Finale

This is our last day in Spain.  We flew to Barcelona today where we will catch a flight to Philly in the morning.

This morning we welcomed a couple of Aussie friends, Clementine and Mike, whom we met on the Camino, to Santiago.  It was fun to see them again.  They were actually on the same train to St Jean Pied de Port with us and we met them from time to time over the last few weeks.  We had coffee and shared some highlights of our adventures.

                  

There are several mimes who perform for coins around the Cathedral and this gentleman was very impressive.  As I walked by him this morning, I asked Diana if she remembered that statue being there and we realized he was a mime.  Whenever someone put coins in his box, he gave them a scroll with a quote from Gandhi:  Be what change you want to see in the world.  He was good.

                 

We are at the end of a fantastic adventure and the full extent of the impact of walking the Camino has not set in.  I expect waves of realizations will roll in slowly.  So much that we experienced feels like a dream now.  I look at the pictures from the beginning and it seems like they were taken in a different lifetime.

The tally sheet of the whole experience is weighted overwhelmingly in the positive.  There were some losses:  an old bandana, a plug adapter that I left in the albergue in Burgos in my haste to make a stealthy exit, a few pounds judging by how my clothes fit, a lot of mental baggage, expectations and a banged up ipad.

                 

About half way into the trip, the ipad fell out of my fanny pack along with the guide book.  The surface glass is cracked, but it still works fine.  The night I fell out of bed, I landed on it and put another crack in it, hence the tape.  It's a durable little machine!

On the plus side of the tally sheet is a sense of achievement, a few new friends, appreciation for simplicity, appreciation for all the beauty we walked in, appreciation for my walking partner, Diana and how we were able to gracefully navigate the challenges of the Camino, and overflowing gratitude for an amazing opportunity and the kindness of so many people.

It has been a privilege to walk the Camino and share it on this blog.  Thank you for reading these unedited musings that were often written late at night after a long day of walking, for commenting and for the many emails I've received along the way.  This has been an exercise in finding a voice for this poor reporter. I feel all the love and support of so many people for this journey and for Hildy's recovery.  I truly feel held by so many friends and colleagues and particularly the divine.  Blessings flowed and continue to.  It seemed like every need was met, we were safe and sustained no injuries - that is a huge blessing!

                        

So, I'll sign off this blog with a quote from Antonio Machado that applies to us all.  I found several translations, some use Walker instead of Wanderer, and Way for Road.  Walker, your footsteps are the Way...

'Wanderer, your footsteps are

the road,  and nothing more;

Wanderer, there's no road,

the road is made by walking.

By walking one makes the road,

and seeing behind the vista,

one sees the path that will 

never be travelled again.

Wanderer, there's no road,

only waves in the sea.'

Antonio Machado:  Proverbios y Cantares XXIX

With humble thanks and a heart full of love,

Holly

Happy Reunions

We left Finisterre on the 8:30 bus and were delightfully surprised to stop at a Friday market in a coastal village.  The bus driver pulled over and said "cinco minutos" and people started getting up.  We bought a hot donut-type of favorite breakfast food and piled back on the bus to Santiago.

                        

We arrived in Santiago in time for the daily Pilgrim Mass and as we were going into the church ran into the first people (Larry and Bette) whom we had dinner with in St. Jean Pied de Port!  We were so happy to see them because we knew that she had had a terrible time with her knees on the "downs" early on in the walk.  We had been thinking of them and didn't have their contact information, so it was a happy reunion.

At the Mass, we found Jenni and Sue, our New Zealand friends and the six of us went to lunch.  It was so great to reconnect with everyone - we all spent the first night at Orisson together.  

I enjoyed the conversation about what was the best part of the Camino, what we learned, what we are taking back with us.  Very appreciative and thoughtful people.  There was general appreciation for all the volunteers and Spaniards who support the pilgrims on the Camino, and appreciation for the little things in life, like a hook to hang clean clothes on when we take showers.  It was fun.

After settling in again, we walked around the city and visited a park that a waiter had recommended that overlooked the Cathedral - great view!

