España Day 9-10: Santiago!

It’s our final day on the legendary El Camino Trail in Spain, and we’re both elated and more than a touch blue. These crazy conflicting emotions when you realize something epic is soon to end. There’s just some ten thousand more steps to go and it’ll all be behind us. We’re not finished with this amazing country, heck no, not for a second, and we’ll soon head to the coast for more glorious adventures, but here a chapter ends. It’s a big hurrah, we did it, we completed the trek, and most triumphantly, but then a crash with that little voice reminding you the party’s almost over. No…no…it should never end.

Later this most bittersweet day we’ll attend mass, as all good Peregrinos (Pilgrims) do, at the stunning Cathedral in Santiago. And with that, all that sweat and toil a memory we’ll submit our passports to the church, and receive our Compostela, a certificate of completion. And in Latin too! We’ll have graduated from Peregrino-U. With honours! And later that evening a celebratory dinner, and long and teary-eyed goodbyes to all the folks in our little group of which we shared the trail. Friends made on the El Camino are friends forever. When it’s something this meaningful an unbreakable bond is made.

1-3) Morning at Pazo Xan Xordo, excitement is in the air and the world’s most famous painting on loan. Soon, a bite of breakfast (we ate waaaay to good in Spain), prep for the trail, a blessing from the resident stone Peregrino and we’re off.

1) Our morning view at Pazo Xan Xordo.

4) The way it worked out, we’re only some seven or so clicks from our destination, the easiest leg of the journey by far. Quiet country lanes will soon make way to busy city streets.

5) What Hockey is to Canada, Soccer (Fútbol) is to Spain. It’s the country’s obsession, this sign pointing the way to a camp where skills can be learned and honed. We watched more than a few world cup games at various cafes we stopped at along the trail.

2) On loan from the Louvre.

6) At Monumento de Monte do Gozo, or Hill of Joy, where Pilgrims can catch a first glimpse of the Santiago Cathedral still an hour or so away (haze prevented us from getting a good pic). This is a mandatory stop.

7) Still in the outskirts of Santiago (official Santiago de Compostela). Soon we’ll drop down and it’ll be a scene more urban.

8) At every turn there’s religious symbolism.

9) I know, it’s an empty train track – what the? Hey, they’re a thing with us. Here the trains are electrically powered and can run at incredible speeds. Hoped for one to show, but no such luck. A few years back there was a horrible train crash very near here. Look up the Santiago de Compostela derailment. Some eighty folks perished.

10) In town now, there’s always a sign or arrow to point you in the right direction. To get lost on the trail would be near impossible, even given how complex a route it is. Connie and (Chris’ Sister) Trina, who share a great bond, chat it up.

11) Deep in the city, the streets are narrow and winding, with buildings here going back sometimes many hundreds of years. Everything in old town Santiago is made of stone and even the simplest and utilitarian of structures can be rather ornate.

12) Driving bus ain’t easy here.

13) The closer the Cathedral gets, the more party-like the mood. Here’s a noisy group of runners pass. According to the sign there’s some 330m to go…just a few Fútbol pitches long.

14) Not for the claustrophobic. In many towns we saw many narrow streets like this only good for foot traffic and motorcycles.

15) The Monastery of San Martiño Pinario, one of the largest such institutions in the entire country. Like Soccer, they take their Catholicism seriously. Most of what’s seen here is several centuries old, and replaced buildings on this same site dating back to well over a thousand years. Spain is an “old” country – and we find that fabulous. Excitement builds further. We can feel we’re close.

16) Rounding a corner, a rush of emotion. We’ve arrived! Here’s it our first view of Santiago Cathedral a most massive structure completed in the 1200s – it’s 800 years old! We can’t wrap out heads around something that old. This is a the back side view. Cheers are heard, still we see many Peregrinos sobbing or weeping. It’s a little overwhelming and it’s not tears of sadness at all, but of joy. If the El Camino Trail doesn’t move you, you’re probably dead inside. And it matters not your religious leanings or affiliations, it tugs at your very being. Here we’re all one and everybody is accepted for what they are. You’re among friends. I wish everyday could be like a day on the El Camino.

17) A human statue paying homage to Mahatma Ghandi. He didn’t move so much as a millimetre the entire time. It’s customary to give a donation on snapping a photo, out of respect. “The future depends on what you do today” – Gandhi, words of wisdom seen on tiny little scrolls given as gifts. Make a donation, take a scroll.

