Stephen's Blog

Santiago!!!!

Romantic:-

Walking at 6. Rucksack felt light, the legs carried me down the hill. Found breakfast which was lovely. Walked into old town and straight to cathedral. Took photos and headed for pilgrims office to get compostela. Thought it opened at 8 but it was 9. Had another lovely coffee. Got in que and signed in with my credentials. Got the bit of paper with my name in Latin. Wow. Done it. Stowed my bag away and walked around town and took more photos. Visited cathedral to view the bone of St.James. Walked more and went back to cathedral at 11 for 12 pilgrims mass. No Incense swinging but mass was lovely. Went for free lunch because I was one of first ten to be in que!!! Apertiser, thick soup, risotto and cake. Only five turned up so we drank both bottles of wine (for ten). Three of us were Irish (is that saying something). Left stuffed. Went for seister at cathedral square in the shade. Collect my rucksack and ... (see second page)

Cynic:-

Walked at 6 but couldn't find exit gate, walk all around site, all locked. Climbed a fence to discover I was in another locked area so had to climb a second fence!! Got going and walked into Santiago, main road was really busy and noisy. Found breakfast but price was high with small portions. Walked into old town and wow, it was amazing. Took photos of cathedral which had very few people in front. Went to pilgrims office, closed till 9. Went to coffee. Started queuing but then discovered you needed to register online, aaahhh. Panic started but got the form filled. QR code ready for entry. Presented my pilgrim passport and got the paper. Name spelt wrong (oh it's Latin). Went around town but it was just street hawkers and suvineer shops. Went to 12 pilgrims mass. All in some foreign language, I knew one in 20 words or maybe one in 100. Bishop gave a nice pilgrim speech I'm sure. Went for free lunch, must be a catch, but it was lovely and good company. Went to try and sleep but the crouds of pilgrims arriving in square kept coming. All shouting and wolf whistling. Looked for supermarket but got lost. Collected rucksack and got out of town asap...

You decide which you think I was. Maybe a bit of both. 

Mixed emotions.

Mixed emotions. The journey is what made it for me maybe not the destination and the end. What a rollercoaster of a journey. Now it's over. Is that it!!! It's going to take time to absorb all that I've learnt. Will life be different ? Yes but it's so easy to slip back into old habits and ruts. The Camino has taught me loads or maybe better to say the Lord has taught me loads using the Camino as a tool. 

What next...