                         

  

                         

                             Cathedral in the sun (finally!)

                          

My angel card today was 'patience' and I love the reminder.  I am often hasty to act or judge and one of the things I've had to do on the Camino is be patient.  I can always use more - both with myself and with others.

John reported that they had Hildy sitting in a chair for a few minutes today and both boys are there.  She can smile and is squeezing John's hand with great effort.  She is relearning a lot.  We know her recovery will take some time.

Finisterre

Wow!  To wake up in the same bed a second day is such luxury!  We had a slow start this morning and started the day by going to the local market.  Like Chestnut Hill and Flourtown, the market is humming on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.  We shopped for picnic supplies (fruit, nuts, cheese, cookies) for the bus ride to Finisterre.

                    

                    

                        Fish monger

    Ham is a Spanish speciality

It was pouring rain off and on in Santiago today.  I started my day in flip flops and a skirt.  After the market, I returned to the hotel to reassess my wardrobe for the trip to Finisterre.  I augmented it with long pants, rain pants, socks and boots!  I only wanted to be dry and warm.

As we left Santiago, I was again struck with the number of beggars in this city.  It may have to do with the number of pilgrims, but I haven't seen so much outright begging since I was in India.  Most doors to the Cathedral have someone sitting by them, men and women roam the streets with small cups approaching pilgrims and tourists, others sit quietly beside their cup.  Yesterday, I saw a young woman standing on her knees with her body upright and her head and eyes lowered towards her empty cup.  I was very touched by her quiet dignity and was moved to put some coins in her cup. I can't imagine how this must be for her or the others on the street.

Santiago is also filled with a lot of music - street muscians on most corners and under the porticos along the street.  We've seen guitarists, accordian players, bagpipers, and my favorite, a sitar player.  Most of these muscians have amplifiers and play very well.  It is nice to walk around with beautiful music wafting through the streets.

                    

 

                   

Finisterre is the Western most point in mainland Europe and in Medieval times, the great Atlantic Ocean was unexplored and scary - no one knew what lay beyond - whatever it was gobbled up the sun each day.  Finisterre is about another 3 - 4 days walk West of Santiago and many Pilgrims make this last leg a part of their Camino.  Unfortunately, we don't have time to do that, so we took a 3 hour bus ride today.  Much of the ride was along a winding road through small communities along the coast.  The Atlantic Ocean was very dramatic under the heavy skies.

By the time we got here, the rain had cleared and we set about exploring and doing a ritual release of something from our Camino.  I chose my white sun shirt that protected me across the Meseta and my sock liners that protected my feet so well.  Both of these things started out very white and had degenerated to a sad grey,  I burned them on the rocks by the sea.

                        

                        

The synthetic material basically melted.  Fortunately, it cooled quickly and I could peel it off the rocks and dispose of it properly.

                       

    

We then found our way to the lighthouse, or faro, that is on the point.  We heard there was also a small hotel and planned to have dinner there and watch the sunset.  The day completely cleared and we had a spectacular sunset!

                       

                           Camino Zero km marker

    The end of the world just beyond us!

    The end of the world.

    Bronze boot at Finisterre

    Beautiful walk around the point,

    Sunset and figs.

    The end of a beautiful day.

My angel card was 'healing' and of course I think of Hildy.  She is making steady progress a step at a time.  She now has a speech therapist who is fitting something in her trach to help her speak.  She is beginning to make sounds.  It is a slow process and we're cheering each small step. I can't wait to see her on Monday.

In Mass yesterday, I got a very strong healing image about my heart opening and all the rocks of resentment other unproductive feelings falling out.  I only wish this could happen and know that by holding that image and focusing on the abundance and gratitude in my life, I will have fewer and fewer rocks in my heart.

It was a spectacularly beautiful day.

Santiago Day 2

As I said, yesterday was a very intense day.  It was amazing to finally be walking into Santiago and the Cathedral after over a month of walking.  There were lots of smiles and tears.  We were all hugging and enjoying seeing each other, especially those who were injured or who struggled on the Camino.  It was wonderful to see that they had made it to Santiago!  I think there were some people cheering for us too because we are a little older than the average walker.

