Day 43 – Arca to Santiago de Compostela

Day 43 – May 15 - Arca (Km 20) to Santiago de Compostela (Km 0) = 20 km – 744 km

“City of Santiago de Compostela, Province of A Coruña, Comunidad of Calicia, España
08 05 16, 09:59

Greetings to all via Brandon. We arrived in Santiago yesterday, Jean by bus around 09:00 and the rest of us around 14:30 on foot, a pie as the Spanish would say. It was a good day for walking except as we approached the old city, the heavens opened up and we walked the last few kilometers in rain. But no matter, we have arrived and arrived safely.

El Camino is completed. For me, 700 kilometers on foot and 50 kilometers by bus. Yesterday I was quite tired and hurting in a few places. I think I experienced some physical and mental letdown after arriving at our (very nice) hotel. Not letdown in a negative way but a kind of relaxation. My mind and body have been in a state of preparedness now for about 45 days. So now both can relax and enjoy the City of Santiago and the rest of Spain. After arriving at the hotel I indulged in my new addiction, a long hot soaking bath, and then we went and cashed in our credentials at the Oficina de Peregrinos. As a non religious pilgrim, I received the non religious certificate, but the best document is not the certificate but the credentiale with all the stamps of where I have been.

Today Jean and Sue are off doing the laundry, including almost every piece of clothing I have been wearing for the last six weeks. Jean wants to start throwing away some of my walking clothes but I have said no at least for now. Tomorrow we will go (by bus) to Cape Finisterre and deposit a stone from the alvar at Tobermory in the Atlantic Ocean and perhaps have a ritual cremation of a pair of my liner socks.

The rest of the time here we will be tourists. It is a little bit like visiting Rome. A great catholic Cathedral and great plazas with lots of tourist groups and vendors selling Santiago and Camino kitsch, but here half the people are dressed as pilgrims, and either carrying a backpack or dressed for cycling. We will buy a few select items as souvenirs but not much. We have bought almost nothing so far as everything we bought would have had to be carried

Monday we fly to Barcelona in the morning for a few days and then to Sevilla. We are hoping for a little warmer weather in the south of Spain. here it is cool and rains frequently.

Dad"

"I think that Dad wrote to you this morning while Sue and I found the launderia... quite an operation. The lady had 5 washers and 3 dryers and she was doing laundry continuously. People from the neighbourhood as well as the pilgrims were the main customers. When she was doing the laundry for someone, the laundry was folded, (ironed if needed) and then wrapped in white paper and then put into a white plastic bag.

I´m enjoying Santiago. I got the bus from Arca at about 8 am yesterday so was here by 9. I had a taxi to our hotel which is very close to the cathedral. Our rooms weren’t ready so armed with a map, I went exploring. It is an amazing place. I went into the cathedral about 9:15 and a mass started at 9:30 so I just stayed for it. There were less than 100 people in the whole place. Afterwards I went into the big square and there were a number of events. As you may have read in the paper, ETA which is a separatist movement had killed a policeman this week. There have been demonstrations around Spain since then. There was one in front of the government building that faces the Cathedral. About 30 politicians stood on the steps and were totally silent for over 10 minutes right at noon. Then they all clapped and it was over. Across the square on the steps of the cathedral, a group of university students unfolded a banner ....something about En Galego but my Spanish isn’t good enough to understand what they were chanting about.
Then there was a group of troubadours in academic gowns with coloured ribbons flowing where we would have a hood. They played a serenade with guitar and a small accordion... and then moved on. There were others selling the CDs of the group. Santiago is a major university town. I saw te social science building and thought I should get out my review of lit....but continued on.
At 12:30 I went into the pilgrim’s mass (which started at noon) and the place was packed...all seats taken and very little standing room left. It was quite an event and I saw a couple of pilgrims who had been at an Alburgue with us.

I have to say that it is definitely good that we did the Camino first and then the holiday because our hotel is very nice; hot water and heat which we did not always have on the Camino.
Dad is quite tired today. I think 45 days of continuous hiking was just about his limit....but you know Dad...if he says he’s going to do something he does!