18) A passageway leads to a giant courtyard, all the while a piper serenades all those passing. Intermixed with stinky sweaty Pilgrims, it tourists and locals alike.

19) The main spires of Santiago Cathedral. The haze this day is usually a liability photography wise, but here it adds an almost ethereal effect.

20) Organ pipes high above. The sound and ambience here was incredible. A whisper is a shout and with a perfect clarity, and with the organ playing, it was near deafening. I’m not sure if the builders of old knew or understood acoustics all that well, or if if was just dumb luck, but here it was perfect.

3) One of us.

21) Time for Mass. In back the famous swinging incense burner, hard to see account our distant position. It takes many men to keep it moving. You have to see it in person. The church is packed with hundred and hundreds of folks not all Peregrinos. Then the organ plays and a nun sings and then we all collectively loose it. We’re witness to something amazing and beautiful and many tears are shed. It was just that blinkin’ epic and we got to be part of it. All those cell phones! Truth be told, we felt guilty taking photographs by this point, so put our gear away. Later we’d come back after the crowds have gone and get some more shots. At the end of service, a good number of the congregation booked it to the confessionals, available in just about every language on the planet. Doing the El Camino, and Mass at Santigo Cathedral, is on the bucket list for many of the Catholic Faith. Not that you need to be of that faith, or any faith really, to do it.

4) On the outskirts of Santiago de Compostela.

22-23) Check in time. On the trail, it’s one dive hotel after another. Goodness, I could get used to this. And there’s our view out.

24) With some time on our hands, we wander town searching out a “Supermercado” (Supermarket) for some snacks. We have no map to guide us, but just point and go. And eventually we find one. Here we see an old empty building its purpose and fate unknown.

25) The old Santiago Hospital, all boarded up. Not sure if it’s to be torn down or renovated.

26) Sfhir, Spain’s most famous street artist. Here it’s a tribute of sorts to the fellow, I guess, and his (claimed) long history of evading the law. We looked up his work and it’s pretty impressive.

27) Thinking of crashing a wedding. Here we see plate after plate of yummy stuff awaiting the ceremony. Hey, we’re distant cousins…from Canada…now which way to the open bar? Here’s it’s a scene from our hotel.

28) Our accommodations (Hotel Monumento de San Francisco), interestingly, also doubles as a monastery (Convento de San Francisco de Santiago). Here’s some stained glass reminding us that the place has dual use. Soon after this shot, the cameras are put away, it was an intimate dinner with our little group, and our goodbyes. One day, friends, maybe we’ll all meet again. Interesting story…bumped into a monk searching out the facilities, but he had little to say. Well nothing to say, just a nod. Guess he’s not the chatty types. The monks here are of the Franciscan Order (so Friars), and are allowed to speak, unlike Benedictine Monks (like those at the Monastery of San Martiño Pinario seen earlier), who generally keep silent.

29) Paul and Paul from Walks in Spain, our amazing guides for the trek. You can go it alone on the El Camino, but having a local liaison to arrange lodging, meal stops and transportation, is not a bad idea if you can make a go it. It pays to be connected. With all the details taken care of, one can concentrate more on the fun and adventure to be had.

30-31) Next AM and a postscript to the hike, things seen around our hotel, including the church connected to the monastery. The oldest of buildings here date back to the 1700s and were built atop some earlier structures going back to medieval times. Lots of history here.

32) In back, Santiago City Hall, a most impressive structure (they never do it half-way here) and left, two friends reunited. And the town’s little train which can take you on a tour. We prefer to hoof-it.

33) Let’s go back in! We saw many fine Cathedrals in Spain, and never tired of their majesty.

34-35) The entrance to Santiago Cathedral and the reverse view. One need only look up and be amazed at all the incredible architecture.

36-38) Just wandering about. And blown away again. We’ve yet to see an ugly building or scene.

39) A closer look at the incense burner (or Botafumeiro). It’s quite large, some 1.6m in height and said to weigh about 80 kilos (it’s not clear if that’s empty or filled a normal load of charcoal and incense). In 2019, with the church under continuing renovations, the swinging incense ceremonies will be put on hold. From their website: “NOTICE: Due to restoration works inside the Cathedral, until further notice, there will be no Botafumeiro ceremony.” Glad we got to see it. It takes eight Tiraboleiros (men) to counter the weight of the swinging vessel. And when they get it going, it’s something incredible.