During all the commotion, a man who obviously wasn't a Camino walker came up to me and put his hand out and said "Congratulations".  I was so surprised and taken aback I shook his hands and just about burst into tears because I think I realized at that moment how far we'd really walked.  I could only say thank you.  Hanne talked with him and it turned out that he and his wife are from Valley Forge and she wants to do the Camino next year. They came to see Santiago and check it out.  We exchanged information and hope we will be able to assist her with her planning.

                                     

                                          The front of the Cathedral with me today

     The side of the cathedral -it is huge!

                           

                                The cathedral at night

We have been walking day after day and it wasn't really registering how far we've walked.  Yes, we could tally miles, see the towns slipping by on the map, the scenery changed and our destination got closer, but it's another thing to actually arrive.  What now?  Should the heavens open and everything change?  Well, that didn't happen!

For weeks I've been reading, listening to and sharing with other pilgrims David Whyte's poetry collection , Pilgrim, and wanted to share 'Santiago' on this blog.

“The road seen, then not seen, the hillside

hiding then revealing the way you should take,

the road dropping away from you as if leaving you

to walk on thin air, then catching you, holding you up,

when you thought you would fall,

and the way forward always in the end

the way that you followed, the way that carried you

into your future, that brought you to this place,

no matter that it sometimes took your promise from you,

no matter that it had to break your heart along the way:

the sense of having walked from far inside yourself

out into the revelation, to have risked yourself

for something that seemed to stand both inside you

and far beyond you, that called you back

to the only road in the end you could follow, walking

as you did, in your rags of love and speaking in the voice

that by night became a prayer for safe arrival,

so that one day you realized that what you wanted

had already happened long ago and in the dwelling place

you had lived in before you began,

and that every step along the way, you had carried

the heart and the mind and the promise

that first set you off and drew you on and that you were

more marvelous in your simple wish to find a way

than the gilded roofs of any destination you could reach:

as if, all along, you had thought the end point might be a city

with golden towers, and cheering crowds,

and turning the corner at what you thought was the end

of the road, you found just a simple reflection,

and a clear revelation beneath the face looking back

and beneath it another invitation, all in one glimpse:

like a person and a place you had sought forever,

like a broad field of freedom that beckoned you beyond;

like another life, and the road still stretching on.”

Excerpt From: Whyte, David. “Pilgrim.” Many Rivers Press. iBooks. 

I love this poem and it mean more to me than before.  I want to pick certain lines and find that it all touches me, but walking in rags of love and speaking in the voice that by night became a prayer for safe arrival....and yes, I sense that what I wanted had already happened long ago ..... and it wasn't a city.... and there is a new invitation....

When I hear David read this, I think not only of this walk on the Camino that we are doing, but the pilgrimage we all find ourselves on in our lives - we are coming from far inside ourselves, are being called to risk and follow the only road that we could take and in doing so, manifest what we want to create and again, we are called.

                    

                      Santiago - in front of our hotel

It is rather amazing that as I finish this journey, I am called to another - to be present, a witness and give assistance to Hildy as she recovers from her accident.  I may not be physically walking each day like this Camino, but I will be present, appreciative, accepting and delighted because I know I can do it under less ideal conditions and that I have a whole community of support.

I've written a lot about community on the Camino - how quickly we bond, become friends and help each other out.  It has been wonderful and I am sure we will see some of our new friends again.  I am also deeply touched by the community that is reading this blog and who have been so encouraging, witnessing, commenting and supporting every step.  I feel that your prayers, blessings and attagirls have been carrying us forward and I am so grateful for the time you've made to include this journey in your lives.  It is through communities of showing up for each other, expressing care where we all thrive.  I am blessed to have a number of communities in my life - church (I am looking forward to listening to Annabel's sermon on communities), neighbors and friends, professional, family, and former classmates - all of which enhance my life.  

