Then I had breakfast. Delicious.

When I walked back down to the Cathedral at 10 there was an enormous line. I thought it was for the Noon Mass so I stood in line as well. When I got to the front I was told it was the wrong lineup and had to walk to the opposite side of the Cathedral. I was successful in getting in and a great seat

It was a packed service. The highlight was the Botafumeira.
Please watch the video on the wiki link....it is so cool.

https://es.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Botafumeiro

They obviously do not have smoke detectors in the Cathedral🤣 I wondered about people with asthma🤔 It was so smokey with the strong smell of Frankincense incense. What an experience😁

Afterwards I met up with Stacey and Denise, Debra and Jennifer.
I had what was called a warm salad. Spinach, mushrooms onions and carrots topped with buffalo milk mozzarella cheese!!
Wowsers👍 It was so good🥰

I then found my Albergue and figured out my next adventure.
I am taking a rest day tomorrow then walking to the Coast Muxia and then Finisterre.

I saw John at the Supermercados tonight. He did so well!! But he's very tired....like me. I am in a 4 bunk bed room. Hopefully I will sleep well tonight🤞🍀Read more

No alarm clock this morning, no need to shove wet insoles into hiking boots, no reason to stuff all of our possessions into a damp backpack and heave it up onto our shoulders….we are here! Thankfully “here” means a comfy hostel with a hot shower.
With the way we feel, the famous and extravagant Parador Hotel just across from the Cathedral has nothing on this place. Rest and recovery day are in tall order- my right ankle is sore and my legs are still tired from yesterday and all of the days before. Time to slow back down, think about traveling home, collect our thoughts and review lessons learned from this ancient pilgrimage we’ve followed. I keep looking at my beautiful Compostela and my Credencial and can hardly believe we did it! Officially we covered 180 miles for our certificate but according to my IWatch we completed 207.44 miles! We were told that this has been the wettest October in Galacia for 90 years (our luck!)
I can remember the days that were hardest and the days where our miles led me to the most beautiful sights and my most prayerful moments. Walking the Camino has been just a dream for me for many years and I’m so happy to have done it now. I wish this joyful, content and peaceful feeling to all pilgrims who are searching. We went to Mass again today at noon and were fortunate enough to see the Botafumeiro, a large thurible, swing and release incense throughout the church- such an ancient rite and amazing today even in our technologically minded world. It was maneuvered by eight robed men, called tiraboleiros and swung from the main dome- reportedly it can reach speeds of 60 km/hr as it swings from side to side along the church naves! We saw many of our pilgrimage friends at Mass- so many friendships made with people not soon forgotten. After Mass we strolled around the town and admired the shops and the town squares (prazas) especially again the Praza do Obradoiro and the west facing façade of the Cathedral. One of the guide books I had read said to search for, “St. James looking down upon the pilgrims from his niche in the central tower” and seeing him up there I know he smiled down on us, especially today! We treated ourselves to a yummy seafood paella for lunch, bought some fruit, cheese, olives and a baguette for dinner tonight and headed back to the hostel to nap before our trip home tomorrow. Time to get back to reality, time to live with a greater appreciation of all that I have been given. I’m changed but I’m the same me just one hoping to be a better witness of my faith and possibly walk another Camino one day!
Time will tell- only God knows. ✝️🥰🙏🏻Read more