Santiago de Compostela!

Hola!
It is wonderful! Bravo to all who those of us who have arrived in Santiago de Compostela! We have achieved something amazing!

I arrived in Santiago at 2 pm on the 25th of June and was met by Richard who flew into Santiago on that day to meet me in the 'Praza' (Galician for Plaza). He surprised me by having booked a hotel a block away. Nothing like a beautiful bathroom to win over a tired and happy peregrina! :-)
Santiago was wonderful. We took the time the next day to cheer in other pilgrims arriving and to wander about the 'casco viejo' and the 'Catedral'. I loved Santiago and enjoyed it, as I have all the other cities I passed through.
In the late afternoons, the Camino cities ie Pamplona, Logrono, Burgos, Leon, Astorga and Santiago, come alive when the local inhabitants spill out onto the streets to walk about with their families and friends. It is wonderful to see communities still enjoying and using the old city centres in this way!

Now, I am sitting at a desk in a hotel, in Bilbao! with the Guggenheim Museum beckoning; having left Santiago at 2pm yesterday! On the way we stopped in Leon so Richard could see the stained glass windows of the Cathedral and to have a coffee in the square where I spent several hours several days before (we parked under the Plaza :-). It was amazing on the way to drive past a peregrino here and there and to see the familiar signs eg to Mansilla de las Mulas an, to Carrion de los Condes! We arrived late last night and haven't seen Bilbao in daylight yet. 

I have so much to say but now is not really the time as I only have a day in Bilbao. Richard and I are on our way to France to visit Rebecca's French family and then on to Barcelona.

I will also continue my blog although I have already completed the near 800 kilometre walk to Santiago and worn the rubbers of my poles!

Clarisa Peregrina

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

unedited version