With two days of hiking left and another long 19 mile day, we got up early to get some milege in while it was still cool. I again had to use my headlamp for the first bit. As we meander through villages, we have to keep our eyes out for the shell markers and yellow arrows. Here's one with dark blue tiles on the side of a house.
We went through more eucalyptus forests which was lovely in the morning. We also didn't enounter as many pilgrims since we got a head start.
There are many more villages now that we've joined the Frances route. Every mile or so we see coffee shops and cafes. They are getting more bougie, too, with landscapped yards and ornamental shrubs. The prices are higher, too. The sparse villages in Asturias might sell a pilgrim meal for $14 and a bed for $12. Now the prices are $20 for each. But it's a nice touch of luxury after weeks of bare minimum accomodations.
The coffee and cake were a delicious break, but the trail awaits. In the distance, we noticed some rain clouds heading our way. We had been so blessed by the weather with only one rainy day so far, and even that more of a mist. We decided to put on our rain gear since that was the direction we were headed.
When it started to rain, we were just entering a town. We quickly grabbed an outside table with an awning cover at one of the cafes and decided to wait it out. I ordered bubbly water and put my feet up. As the rain stopped, we headed out again. My pace was a bit quicker than usual and I pulled away from the group. It became more normal for us to walk separately at this point, especially now that we all knew the ending point. I found this sign along the road and it made me realize how far we've come. Lugo was days ago, and tomorrow would be Santiago.
As I approached our last village of O Pedrouzo, this mural caught my eye. It's the first of many signs how close we're getting.
In O Pedrouzo, we stayed in a cute appartment. I was standing in the balcony to welcome the ladies as they arrived.
We had a private room with 4 twin beds, all on the bottom floor. But the best part was the ceiling fan!! Oh such luxury to have cool air all night long! We shared a bathroom with 3 other guests on our hallway.
The tiny kitchenette was perfect. They had a coffee machine with cake, yogurt, and fresh fruit in the fridge. We just had to be quiet since we got up earlier than the other guests.
Our final day of hiking was a short one, only 12 miles. We read about the long lines to get your certificate and enter the church, so we left at 6am with a brisk pace. We stayed together on this final day and got a picture with the marker showing only 10 KM left.
There were lots of bicycles now whipping by us. The trails were crowded with people and church youth groups. The cafe stops had long lines for the bathrooms, and at this point, we were going into the mens if it was open. My toilet paper roll also came in handy as many bathrooms were out.
When we arrived on the outskirst of the city, the look on our faces was priceless. We were trying to look happy and smile because we finally made it to Santiago, but there is pain and exhaustion hidden beneath. Our brisk pace early on took it's toll. We are tired and ready to be done. We've walked almost 200 miles to get here, only this isn't the cathedral. Not yet. We still have another agonizing mile or two through the city.
As we approached the old square, we realized we were on the home stretch. We gathered our strength from each other to take those final steps. This was it.. we're almost there!
Overcome with joy at our arrival, the smile below is REAL! I had made it. From the cathedral in Oviedo to the destination in Santiago, my pilgrimage is complete.
After we all took our selfies with the church which houses the remains of the Apostle James, we huddled up for a group hug around the center shell in the courtyard. Just as my first post showed the beginning of my Camino journey with a shell, it ends with one. I needed these ladies to help me those 200 miles, and I hope in some small way I helped them in return.
The tomb of St. James inside the cathedral.
With our compostela certificate in hand, it was time to find our bed for the night and rest. But how do you check in when it's all locked up? These were the front doors to the convent.
Their doors opened up again at 4pm, but the confusion remained.
There's another set of locked doors. After walking around the block a bit looking for a reception desk or something, I came back here to see a line of people waiting at the window to the left. A sweet little nun was behind those bars selling their baked goods. I stood in line and, when it was my turn to approach, I asked where to check in for our rooms. She was confused and didn't speak English, so I did my best charades until a kind stranger came up to translate for me.
Their nun in charge of hospitality, Sister Monseratt, led us through 11 doors and what felt like a maze. We had sets of keys so we'd have access to the hallways. With thick walls and heavy doors, I felt super protected.
Halie and I shared a simple 2-twin bedroom. The windows opened up into a small courtyard in the middle of the monastary. This Benedictine Monastary is right next to the cathedral and housed the monks who watched over St. James at the church. When they built a new monastary, the Benedictine nuns moved in and now it's a convent.
After dinner while relaxing in bed, Halie pulled up the numbers from today. The 4 of us were part of the 3,079 pilgrims who arrived today in Santiago de Compostela from all the routes combined.
The next morning, we were treated to a wonderful breakfast. The priest from yesterday's Mass also joined us. We were served coffee, cake, fruit, and local cheese with fresh bread.
The Camino has an extension route that goes to the Atlantic Ocean in Finnisterre. It takes an extra 3 days. There's also a bus tour where you're there and back in 8 hours. We opted for the latter. One of the stops on the bus tour was this lovely town voted as the most beautiful village of Spain.
In another town, we stopped for lunch. I was wanting a traditional Spanish meal of paella. It's a massive bowl of rice with lots of seafood on top. We ordered paella for two and the four of us couldn't even finish it all.
We saw several locals order Pimientos de Padrón, or little green chilis as appetizers. So we ordered them, too. They were really good and not spicy like I imagined. It tasted like grilled okra with a hint of green bell pepper. The meal paired well with sangria.
Our destination was to the "End of the World" as many early explorers believed. Some believed the earth was flat, and this was the end. Others thought it was round and the vast ocean lead you back around to India.
Pilgrims who walk this extended route often leave their shoes here. There is no where else to walk, and they have worn out the soles. Sally did the same thing, but she left her shoes in Santiago.
After the bus ride, we met up with our Camino friends in Santiago for dinner. We saw Juli, Dino, Iris, Sandra (she walked from The Netherlands), and two brothers from Australia. We had a toast, laughed, and gave big hugs before we had to be back at the convent for curfew.
The next morning we had another great breakfast by the nuns. We convinced Sister Monseratt to take a picture with us before we headed to Madrid.
The 3-hr train ride was nice and relaxing. With nothing but sight seeing to do, we took an Uber into the city. I was jealous that Eleanor and Sally had a 2nd suitcase waiting with fresh clothes. They were going on to Barcelona next before coming back to the US.
It was fun just walking around. Halie did some souvenir shopping and found those delicious, thin, chocolately cookies from the Asturias region! I told her to buy me 2 bags to bring home to my family and coworkers.
Madrid is the capitol of Spain. In this large plaza we saw the Palacio de las Cortes, or the Palace of the Congress of Deputies, one of the two chambers of the Spanish Parliament.
Back near the hotel, we went out for dinner. We realized we never officially celebrated Halie's 50th birthday which was the motivation for this trip.
Eleanor and Sally departed the following morning for Barcelona while Halie and I enjoyed another day to relax. Our lunch spot was a bit unique. The restaurant was filled with cherry blossom trees on the inside and the food was delivered by a robot.
Back home, I was SO happy to see my family! I also missed the privacy of my own space like the bathroom, bedroom, kitchen, backyard, and eveywhere in my house. I had a closet full of clothes instead of just 3 outfits. I had my favorite shampoo, a curling iron, and bar soap. As I was cleaning out my backpack, I looked at this shell I had carried on my journey and the wristband I had worn since Lugo listing the towns along the Primitivo route. I wanted to do something special with them as a keepsake. Sally suggested I make them into a Christmas ornament, so I did.
