I walked down Monte del Gozo and I’m immediately in the suburbs of Santiago de Compostela. I stopped about 3km from the cathedral. I now wait for my family to join me for the last couple km to the Cathedral in Santiago.
While I waited, I wrote and ate. I had to add some money to my Spanish SIM card. Google Maps told me was an Orange store nearby. Turns out it was in a big mall. I walked in to what was like any big, indoor mall. I noticed that I stopped breathing and I think my heart was racing. I had to remind myself to breath. It took me 10ish seconds to realize that the mall was completely overwhelming and overstimulating. Wow, I was completely overwhelmed with the mall! I guess that’s what being on the Camino for 2.5 weeks does.
I tracked my family’s train. I was a little nervous because I wasn’t able to reach Gia all day, even though she had gotten a Spanish SIM card. Honestly, I was concerned that something had happened. Luckily Gia had just turned off her phone. She and the kids arrived ~15 minutes after I heard from her.
It was exciting to see everyone and help them get out of their cab. Everyone gave me huge hugs. It was amazing how easy it was to slip back into life before the Camino. I heard about their train trip and they asked me questions.
We started to walk to the cathedral. I must have looked funny … I definitely felt funny … as a pilgrim pulling a big suitcase. It was fun showing the kids the symbols of the Camino – the yellow arrow, the shell – along the path and have them lead the way by finding the next indicator that we were on the right path. Maybe about 500 meters after we started, we walked right by a playground, which the kids insisted we stop at. Sure! Yeah, after walking almost 500 miles and being about a mile away from the finish, three weeks ago I would have been frustrated and wanted to keep going. Of course I wanted to keep going, but the kids wanted to play, so why not? I was walking the Camino with them now, and stopping at a playground was as natural for them as stopping in a church or contemplating a view for me. Plus, it did look like an awesome playground!
We talked as we walked through the suburbs and then old town, processing both the business of the city as well as the old newness of being back together. We met the Germans I had been walking with a couple hundred meters from the Cathedral and introduced them to the family. Everyone felt they they knew each other from the stories already told. When we arrived in the large square in front of the cathedral at Santiago, there were other pilgrims in the center, many sitting and looking up to the cathedral and the large statue of St. James that dominates the front facade. We walked into the center and everyone was smiles. What did I feel? If I’m honest: I wanted to get rid of the luggage, I wanted to check into our apartment, I had to pee, and the kids where hungry. That was just the reality. It wasn’t bad or good. I was very happy to have completed the walk. It was somewhat emotional. But there were some practical realities to deal with. I took a mental pause and said to myself that I will come back later and process the experience. I had also thought a lot at Monte del Gozo when I first saw the pillars of the cathedral.
So we got ice cream, checked into our apartment, got food, talked, and began exploring Santiago.
I did come back to the square early the next morning. The family slept while I went to get my Compostela, the ‘official’ document saying that I’ve completed the pilgrimage. Yesterday there was a 2-3 hour line. I took time in the square to think. It was peaceful. I was happy and content. I spent some time in the cathedral. I gave the big statue of St. James a hug and whispered to him what I need his help with, after which I was overcome by emotion of what I had just completed. I prayed at the remains of St. James. I went back to the apartment fearing that the family was up and hungry only to find them still sleeping. I tried to keep praying back in the ‘normal’ world full of more responsibility than just making sure I walk, eat, sleep, and pray on the Camino. I hope this doesn’t sound negative. On the contrary, I know that I am lucky and blessed to be able to do this pilgrimage. Now comes the hard work of incorporating what I learned into the way I walk through the rest of my life.
I got the family up in time to make the noon pilgrims mass at the Cathedral. At the end, it really felt like the end of this pilgrimage.
Santiago is a joyous city. It reminds me of a cross between a summer camp and a one-year high school class reunion, but only with the people you where friends with and excited to see. So many people were running into others they met along the Camino. Lots of hugs, smiles, and joy. I ran into a lot of people as well. Gia found her high school youth group director and we had drinks. Everyone said hi to everyone. There was a common bond of completing a walk/adventure/pilgrimage that seemed to shatter the distance that you usually feel from others in a city. Plus, it was a beautiful city, especially in the old town where we spent most of our time.
Family vacation began. Ice cream and good food where eaten, cards played, Futbol watched, playgrounds found, and sites seen. It was great!
The Future
Stay tuned. I have a couple more articles to write about some bigger reflections from the Camino.
- Does God run?
- What did I learn on the Camino?
- The Camino as a running race
- The ‘modern’ Camino (overview of my take on what the Camino is today)
- Catholics and Climate Change
I will continue to use the blog for writing about my future pilgrimage, what the Catholic Church can do to care for our common home, and what ever else might be interesting. I need to work on some of the technology pieces, such as allowing you to sign up to get notified when I post something. I’m not a prolific writer.
Leave a comment about what you would like me to write about in the future. Are you interested in the Tahoe 200, a 205 mile race around Lake Tahoe that I will be doing in September? What the Catholic Energies program is doing? My travels and adventures? Let me know!
Buen Camino!