Days 32-34 - Santiago de Compostela

I'm in Santiago! I got my compostela, in Latin, and am now an officially registered pilgrim!

Passed the 50km-mark on Tuesday. The Camino Frances (The French Way of the Way of St James, which I'm taking) merged with the Camino del Norte (The northern coastal route of the Way) in the town of Melide. No chance of ever walking alone again from that point. Felt like a mountain goat, jumping from rock to rock to get past other pilgrims. Which doesn't mean I didn't talk to anyone, I did, and seeing as no one can pronounce my name, I just introduced myself as Wanderer to the Sea. Which sums up my current purpose quite nicely.

Ended my day in Arzua after 18 miles - this year's record - and stayed in another government hostel as all the private ones charged over €10. These new hostels hardly have any kitchenware though, sometimes none at all. The day before yesterday I found three pans, five knives and two forks. Yesterday's hostel had one pan, one fork and one cup. For 60 people! And today's had zip. How do they expect people to cook around here?!

I covered 12 miles on Wednesday and ended up in Pedrouzo (Arca). Enjoyed dinner in a cozy little restaurant where I was joined by a merry group of pilgrims who'd walked the Camino del Norte: A Dane, a hobbity Irishman, a Boromir-esque Scotsman, a Gandalf-like American and a French lady. They were so much fun, we had a great evening full of laughs.

This morning, the Way was so quiet. An awkward experience after the hordes I encountered the past several days. Maybe because I just got up early - It got a lot busier later on. But I didn't mind the crowds anymore, seeing all those pilgrims moving in a straight line with Santiago in the distance was quite an emotional sight. In the city I had planned to go straight for the Cathedral - but as I was going there, I walked past a sign that said 'Living Room of the Low Countries'. This was the living room I had heard so much about and I had donated some furniture to. So I spent about an hour there, sitting in Paul's old chair, on our old rug. A piece of home, right here in Santiago :) When I finally made it to the pilgrim's office and got my compostela, I cried. It was never about this piece of paper, but finally holding it in my hands was so emotional. I went to my hostel for some food and a shower, and then on to the famous Cathedral for the pilgrim rites. They did their thing with the giant incense swing! http://youtu.be/XN8WCUG71hE

As I said, the text on my compostela is in Latin, but this is what it says:

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" The Chapter of this Holy Apostolic Metropolitan Cathedral of St. James, custodian of the seal of St. James's Altar, to all faithful and pilgrims who come from all over the world as an act of devotion, under vow or promise to the Apostle's Tomb, our Patron and Protector of Spain, witnesses in the sight of all who read this document, that **Wendela** has visited devoutly this Sacred Church in a religious sense.

Witness whereof I hand this document over to them, authenticated by the seal of this Sacred Church.

Given in Compostela on the 23rd of May AD 2013.

Chapter Secretary"
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[Editor's note: The word 'Chapter', in the ecclesiastical sense, refers to a general assembly of monks - so it has nothing to do with the chapter of a book.]

For those who are wondering, this isn't the end of the road for me. I'll be continuing my journey westward, to the towns of Fisterra (where the monks supposedly landed) and Muxia, both on the Galician coast. And I'm seriously considering returning to the hostel in Trabadelo on my way back, to do a mural for them. We briefly discussed it when I was there; I didn't make any promises, but it would be great to do, and since I have the time... But we'll see, I'll go to the coast first, I have plenty of time to think about it.