21 October 2023
Gandara to Santiago de Compostela - 10 kms
Today we walked into Santiago de Compostela. After walking nearly 550 kilometres, on three different chemin/camino routes, our pilgrimage has ended.
We had such a good night last night. The albergue we stayed in was so good and our host, Carmen, was wonderful - so caring and kind. She treated us as though we were her family, plus she was very excited as we were her first New Zealanders. She hugged and kissed both of us goodbye this morning.
Early this morning the sky was clear and bright with stars. It was going to be a wonderful day to complete our walk.
After saying goodbye to Carmen, we set off full of excitement, anticipation and joy - with all our rain gear packed away. A few kilometres down the road the heavens opened up and we were scrambling for shelter to put our ponchos on - it didn't last long though.
Our walk into Santiago was mostly rural, or through forest areas, until very close to the city, only the last couple of kilometres were through streets. We stopped at a restaurant about five kilometres out of Santiago to have a hot drink and get our first stamp of the day. We called in to a pharmacy to get our second stamp!
The camino markers seemed to stop before we reached the cathedral and we ended up walking down through the archway where the Camino Francés enters the Prazo do Obradoiro - the plaza in front of the Cathedral de Santiago de Compostela.
A piper was playing as we walked down the steps and around into the plaza. We weren't sure how we would feel about arriving at the cathedral for a second time, we wondered if the specialness that we experienced the first time would be lost ...but it wasn't. We were filled with excitement, a sense of achievement, joy and gratitude. It was a wonderful moment, incredibly special.
And the plaza was busy. People everywhere - hugging each other, some were chanting or singing, many were trying to get photos, others were sitting or standing quietly absorbing the moment, and we were amongst them all. We spoke with a couple of other pilgrims who we had met along the way. The rain had long cleared and the sky was blue - but then, without any warning, there was another downpour, sending every one seeking shelter.
We made our way to the pilgrims' office with our correctly stamped credentials and got our Compostelas.
The system of receiving compostelas has completely changed since we received our first one in 2019. It is now much more automated. We registered yesterday and received a QR code which we presented to an official at the pilgrim office door. We were allocated a number - mine was 373 and Jeff's was 374. In very short time we had our compostelas. The whole operation is very slick. The names on the certificates are no longer handwritten but that doesn't make them any the less special.
Our accommodation is in Rua das Hortas, just down from the cathedral, not far from where we stayed four years ago.
We went to 7.30 pm Mass. We had been told that there would be a queue to go into the cathedral for the pilgrims' Mass. I'm not sure if this is the case for all four of the pilgrims Masses held each day or just the midday one. We went very early and while we waited for Mass we reflected on all we had seen and experienced.
Seven priests said Mass - at least four of them were pilgrims. One wore hiking boots and another was in his hiking sandals. One of the Sisters sang - so beautifully. When the Mass ended a pilgrim blessing was given in English.
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