The life of a sightseer isn't quite as strenuous as pilgrim life but we are still tired tonight!!

It rained all day here in Santiago so we were thankful to not be walking and felt for those who were.

Hilde & Agnes left very early this a.m. and are now in sunny Portugal!

Judi and I slept in - in fact, Carmen the maid arrived before I was out of the shower! We headed out to find some breakfast then took laundry to the Pilgrim House - a wonderful resource and respite for pilgrims. The immediate area around the Cathedral is full of souvenir shops + jewelry stores, etc. Also scads of pilgrims!! Found the post office where I had some cards waiting for me - what a treat!!! Thank you to those who sent congrats!

At some point we did go to try the Cathedral Museum and Cathedral. Here are a few photos from that experience:

The organ

From cloister - one tower

Another two towers

and another one

Inside museum, the library!

After a couple of hours, we had had enough so Judi went to house & I went to get laundry & discovered by accident that the post office is just up some steps from the house!!! We took the long way earlier! After resting, we found an Italian restaurant that was highly recommended - it was good!! Tomorrow is to be clear so will take more photos. If there is a Cathedral rooftop tour in English tomorrow, we are going to try it - yes, even height challenged me! It must be time for me to be heading home as my socks are wearing out:

Sunday, October 18, is the first day of no walking after 13 straight days of walking for 5-15 km!!!  A strange feeling...however, it was lovely to take a shower in private bathroom with a real towel!!  I am staying in a house with Hilde, Agnes. And Melanie. They found it through Airbnb.

It is very close to St James Cathedral so very, very convenient!

My bed for two nights - sofa sleeper.

Melanie left tonight by train to start her journey home to Alabama. Judi moved in today after isolating herself due to a bedbug incident which is now cleared up!
Instead of walking today, we all 5 took a bus tour to Finisterre, Muxia, and other villages along the coast. It was terrific to get an ocean fix!

Muxia lighthouse

 Rocks on Muxia coast

Muxia church

This is a very significant waymarker for the pilgrims who walk on from Santiago to Finnesterre - 80+ km!

Most people stood on top of the square stones but nervous of heights me was quite content with this level!!

 Land approach to Finnesterre lighthouse

 Sea approach to lighthouse

 Once again, I was only comfortable from a secure spot above where others were scrambling like goats all over rocks in precarious places!! It was spectacular to see this spot - the end of the world before Columbus' 'discovery'!!!

It is 11:30 pm so time for me to get to bed -- Finnesterre is a typical coastal fishing village except for the fact that thousands of pilgrims visit here yearly!!

My experience of actually walking the El Camino has come to an end! I arrived in Santiago this morning about 11:00...I had approximately 5 km = 3.2 miles to walk from Monte do Gozo. It was drizzling as we pilgrims were getting organized & ready to start this climatic phase in our journeys. By the time I got my pack delivered back to the bar at 8:30 it had stopped drizzling so I was able to remove poncho & enjoy the final steps. I was somewhat surprised to find myself alone on the trail much of the time.

A large sign as I was leaving Monte do Gozo area.

An interesting yard in passing!

A statue along the way.

The first really good view of Santiago. The path was actually more civilized than what I was expecting - not much industrial tho some lower economical housing.

At one point, the golden scallop shells appeared in the sidewalks - big yellow arrows aren't so prominent anymore so had to pay attention!

Another fun sculpture

Aha!!

 Another sign of getting closer to the goal.

At one point Gail from Vancouver joined me on the walk into the center. It was nice to have another set of eyes looking for the waymarkers!

Housing

This shop was just too beautiful to pass up taking a photo though I found myself focused on the end/arrival.

But then I started seeing people I had previously met!! Here are Marcos & Antonino? From ??? I can't remember!!!

Is this St James Cathedral??? Not sure but feel soooo close!!

and then there was Johanna from one of the Scanadavian countries!! It is now 10:07 pm and my body is still on Albergue schedule so it is past bedtime!!! The joyous arrival at St James Cathedral will be documented another time. It was an experience I'll never forget and probably can't really find the words to describe but perhaps photos will help you understand the moment. 

Yes, this is St James!

And yes, I did do it!!!

I made it!!!!!

It is such a wonderful feeling! 

Back at cafe as was hungry!! Had some delicious cheese & bread plus answered emails and caught up on Facebook. I see that the fence photo didn't post in previous entry -

This is in the complex of tonight's albergue

These are the separate housing units. My

Design in walk on way down to Albergue

On the large sculpture, each side has a different relief

Back in albergue complex. 60 13-yr-old Spanish boys & 6 sponsors arrived to spend the night in my unit!!! Their hike had not tired them out!!! Very energetic and vocal - another reason I came back to cafe!!!!  

I have very mixed feelings about this incredible journey coming to an end tomorrow-will have walked approx 75 continuous miles in this last stretch. Haven't figured out how many others I did between buses & taxis!!!! Will strange not to get up & walk on Sunday morning!! We are going to take a bus tour to Finnesterre which was the end of the world before Columbus did his thing!!!  Okay, it is dark out & a fellow roommate is getting ready to leave so I'll walk with her. Good night!!

This morning was my first and only time of walking in the dark!!! We had to be out of Albergue by 7:30 so Marijke & I started off.

 Fortunately she had a flashlight because of course I never thought to get the headlamp that had never been used out of my big pack!!! And it was dark as we were in the woods - felt like the bogeyman could jump out of trees at any moment!!!! We sang the 7 dwarves song 'off to work we go' as there was a line of bobbing lights going down the path!!

This was in a private yard - a cross with various farm odds & ends hanging from it to create a large wind chime! Wouldn't have even noticed it except Marijke had to tie her shoe. We went at a good clip so I didn't take many photos - she kindly slowed down for me.

Then the sun arrived in all its glory!!!

The path was packed today with pilgrims getting to Santiago as it is Friday and there is a Pilgrim's Mass with the huge incense burner being used! This cafe was doing a booming business as hadn't been much before since leaving Pedrouza. And we met fellow Holland couple there:

I had shared a room & dinner with them a few days ago. Might see them tomorrow in Santiago!!

This is a fence bordering an airport. Pilgrims take advantage of any surface to be creative!

A concrete sign of being close to the end of journey! After our cafe stop, Marijka went on ahead as she was energized and decided to go on into Santiago today. Good decision as there were a few good-sized hills where I had to rest - this was the view 

 From this seat!! My knee was telling me that I had already walked more than 10 km so needed to be pampered a bit to make the last 5 kms!!

 Made it to Municipal Albergue at Monte Del Gozo - 400 beds!! In separate blockhouses.

 My room - a South Korean man, a Czech could & 2 S Korean girls plus me so far.

Showers & toilets - separate men & women.

My pack was not yet at the bar when I first arrived so went to Albergue & rested a bit. Upon return, still no pack & with helpful bar waitress making a phone call,  no idea where it might be. And I could not remember name of where I stayed last night. So I walked back to Albergue - down a hill & then back up - to get guide book that had that info. Upon return, lo & behold, there was the pack!!! So after eating a salad & fried eggs with the crusty bread, I'm writing this as wi-fi at Albergue is not good!! So now I will shoulder the pack, go shower & do laundry. Not sure I will get back to do another post...here is sculpture that I will have passed 4 times now!!!!