Santiago!

Yesterday morning at 11am we, a group consisting of Americans, Austrians, Germans, Mexicans, Australians, Brits, Swiss, Italians, and Spaniards entered the city of Santiago. Few of us knew each other before we began, but over the course of the past few weeks we came together in such a way that none of us would have wanted to enjoy this moment without any of the others. Together we approached the cathedral, singing and chanting, spiting the rain that fell gently upon our heads. The range of emotions upon our arrival was great. Some were utterly elated. Others stunned. Still others seemed not to know what to make of this moment. One friend, who walked from his home in Switzerland, seemed paralyzed by the moment. For a long time he simply stared up at the cathedral, hands on his head. How does one react when the way of life he´s maintained for over two months suddenly comes to an end? The question confronting all of us at this point is ¨what now?¨
After dropping our things at a nearby pension and resting ourselves for a time, we ventured back out into the city for the afternoon. The first stop for many was the pilgrims´office (imagine going through customs in a centuries old stone building), where pilgrims come to receive their compastela, a certificate acknowledging that one has walked at least 100 kilometers to Santiago. I spent the rest of the afternoon with some friends sitting on a doorstep listening to street musicians and watching children dance in the streets and then later taking a celebratory drink at a sun-bathed cafe. Eventually everyone in our party (perhaps 20 strong) met up in the shadow of the cathedral before walking to dinner in a local restaurant, where we remained eating, laughing, and reflecting on the journey until 11 or so.
Barbie and I and a few others will take today in Santiago and then set out for Finisterre tomorrow. For most this marks the end of the journey. I´m glad I have a few more days to process the past month and to enjoy the rhythm of life on the camino. My journey will end soon enough, but for a while longer the road remains open to me.