My Journey Home to Myself – 12 Days on the Camino de Santiago
I arrived in Santiago de Compostela on October 13 to begin my journey on the Camino de Santiago. I had chosen the Camino Finisterre route, the original pagan Camino which is a 200KM path beginning and ending in Santiago de Compostela.
Over the next while I will share here some of my thoughts while on the path. For me this was a deeply personal and meaningful journey. I walked alone, only sharing the way with others approximately five hours out of the twelve days I was on the Camino. In that solitude I found a part of myself which had I had lost.

The Eve of the Journey- October 13

Today I am full with God.

I arrived very early, shortly after sunrise. My room was not ready so I wandered in the city. After a time I made my way to the Tourist Office where I understood I could get my credential. This is the document on which, as you walk, you collect the sellas (stamps) in order to receive your certificates of completion.
At the Tourist Office a friendly woman explained that since I was walking a 200 KM route and returning to Santiago I could possibly receive an official Compostela certificate of completion but perhaps I needed to pick up a different credential at the Pilgrims Office.
So off I went to the Pilgrims Office. Here one stands in line and watches as other pilgrims still dusty from the road cheer in joy upon receiving their certificates. Some of these folks have been on the Camino for 2 months and this official completion is very moving.

I was told that my walk, known as The Finisterre Way( the original pagan Camino) was “not the real Camino” and so I could not get a certificate. There was a long explanation some of which, perhaps most of which, I did not understand – so I may or may not get my certificate. But needless to say the evaluation of my Camino as “not real” took some wind out of my sales. I am not walking for a piece of paper so I will get the stamps each day as required and in two weeks, we will see what happens.

Next I decided to walk the first 2 KM of tomorrow’s route just so I would not get lost in the first half hour of my journey. I stopped at the first official Camino marker in a stunning grove of oak trees. I am ready now!
Then I went to the Cathedral to do the audio tour and perhaps to light a candle to seek blessings on my pending journey.
The Pilgrims mass began shortly after I arrived and visitors were required to join the congregation or leave. I joined the pews filled with mostly “completed pilgrims”, you could tell from their shoes.
At one point in the mass we were invited to offer each other the handshake of peace, “peace be with you” the traditional greeting you offer to those seated near you. I remembered a Christmas Eve mass 37 years ago when I was over 9 months pregnant, as the woman next to me took my hand she nodded towards my considerable belly and said, “Peace be with you, it looks like you will need it soon.” I was moved to tears today by this memory and the passage of time and shift of place that is our life story.

My last treat was a lovely lunch of pulpo a la plancha and not one but two glasses of Albarino!

Now I am back at the hotel to prepare my bags for the trip. I leave tomorrow at 7:45AM. I am so excited; I am not sure how I will sleep!