Good afternoon. Today is my last day. My flight leaves at almost 10:00 tonight. AAARRRGGG!
I attended the Pilgrims' Mass today. There were two of these nuns, and I think they were from one of the Central or South American countries. If you look closely, you can make out her hiking boots under her habit.
Today's cantor is in red, and he had a beautiful tenor voice, but I was sorry that the soprano nun, whom Dennis and I have named the Songbird, was not there. She was like an angel that had come to life.
No matter how many times I visit the Cathedral, I always notice something new. The domed ceiling above the high altar is painted almost entirely in shells.
The clergy. Today’s mass was in Spanish, but that did not make it any less special. You don’t have to understand thed words to know that you are a part of something with spiritual essence. There is no doubt in my mind that God is present in life, if you just listen. I always feel such gratitude for the experience of the Camino, for all its hardships.
The city of Compostela de Santiago has undergone significant changes over the years. It is no longer like Gatlinburg, with its abundance of tchotchkes and overpriced religious items made in China, but rather a town of art, culture, and fashion. When I completed my first Camino, there were no tapas bars or quality restaurants except for the Parador. Now the town teems with tapas bars open all afternoon and into the evening. A hungry pilgrim can eat before 9:00 at night. Whoo hoo. Even the Parador has started opening its fine dining restaurant at 7:45.
This LLADRÓ of Saint James is less than 12 inches tall and is priced at just over $3,000 US.
There are many fine jewelry stores. I struggle with photos on my iphone. I miss my camera.
These art pieces are entitled “Peregrinos del Mar” and the artist makes them out of driftwood that he collects during Caminos.
There is now a milliner, but the hats are not nearly as spectacular as Louisville’s derby hats. I learned from a speaker at one of the Woman’s Club Luncheons that a milliner actually makes the hats and does not just decorate pre-made hats.
This is a different shop. Interesting combination of old lady bras and men’s hats. There is a joke in there somewhere.
A fabric store (for sister Sandi)
High-end women's fashion.
Even men’s Fashion
A Camino is a time of quiet contemplation, a time to turn off the cacophony of our modern existence and turn inwardly and upwardly. It is a solitary journey that one must accomplish on one’s own two feet and in the depths of one’s heart and soul. There is beauty in that journey of self reliance and yet, one cannot do it alone. There are many Camino Angels along the path who come just when the journey becomes most dire.
The reasons for walking the Camino de Santiago are as different as the Perigrinos who undertake such an arduous journey. On the Camino, each pilgrim is equal, letting go of pretension, status, and responsibilities. Each struggles with the same physical pain and mental uncertainty in its successful completion. It cannot be bought or gifted, and it depends solely on one's fortitude and reliance on God. And yet the camaraderie of fellow pilgrims gives one the hope that human kindness is inherent in all of us. Each step is a step towards a common goal of letting go of past angst and beginning anew.
Sir Walter Raleigh said it well when he wrote in the "Passionate Man’s Pilgrimage,"
Give me my scallop shell of quiet,
My staff of faith to walk upon,
My scrip of joy, immortal diet,
My bottle of salvation,
My gown of glory, hope’s true gage,
And thus I’ll take my pilgrimage.
So I will bid you Good Journey and God Bless!
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