Today after the laundry, the 4 of us went to the pilgrim’s mass. Going in we met a couple from Paris that I have talked about before. After pictures were taken with both cameras we parted ways...perhaps never to see each other again. It is an interesting phenomena because while on the Camino you become quite close to those you are traveling with......and after they are gone. Dad will tell you of the incense burner that swings high overhead to cleanse the pilgrims. I was in a pew with people from Germany who had been to Fatima and now Santiago before going home. Both are important holy sights for Catholics. The ceremony, the beautiful building, the music were quite amazing.

Tonight we are going to a Parado for cocktails. Then wee will have dinner somewhere else. We are trying to do a better job of ordering our food. Last night I had a pilgrims meal....1st course was a Spanish tortilla ( scrambled eggs with potatoes), 2nd course was paella filled with delicious seafood.... but too much for me to eat.....1 course would have been fine. Lunch today was a salad and we’ll try to order less for dinner.
Love Mom”

From Sue Schubert

"Santiago de Compostela
60 dg F. and pretty rainy!

The last steps seem difficult. But all we have to do is walk! In ages past, pilgrims not only had to walk to Santiago, but they also had to return home. This could take years! Quite a contrast to today when we see pilgrims talking on their cell phones! There aren’t many, but they are just as annoying as in any other situation and probably more so. The book promised us just 16K left to Santiago but it seems like many more. The route today is circuitous, not direct like it has been. Dick says they have made it like the trek to Mecca where one isn’t supposed to see the city until just before entering it. In this case it is the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. We are anxious to arrive, and we are tired.

We see several memorials today, which put our journey into perspective. There is Guillermo Watt, a 69-year old who died 15 years ago, very near the end of the Camino. His bronzed shoes have been placed near the memorial plaque. Tucked into one of them is a memorial card dedicated to a young American boy with no mention of how or where he died. Maybe his parents or sister hiked the trail and left the reminder? His smile reminds me of Taggart’s; it is beautiful. And Len told of a memorial near the beginning of the Camino, in France, of a 62-year-old Japanese man; he had hiked just 5K before he died of a heart attack. And Len even confided to us that he had no idea that he would survive the trip! It is a challenging journey, but a worthwhile one.

As we enter Santiago it pours rain, more rain than we have had on the entire trip. Where are those yellow arrows that help guide us so well? It took us an hour to get to city center from its periphery! Finally we see the Cathedral. You really have to see it to believe it. It is magnificent, opulent and holy; more on the cathedral tomorrow.

Our Hotel Rúa Villar is right next to the Cathedral, and it welcomes us--dripping wet, tired and ready for a shower. It is elegant, incredibly historic (thick granite walls, old beams), and it’s heated! Dick’s and my room looks out over the cathedral. We celebrate tonight with Spanish sparkly wine--Bravo todos! Before helping you understand the importance of Santiago (next entry), I have a few observations about the trail to catch you up on:

-It is very difficult for many who come along the trail to communicate. From our observations the Germans have the hardest time. In fact one day I observed one German man using sign language and grunting, pointing to things so the Spaniard would get his message. I am not sure if he did or not! And, for Asians it is difficult, too. But for those who bother to learn just a few simple words and phrases, they are rewarded generously.
-Like I said before, electricity is expensive here because of a lack of natural resources to produce it. So the Spaniards conserve A LOT. Light fixtures might have just one of two bulbs. And most lights in public places are on timers. Have you ever been in a restroom and had the light go out during a crucial moment? It happens here.
-Bread is a very important food here, as I have observed before. It is served with meals; sandwiches are made with it (described before); it is put in some soups; and it provides contact for some to the outer world. As we walked through small villages, the small bread truck would drive up and honk. Out came the house maker to receive the bread ordered. On one occasion I saw the younger bread deliveryman hug an older lady after he listened to her tale. Bread serves a very important function in Spanish society."

(ed. note - I'm not sure how many more posts their will be from Spain - likely a few additions from Sue and maybe Mom. Then the posts will probably stop for a while but check back in mid-june when the blog will be updated with all of Len & Jean's digital photos so you can see what it was like!)