It was strange that for a few days before arriving in Santiago I recognized so few people as a lot of people joined for the last 100km.

I had mentioned that it would be nice to enter the city with people and since I put it out there, I manifested it.

I ran into someone in Burgo and when I stopped at the cafe after leaving Burgo I ran into 4 people; an artist I met and her son who joined her for the last section and a father and son who were at the table for my very first pilgrim meal.

It come full circle.

We entered as a group and celebrated each other’s success.

I must be honest and say that the walk into the city and the arrival at Prazo Obradoiro (the main square) was anti-climactic. I thought ‘Is this it?’

I guess I envisioned crowds of people shouting and cheering and screaming at us and fireworks going off as we completed our journey, but none of that.

But we have to realize that it’s called the Way and not the Place or the End. In fact it is the Beginning!

But the beginning of what? Living differently? Thinking differently? Behaving differently? Being different?

The end of this journey became more real for me when during a ceremony a large censer is swung in the cathedral. The intense smell of the burning incense and the hypnotic visual of the Botafumeiro (the censor) swinging at 70 kmph suspended on a 65 metre rope symbolizes the sensation that as pilgrims we walked here seeking answers and now we release our hopes, dreams, and prayers to the universe.

I had the opportunity to witness this in action and for me it was the culmination of the journey. It was the celebration of fireworks I was expecting.

I have come to realize that the end is a personal, individual celebration, because as rumi said “Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.”

So my plan was to continue on walking to the end of the world – Finisterre. This is where the world ended for the flat earth people (in the Middle Ages and for some people today 😛)

And I learned today that the early pilgrims did this portion to Finisterre because it symbolizes that they can walk no more!

I was very lucky to have had great weather throughout this journey with only rain near the tail end, but the forecast is rain for the next week. I could not decide if I should do it or not. I waffled back and forth so many times and then I realized-have I learned nothing this past month? Put Faith in the Camino!

I went down to reception at the hotel I am staying at and asked if I could have my room for 1 extra night? If they said no then that would mean I had to pack up and leave. If they said yes then that would mean I am here for one more night. Take it day by day and have no plan!

Today, Tuesday, October 17th, I was walking around, had a great tour of the cathedral and all morning I was thinking I’m not ready to be a tourist! I need to keep moving. So tomorrow I’m walking because I need to keep moving forward.

So stay tuned.