Camino Day 39: A Calle de Ferreiros to SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA

Day: May 9th, 2022

Distance: 31km/19.2 miles

Time: 7 hours (7:30am-2:30pm)

This was it. The last day. The day that I would finally arrive in Santiago de Compostela after 39 days of walking.

But let’s not get too ahead of ourselves. It was another slow and unenergetic morning. Chris and I stopped early on to nurse our beer hangovers with coffee and a greasy bacon, egg, and bread breakfast.

I put my headphones in and jammed for what felt like a couple hours. Walking crazy fast, grooving to the music, singing out loud as I walked through the trees. Let’s be real, I got a little carried away with my Camino playlist.

^^ You can bet we stopped at one of them, mostly because of this sign. 😉

I did not mess with the fence, but I did enjoy the last beautiful miles. I enjoyed the last Camino conversations about favorite childhood things and sauces and everything in between.

We stopped for one last vino blanco before arriving. The anticipation of finally, finally arriving twisted my stomach in knots. I was anxious to arrive.

The last couple kilometers became urban, and eventually we wound through the old city center, heading intuitively towards the church while still keeping an eye out for shells -one last time- to affirm our direction.

I remember the sound of bagpipes playing as we walked down the steps on the side of the church. And then we were standing in front of her. The cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. My, was she beautiful.

We walked towards the center and backed away from the church, finding a spot to take it all in. We took off our backpacks, leaned against them, and just sat. And sat. I only felt calm and content. I honestly did not feel much else upon arriving. I had pictured this moment many times while walking, but there were none of the intense emotions I was expecting. (That will come in this same place, later.)

After the obligatory arrival pics, we went around the corner to the pilgrims office. We handed over our tattered pilgrim passports, which had been stamped multiple times a day at albergues and coffee shops. I walked out, certificate in hand, having officially completed the Camino Frances.

We walked (wow, I thought we were done with that) to a beautiful little garden cafe at the top of a hill, where we ordered white wine and clinked to this new & major life accomplishment. Man, that post camino vino blanco hits different. Best glass of wine I’ve ever had.

I went and picked up a couple things from my suitcase, which had been patiently waiting for me here in Santiago. Back at the Airbnb, I put on my Sri Lanka shorts, a black tank, my jacket… the first real clothes I had worn in 39 days. Plus my earrings. My RINGS. My purse. I felt a little human again!

We strolled around Santiago- taking in the lively energy of the city, drinking white wine, nibbling on cheese and chorizo, sitting outside the church again. We barely made it to 10:00pm.

It had been a long day. It had been a long 39 days.

The walk was over, but things didn’t feel final yet. The rest of our Camino fam would be arriving tomorrow. In some ways, my walk wouldn’t be finished until they arrived. It had felt clear to me early on in the Camino that this wasn’t an “I” journey. This was a ”WE” journey.

Once the fam was all here in Santiago, we would have several days in a big Airbnb to celebrate together. And you already know that if we’ve excelled at one thing on the Camino, it’s drinking and celebrating.

So my Camino wasn’t finished yet… cause baby, it ain’t over ‘til its over.