40) Renovations had already started on our visit. See stained glass, photograph stained glass.

41) No matter where you stood or wandered, it’s things of incredible beauty.

42) More signs of renovations being done, this crane. It took some hundred and fifty years to originally build the structure way back when (by Spanish Cathedral standards that’s pretty quick). Updating and fixing things up will take many years we understand. Upkeep on an ancient building such as this is neither easy nor cheap.

5) What hockey is to Canada.

43-44) The police station, and another old church in a town known for them. We stroll the streets, with no direction for an hour or two. Then it’s back to the hotel, a quick cab ride to pick up a rental car, and it’s off the coast for many more days of fun and exploring. The things we’ll see and do. Stay tuned!

6) At Monumento de Monte do Gozo.

45) The El Camino “Passport”. At every stop along “The Way”, be it a restaurant, gift shop, hostel or hotel, you get a stamp. And it’s these with which you prove you’ve done the trek so you can get the following…

46) Here’s the Compostela, the certificate of completion issued at Santiago Cathedral, proving you’re a true Peregrino and have completed the the El Camino Trail. We’ll cherish ours forever. You must do at least 100km* on foot or some 200km on bike to qualify. We ended up doing something just above the minimum, so about 125km over six (relatively easy) days. If we were ever to do it again (a pipe dream I suppose) we’d like to do the full compliment, close to seven hundred kilometres. BTW, we followed the “French Way” one of numerous El Camino Routes and the most popular.

*There are some concessions. There was a very elderly lady in a wheelchair who could only manage a few clicks a day along on each section who earned her Compostela. You could see it meant a lot to her to do and I guess she had done it many times before.

Till the next instalment, best wishes and love, there’s more Spain to come…and it’s awesome! It’s off to O Pindo for us.

More Spain…
Off The Beaten Path en España – touching down in Spain.
España Day 1 – Wandering Madrid – getting to know the city.
España Day 2 – Toledo Cathedral – the most impressive yet.
España Day 3 – Hello Astorga – the last stop before the El Camino.
España Day 4 – Scruffy Peregrino – feet in motion.
España Day 5: Up & Over – lovin’ Spain.
España Day 6: Buen Camino – the “Good Way”.
España Day 7: Lost & Loving It – as though in a dream.
España Day 8: Walking the Cows – a magical day.
España Day 10: Evening in O Pindo – Peregrinos no more.
España Day 11: Porto de Quilmas – a “lazy” day.
España Day 12: Cabo Finisterre/Fisterra – the end of the world.
España Day 13: A Taste of Portugal – one final day.

If you wish more information on what you’ve seen here, by all means contact us!

Date: June, 2018.
Location: Santiago de Compostela, Galicia Region, A Coruña Province, Spain.
Article references and thanks: Paul & Paul Walks in Spain, Grant & Katrina LaRocque.

7) Today’s trek is a short one.

8) Religious symbols everywhere.

9) Obligatory train track shot.

10) You’ll always be shown the way.

11) In old town Santiago.

12) Tight squeeze!

13) A noisy group passes.

14) A narrow side street.

15) Monastery of San Martiño Pinario.

16) Destination sighted, and a rush of emotions.

17) Human statue Ghandi.

18) The rockin’ bagpiper and just a few more steps.

19) Mass awaits.

20) The sound…

21) Swinging incense and all those phones…

22) Another day, another dive hotel.

23) View out to the courtyard.

24) Seen while searching out a Supermercado.

25) The old Santiago Hospital.

26) Sfhir: wanted for illegal art since 1995.

27) Back at the hotel, a wedding feast at the ready.

28) Got a thing for stained glass.

29) Our guides the two Pauls.

30) Out front…

31) This church, and a monastery, are connected to our hotel.

32) Pazo de Raxoi (city hall) and old friends reunited.

33) We’ll pay it a revisit.

34) The entrance to Santiago Cathedral.

35) One need only look up.

36) After the crowds have gone.

37) In the soft light.

38) Down this way…

39) The incense burner.

40) The building is being worked on.

41) At every turn…

42) The cathedral exterior is getting some attention too.

43) Policia below.

44) Just wandering…

45) The El Camino Trail Passport.

46) And on completion of the journey, a Compostela.