Camino francés - Page 15

Arca do Pino - Santiago de Compostella (ca. 20 km)

Our joy at today's arrival was quickly dampened. There was a power outage throughout the area at night. That meant packing and dressing in the dark, no breakfast and all the way to Santiago along the dark road. Klaus had kindly given me a headlamp, but it illuminated only little. We had started extra very early to be at noon mass in the cathedral. Only the anticipation carried us over the first 10 km to Lavacolla, it went permanently a busy highway along, constant caution was announced. In the airport area of Lavacolla we got lost, because we had overlooked a sign in the dark. After some searching we found the way again, but we had to realize, that we could forget the midday mass. So we walked on more comfortably until at some point we found an open bar. One had to fight here also still with sporadic power failure, but sometime the machine gave some Cafe con Lecce. We were drawn to the destination and after further breaks in San Marcos and on the Monte do Gozo, where the Pope built a steel monument and a giant hostel, it went downhill slowly to Santiago.

We talked little on the long way towards the old town, experiences and efforts on the past kilometers slowly condensed into a feeling of pride and satisfaction. Arrived in front of the cathedral, we hugged each other, Jana cried. A few moments of contemplation remained, then a TV crew arrived with a wellknown pilgrim to interview us. Jana took over the part again. We stayed a while in the square, but then we had to organize some things to have more time for the cathedral later. The pilgrimage is anyway not finished until one has been at the tomb of the apostle. The weather had been kind when we arrived, at least it was dry. An Englishman had even spread out a giant canvas on the pavement and painted the cathedral. He was collecting donations. At the pilgrims' office we received our Compostella and the address of a hostel in the city center. We could not go to the hostel, I had to go to the bus around the corner tomorrow morning and Jana got a weekend in a luxury hotel from Alfred as a reward. Alfred flew here tomorrow, but I was not to see him again.

So we went to our very simple pension and then to the cathedral. The entrance area was reconstructed, so we left out a few rituals introduced for tourists, such as the "head-butting". First, we ended our pilgrimage with a visit to the shiny silver coffin of Apostle St. James the Elder under the altar. I still had promises and some wishes to redeem here, so I prayed at the tomb. After that we went behind the altar and embraced and kissed the apostle.

In the holy year 2010 - July 25, the name day of St. James falls on a Sunday - we were even lucky enough to pass through the open holy porte, a thick bronze door. We strolled through the old town of Santiago in the evening, all had some shopping to do as well and looked for a bar before 8 pm. It should then Janas interview in the first Spanish television to be transmitted. So it was then also, a broadcast called Gente showed the city-known pilgrim and Jana. We had already eaten pilgrim menu in the afternoon, so it remained then with a few beers before we fell exhausted into our soft pension beds.

Abreise

On the day of my departure, I invited my friends to breakfast. We were already in a somewhat depressed mood. Jana expected the beautiful hotel weekend with her husband and Klaus wanted to go another 90 km to Murcia. He was in no hurry to get home. Both brought me then still to the bus, it was a strange moment, Jana was crying again. A part of me was happy to come home again, but it could have gone further with the two.

The bus took me to the Aeropuerto de Santiago de Compostela, I had to wait 2 hours before the flight to Palma de Mallorca was on. During the flight I had a very good view, especially the transition from the snow-covered Pyrenees to the Mediterranean Sea was impressive. In Palma I had 8 hours stay, I had thought to walk into the city, but there was no footpath out of the airport area. Bus or cab to drive, I refused, even if that is here is cheap. I wanted to walk, it was stuck in now. But it was not to be and so I checked back in and spent the hours in the airport. I walked up and down and allowed me now and then overpriced thin coffee. An older dropout told me her experiences here on Palma. Towards evening several flights went to Germany and little by little the prototype of the German Mallorca vacationer arrived. I was already afraid of the flight. Rightly so, my machine was crammed with noisy party people and the subjectively largest person sat next to me. Restricted in my urge to move, we then landed at some point in the driving snow in Leipzig. My first pilgrimage was over. I was allowed to learn a lot, about myself and others. It was very intense, so since then the addiction to it and curiosity continue to lead me on various ways. However, better organized and more relaxed 🙂.