Santiago!

 

Walking the final 500 meters into the main square in front of the

cathedral felt like gliding. Not that I was walking on air it just felt very quiet. There was a musician  playing uielleann pipes as I walked under the final archway and it provided a lovely ambiance.

The only thing left to do was sit with some friends and share what was left of the loaf of bread I bought on the way into town. I sat for close to an hour watching other pilgrims come in after. The ones I knew I welcomed with a warm embrace.

 

The pilgrim's mass the following day also happen to fall on All Sanit's Day! The cathedral was filled to capacity and they lit the botefumiero right away. It took 6 r 8 men to get it swinging and it started to smoke, the choir was singing in the balconies, the bells outside were ringing and the organ was playng. It rocked me to my core. One f the more moving experiences of my life. It was a high holy day and the bishop led the service. From what I could understand in my limited Spanish it was warm and inviting. This experience will be with me for the rest of my life. To really feel the presence of the divine in that moment with that much depth was profound. I am grateful for the opportunity I had to travel this path on both bicycle and on foot. It would be very difficult to articulate all that has transpired on this part of my trip. It feels as though I have lived an entire lifetime.

It is my feeling now that although the route of Camino Frances is a fabulous bike ride, walking offers a totally different experience. If one were to ask me my opinion of which way to travel, I would answer that it depends on their intention. For the spiritual practivec, I recommend walking. For the aesthetics of a bike ride, then ride.

Speaking of riding. With the feeling of completion of the Camino de Santiago behind, I am ready to get back on my bike. From here I am travelling back to the city of Leon and collecting my bicycle.

From there I will follow roughly the Ruta Via de La Plata in reverse and make my way into southern Spain.

Now that I have my computer back, I should be posting again more regularly.