Well add two shiny new ??????? pilgrims to the list!! We arrived in Santiago on the 30th but due to some technical issues we have not been able to post the good news until now.
A couple of days out and what a shock to meet up with the French Route. People everywhere, coffee shops about a kilometer apart and vending machines chained to cow barns. But as usual everybody, well nearly all, were in high spirits and full of chat and good wishes.
The last day seemed an anticlimax in the end, no brass bands, no vestal virgins spreading rose petals in our path just bus loads of pensioner age spanish women elbowing their way through to the front of whatever. But we got our last stamp and received our Compestellas and found a nice hotel and promptly crashed for a couple of hours.
Next day we had a relaxed start, had a wander around Santiago and went to the pilgrim mass, saw the fumidor? swing through the chuch incense wafting everywhere. Later as a treat, seeing as it was our 21st wedding anniversary, we went to the parador, the oldest in Spain, and had dinner then back to the hotel.
Today, we picked up a hire car and are doing the tourist thing with the idea that we will go to the Picos National Park, across to the Pyrenees? to Bacelona and finish in Madrid.
I´m still not sure about the walk, I think it will take some time for it all to sink in. We saw some wonderful country, met some beautiful people, as well as some who don´fit that description,(possibly they were just having an off day) chatted to people from all over the world, had the time and peace to contemplate a lot, I think the real challange will be seeing if we can truely put our thoughts into action for many years to come.
We would like to thank everyone for the encouragement, messages, and keeping us in your thoughts, the emails were very comforting and uplifting some days even more than others. We look forward to seeing you all soon, stay safe.
Chris and Vern
Saturday, July 3, 2010
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