Hard to believe only about 18kms to go after our 15 day trek. It has been a wonderful experience hwalking the beautiful countryside, meeting people along the way from all walks of life , from all many places around the globe, and having time to discuss many of our plans and dreams with my wife and best friend Cindy. We will spend a couple of days in Santiago and then fly to Berlin for a week and then on to Prague for several days. Today will not be a long walk but will be a reflective one in that we had a plan to do this and did it together. Don't plan don't do as we say. Anyway time to get moving and get packed up before breakfast and starting our final leg of this great segment of our trip. Will update later today from Santiago.
Well it is done .We arrived @ our hotel the Paradore about 4pm today after about 14 miles from Rua to Santiago. Once again the kilometer distance was off. Longer than expected which has been typical. The trek across town was quite long and we had to stop for a snack before we finally arrived. Got our Compostelas after we checked into the hotel and had dinner just after as we were tired. Lots of people in cafes and restaurants looking happy after they finished their own trek of the Camino. After we received our certificates we left the Pilgrim Office and walked out on the street only to hear the song "Danny Boy" being played . We both had tears and hugged recognizing we had just finished a major life event for us. Not only was the Camino a long , difficult hike .. it also was quite spiritual for us in many ways in terms of our plans and values for our life together as well as for our family and friends. We are so thankful for each other and what we have as a life together. This walk, hike or trek whatever you want to call it was " better with my wife and best friend Cindy" than I could have imagined. We are greatful for our families and our many friends both at home and abroad. We are also grateful for our ability to travel, have good health and enjoy being together doing the many things we enjoy that we have in common. We also understand we have things that we need to work on to move our lives forward in the manner that we want. The Camino experience allowed us the time and opportunity to reflect on our gratitude for the many gifts we have, for those people who have supported us as well as those personal aspects we want to change or modify to enhanse our lives and the live of those most important to us. There is also a serious religous element to the Camino which as one walks the Camino and understands its roots one cannot avoid this aspect of its long history. Neither of us are particularly religous but I for sure had a very spiritual feeling about our time on the Camino. I believe I need to reflect more on the Christain teachings and principles I learned through Sunday school at my church and my mother " God rest her soul"when I was a child to be a better person. I have made many mistakes in my life and in recent years I have began to understand what it means to be happy with ones self and at peace with who you are. Cindy has been the major influence in this positive change for me. The following excerpt from a leaflet outlining the history of the Pilgrimage, The Apostle St. James and the Cathedral of Santiago De Compestella says it quite appropriately from my perspective;
"The Way to Santiago is as life itself, it is as He who gave us support, it is a marvellous experience. It has no end, because when you arrive you realize that you have to keep on walking toward St. James, toward your inner self, towards God. This will only be finished when the life that we enjoy day by day comes to an end."
We are spending tomorrow in Santiago and plan to attend the Pilgrims Mass @ noon and wander about to see the wonderful old part of the city as well as a touring the Cathedral and visiting St. James tomb. The weather has been wonderful with only a couple of chilly , damp days. We leave Saturday morning for Berlin and the next leg of our trip together. I feel we will take this experience and carry it forward in our thinking, planning and life actions as we to some extent start a new phase of our lives with this fuller and more complete understanding of what we are grateful for including the people in our lives for which we are truly blessed..
In total we treked 363 kms or 223 miles...each step was worth it .. an experience together of a lifetime..we will never forget it
