Leaving To Start Again

Being in Santiago as a Voluntario has been a treat. This year I actually got to write Compostelas, which can be down right stressful at times, yet so wonderfully rewarding. I've met Pilgrim's who have walked 3000 kilometers from Northern Europe and Pilgrim's who have walked 116 kilometers from Sarría. They are all excited to have made the journey. 

One man who came to me today walked from Nothern Europe over a period of five years. He started when he was 86, and completed his journey today at 91. He did not speak either English or Spanish, and I don't speak German, but he brought tears to my eyes. Another woman, my age, from the U.S., hurt herself shortly after she started in Saint Jean Pied de Port, kept walking, passed out twice due to a head injury, went to the hospital and had X-rays, then continued walking until she arrived in Santiago. 

I also wrote a Compostela for a woman who lives right down the block from me in Laguna Woods! That was amazing. She was walking with another woman who lives in Laguna Woods, but a few blocks from me. 

My best buddy at the office is a young woman from Germany. I think she is 19. One day she asked me why I was always so happy. I told her it beat the alternative. Then I remembered so many years of my life spent being angry and resentful. I have truly been blessed. Her name is Alex and she speaks several languages as well as her native language. When we are talking, I forget that English is not her first language. 

I was told that we needed to meet at the Pilgrim's Office at 5 pmon Monday, because we Voluntarios were getting a special tour of the Cathedral. I thought it would take about an hour and then I would return to the office to finish my shift. Well the tour itself took about two hours and was very interesting. Here is a picture of one of the places we walked on the balcony. 

I was about to go back to the office to finish my shift when my flat mate Jannette told me we were all going to the mass. Yikes, I had left all my stuff in my pack at the office. I had to run back to the office, grab my pack, and run back to the Cathedral, hoping the guard would let me in with the pack and that I would be able to find my group. All went well, and then we were all led to the area inside the roped off area right in front of the altar. I had been here once before with the American Pilgrim's group. It is special. At the end of the mass, before they swung the botafumiero, they called each of us up to receive a special certificate from the Dean of the Cathedral, who was also saying the mass. Five or six of the people who work in the office or are Voluntarios participated in the mass as either priest, deacon or men who swing the botafumiero. When the Dean gave us our certificates, he said a few words to each of us.

Here is a picture of the botafumiero beginning to swing, at some point it goes almost to the top of the arches in this Gothic cathedral. 

By now it is 8:30 and I discover we are going for tapas. That was fun and delicious. I got home about 11pm. My flamantes didn't return until after 1 am. 

Santiago is always interesting. Sometimes it feels a little bit like Disneyland, with so many people from so many different countries.  One day I was walking through the plaza in front of the Cathedral and saw a group of about fifty men and women with bicycles. It took me a minute to notice that each of them had modified their bike in some way to allow a handicapped person to experience the Camino with them. If handicapped is a politically incorrect term, maybe my friend Stephanie can educate me. I seriously don't mean any disrespect. Anyway some of their partners were in modified wheel chairs attached the bike, or in an added seat on the handlebars. It was another of those moments of wonder at how generous humans can be. 

Another day there was a group of about a fifty high school students from a Catholic school doing a circle dance in the middle of the Plaza, singing, laughing, running, dancing and moving in concentric circles matching up with new partners at every pass. I got tired just watching them. 

There are so many feel good moments, I could write all night. But at some point I must sleep. Tomorrow is my last day as a Voluntario. Thursday I leave for Porto, a city in northern Portugal. I will spend a few days there exploring the city, and hopefully listening to some Fado, sort of the Portuguese version of the blues or flamenco. Then I  begin to walk from Porto to Santiago. 

I sense there are more adventures to come.