Camino Day Thirty-Eight- Arzua to Santiago de Compostela (14.0 Miles)

On our last walk today on the Camino de Santiago into Santiago de Compostela there was an undercurrent of excitement. There was truly a magic in the air and everyone we passed (we have a quick pace) had a large smile when we would great them with Buen Camino! As the sunrise lit up the sky we found our friends Inna and Han and exchanged photos and wished each other well. We passed through several small hamlets and very picturesque landscapes of green grass, garden flowers and cows grazing. Galicia is very beautiful.

The weather has been amazing! Starting in the morning at 52 degrees and climbing into the high 70’s each day has been perfect walking weather. In 38 days we had one day we put on our rain pants and rain coats against the rain. One day we started in the raingear only to remove it two hours after we started because it stopped raining and we were hot. Chris wore the raincoat in the mornings as an windbreaker for warmth, but one of our big Camino Miracles is no rain into the middle of October in Northwest Spain.

We stopped for coffee at a bar across from at a sweet stone Church of San Paio. The church is dedicated to the young Saint Paio, the 14 year old saint who was kidnapped by the invading Muslim troops, taken to Sevilla, and ultimately martyred to pieces and tossed into the River Guadaiquivir.

In the town of Lavacolla we climbed stairs to see another church dedicated to the same Saint. Here, we encountered a pilgrim who placed a photo of her daughter at the foot of a statue of the Virgen Mary. In almost every church we have visited Chris has seen the photo of this young woman at Mary’s feet. Now we see the mother dedicating her Camino to her daughter.

The walk today seemed to go fast, and too quickly as soon were walking across the bridge into Santiago. We are tired and are happy to be at the end of the walk. The end is bittersweet because the two of us so enjoyed the exertion, the companionship and love we share, the countryside, the people, the food, the wine, and so many, many things.

As we marched into the city center we caught glimpses of the Cathedral Spires and it took our breathe away. Finally we entered the last archway down a cobblestone road to the music of a single bagpipe into the Plaza de Obradoiro. It was full of joyous pilgrims and we hugged and kissed each other and shed some tears. We had done it. Together we walked over 500 miles across the north of Spain.

Thanks Be To God!