Our hotel is located directly across the street from the Pilgrim office (this was a very happy accident) and we sat outside for breakfast this morning and people kept showing up.  It was a great place to see people we'd met on the walk.  I was astounded at the number of people who made it limping, with broken limbs, sprains, hip and muscle issues and severe blisters.  Our blisters and my broken fingernail (sustained when I fell out of bed) pale in comparison,  It makes me realize how blessed we were to be able to do the whole Camino without injury.  I feel like we were held in a bubble of blessings sent from so many quarters.

                  

My angel card yesterday was 'communication' and when we went to the Pilgrim Mass, I was amazed by how moving it was when most of it was in Spanish.  A few pilgrims were asked to share some comments or experiences in their language and the presiding Priest gave a sermon in Spanish.  Surprisingly, it was all comprehensible,  I loved the sermon and was moved by it,  I am stumped to tell you how.  It might be the smattering of Spanish I understand to know that he was talking about what it is to be a pilgrim and that it's all about opening our selves and hearts to love - Divine love.  I think it was more how he was communicating, his gestures, smiles and incredible inclusiveness that kept me rivited.  Understanding language doesn't necessarily mean communication,  There is listening with the heart and having an open mind.  

The people sitting at the table with us in the picture above are from Holland, Germany and Denmark.  English is the common language for all of us, although they all know German.  We've had a lot of laughs over the weeks about some expressions and misused words, but there has been a lot of fun and heartfelt communication.

Another comment about the Mass yesterday - the Fumeria, or incense burner that is lit and hoisted in the air by 8 men pulling on the ropes so it swings through the church to the ceiling is probably one of the most awe-inspiring and impressive rituals I've ever seen in a church,  The pictures don't do it justice, but I did capture some video and when I get to a computer will upload it (limitation of ipad),

In the olden days, apparently the Pilgrims smelled so bad that they really needed the incense!

The other incredible moving aspect of the service was a nun with an angelic voice who not only sang during part of the Mass but lead congregants in responsive chanting,  I also have her chanting and will post when I can.

The cathedral is huge - it was expanded to seat 1000 people and I am sure there were 2000 with the number standing and sitting on the floor.  The main altar has a big statue of St James and people can go up and hug it from the back and offer their prayer.  His remains are in a silver casket below the altar.  When we got there today, there was no line to visit.

                           

                           

                              St James statue - covered in gold and jewels

It is wonderful to see how vibrant this cathedral is - packed Masses every day  in the main church and others in chapels to the side.

Today was the first day that we didn't have to get up, pack up, put on our boots and start walking in over a month.  We are also sleeping in the same bed for the second night in a row - how decadent!

We started our day slowly, had breakfast and went in search of the two boxes we had sent.  There is a delightful man from Norway who runs a Camino forum and stores pilgrims' packages,  He helped us track down both packages and we were reunited with our "stuff".  It was amazing what we initially brought that we thought we had to have!

                            

                               Ivar from Norway

After Mass, we had a delightful lunch in a sculpture-filled garden, walked through a park and did a little shopping.  

                            

   Sculptures in the garden - Peregrina (female pilgrim)

   The cathedral over rooftops

                          

                              Old city shops and cafes

We ended our day with dinner with Hanne and left our coins on the wall.

                           

One last thought about today.  I missed walking and the time for walking meditation!  

Tomorrow we bus to Finisterra - the end of the earth - in Medieval times.

Sorry for the long post - got a little rambly.

Santiago!

We are happy campers - made it to the Cathedral and Pilgrim Mass which was wonderful!  I will tell you all about it tomorrow - it was a full day,  I am stunned that we made it here!  My smile muscles are a little tired!

On the way into town

YES!!!

    Celebrating with friends who were there to greet us!

   At the Pilgrims office to get our Compostela (certificate)

Getting my Compostela

The Cathedral

The Fumeria (incense burner that swings)

One of our Camino friends, Ralph, turned out to be a parish priest in Germany and helped officiate the Mass.  We were surprised and delighted to see him processing in.

The minister of St Thomas church around the corner from my home also helped officiate the Mass and  communion.  Small world!  He is on sabbatical and also walked from St. Jean Pied de Port!

Lunch with some of our Aussie friends.

No more following scallop shell signs to Santiago.

A happy camper!