| Pamplona to Santiago - Day 35 |
 |
| The Road - Home Page | Stage 3 Index | Back |
| Arca to Santiago de Compostela - 18Km |
 |
|
 |
So there it was, the alleged tomb of St
James, one of the 12 disciples of Christ..... that thousands of
people for over a thousand years had walked from every corner of
Europe to see. At one point nearly 10% of the population of Europe
made the journey, powerful stuff. Over 3 years I had managed 1,500
Km or 950 miles, compared to the people in past centuries I had it
easy. Ryan Air & Eayjet got me to my start point and I did not have
to walk home. Our last day's walking was like the rest of Galicia and our arrival in Santiago had a bit of an anticlimax as where we planned to stay was closed. So our first hour was taken up with finding accommodation, after that we presented our stamped credentials and were given our Compostela on the 25th October 2007. |
| After a tour round and a few bottles of Cava we found ourselves outside the Cathedral at 6.30 where the 'grims congregate. I was delighted to meet up with a lot of the people I had met on the road Olivia, Olaf, Lisa, Ana, Jasper, Samantha, Maria (disappointingly in trousers, no skirt, apparently it was too cold), Sabina, Marie Louise, Marian, Julia, Jason and many others. I found out later that Dalan wisely gave up due to a second attack of a mystery virus...but plans to return in the future..... By the way I donate my smelly socks to the people of Santiago via a waste paper bin. | |
 |
 |
 |
 |
||
 |
 |
 |
 |
||
 |
 |
 |
 |
But most of all I will remember the inherent kindliness of the people I met along the way and the the daily changing scenery of life going on around me as I passed by..... Oh yes..... and the need to get rid of this B awful beard. |
|
What
started off 6 years ago as a desire for a bit a long walk turned
into something much more, some of
which I will not trouble you with here. But the memory I will take
away with me is the liberating feeling of carrying all the
possessions you need on your back, as well as the simplifying
thought of only needing to fix four daily problems.... Where will I
sleep, where will I eat, how will I dry my washing and where is my
daily Coffee, beer and Sticky Bun coming from.| The Road - Home Page | Stage 3 Index | Back |