The heavy rain held off long enough for me to walk the last 20 kilometers (14 miles) into Santiago. I arrived in a light drizzle. My pace crept up on me unnoticed - it took less than 3 1/2 hours, and there are many hills. 2,400 kilometers of conditioning can do that, I suppose. About 25 foot-pilgrims are expected today, a strong contrast to the 300 I arrived with on October 31st, 2007. Maybe because of the rain, or maybe because the time of year, but the city's rather quiet.
It feels great to have made it here, but this isn't my final destination - I'll rest for the day and stay in a comparatively nice hotel rather than a pilgrim house - and leave first thing in the morning for Finesterre, the mystical point on the coast where the legend says the rudderless boat carrying the relics of Saint James arrived. Another 3 or 4 days of walking... and then, I'm not sure yet...
I tried to scan in some more watercolors, but the quality is so poor, I can't even post them. I'll keep trying to find a way to post them soon. More later...
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7 comments:
Congratulations Ann. Thanks for sharing your winter journey with us here.
A remarkable journey. Thanks for the glimpses. When you get home, maybe you could do a blog entry about route finding - what guidebooks you found useful, if any, what maps were essential, etc. - Of course, after you have sorted thru your months of mail, visited all your friends.
Thankyou so much for the account of your winter journey.
I am so glad you will continue your
pilgrimage to Finesterre.
3friends and I start from Cahors April 1. After almost a year of thinking about the walk we will soon be on our way.
Your blog has been a great help.
Thankyou and congratulations.
Joan, Wellswalker
Dear Ann,
Congratulations! I can still feel the awe that enveloped me when we arrived in front of the Cathedral! Have a nice walk to Finistère, we chose not to go.
Michèle from Ottawa (Canada)
Congratulations.
And we thought the rain in Spain fell only on the plain!
Keep in touch.
Love Mom
Well done Ann-e!!
Please give old Jimmy a hug from me when you visit him in the cathedral.
Looking forward to seeing more of your paintings.
un beso, Sil
Dear Ann,
congratulations! Wish I was there too...:)
Jadwiga
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