Camino de Santiago 18 Lavacolla to Santiago de Compstella

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ROF= Ring of Fire Odyssey  

MEF-H = Marine Expeditionary Force- Hargus 

CdS = Camino de Santiago journey            

Sunday September 22, 2019         

CdS 18 Lavacolla to Santiago de Compostella... Lux Santiago... 6.5mi

Up early... Strong Black Coffee, bite to eat. Let's go we're going to make Santiago today. Let's get moving early and make the mass at noon. Let's make this happen! we're fired up. We're going to Santiago today!

Damp wet start.

Beginning the Camino day, stopped early at an Iglesia/ church... said prayers for safe journey on the Camino today.

And begin the days Camino.

Wet feet.

 Light rain drizzle in the morning.  in rain gear.

Eucalyptus groves.

Wet feet.

 On the Camino... with other pilgrims.

Monument... closing in on Santiago.

Continue to march.

Coming into Santiago.

We have arrived... now just a few more miles to the Compostella.

 Not bad for a guy that's 106 years old... that's Bear years.

Hike through Santiago.

 Into Santiago.

Through town headed for the Compostella.

We left early today and made it just in time for a pilgrims mass. Good timing. this was a couple hundred yards from the Compostella which was being renovated... so the mass is here. 15 minutes 'till mass.

Iglesia de San Francisco.

This is a magnificent cathedral... a very powerful service.

A blessing for all pilgrims with the invitation for communion.

Partake of the elements; bread of the body, the cup of wine for the blood.

A very powerful service.

There were no big pilgrim packs allowed inside the cathedral. With minutes before beginning we left our packs outside the entrance. I wondered if I'd ever see it again. When we came out an hour late everybody's pack was right there.

There were somewhere between 750 to 1,000 pilgrims in this mass. Truly humbling ceremony after a pilgrimage of The Camino de Santiago. This was completion/ closure. We had backpacked over 130 miles of the Camino. This was the end of what we came for.  ... for today. Also see blog post to Finnesterre; click here  Finnesterre, to The End of The World  .

Across the square is the Pazo de Raxoi (Raxoi's Palace), the town hall.

To stand in Santiago de Compostella square.... the wonderful buildings... hundreds of pilgrims from all over the world... several we had made friends with were somewhere nearby maybe. We have done it!

The Compostella Cathedral is beyond description. You can't even get it all in one picture frame.

The culmination of a journey to Santiago on The Way of ST James.

I hiked the Camino de Santiago and lived to talk about it. I made it!!! I shouldn't even be here. Well... the perseverance, discipline, and heart of a 21 year old US Marine Platoon Sergeant got me here. Not bad for a guy that's 106 years old; that's Bear years.

After a lifetime of odyssey,.. this is one of the best journeys. Several years ago a young student asked me "?What were my favorite places?"  My reply was "the places I haven't seen yet"  This is one of those places I finally got to; decades ago I dreamed of seeing this someday. Thank you Lord for all the abundant blessings. As promised long ago,... I did not waste this time of life.

After 45 minutes of seeing the Compostella square we stopped at a streetside cafe for a bite to eat. ?Guess who walks by; It's UK Dave and Dame Sue. Wow! This was meant to be. We sat and talked about the Camino and caught up.

This litre of Galicia Estrella beer is significant. Remember the day before when we got to the hotel in Lavocolla and the beer tap was at the hotel entrance? ... The wedding party had this tap on the entrance foyer... Well, before we left this morning hiking to Santiago I emptied the last water oout of this bottle and filled it for Dave. Stuffed it in my pack hoping I'd cross paths w/ him again... while talking got into my pack and gave it to Dave... compliments of "Russell". It was still cold and Dave was honored. Sometimes things work out good.

There's nothing better than sharing time and talking w/ good friends. Dame Sue... You are a real trooper of the ranks to have made this Camino hike w/ heel blisters.

Dame Sue at a streetside cafe in Santiago, Spain.

If we had planned this we couldn't have found each other in a town of 80,000 people. We went and checked into our hotel, rested up some. and later met for dinner.

After resting up, afternoon recovery, refresh... early evening we met up w/ UK Dave and Dame Sue at a streetside cafe/ restaurant A Fuego Lento 200 yards from the Campostella square.

Tiny small storefront but a great restaurant... I recommend highly!!!

Owner Alfonso was a gracious host. A Fuego Lento was 1st class!!!

A wonderful dinner!

We were having such a good time talking... laughing,.. enjoying the evening... the street passerby's on the street could hear us having a good time in this restaurant... Alfonso, set us up with shots... ON THE HOUSE!!!  Happy,.... laughing patrons... having a great Camino experience/ dinner in his cafe... We were good for business... good to bring in more customers. Alfonso was a gracious host! All of the Spanish people on the Camino were friendly and we were treated well on our Camino pilgrimage. I admire the Spanish people and have a genuine appreciation for them!

Thank you Spain, Thank you Santiago! ALL The Way on the Camino we were tired pilgrims and you treated us  as gracious hosts, welcoming us into your home. Thank you dearly!!! Yo amor Espania!!! Muchas Gracias! Well Done!!!

 We all agreed that the vanilla, chocolate, coffee liqueurs were the best. Thank you Alfonso; Yo amor Santiago!!!

The police came because we were laughing so hard.

Our last goodbye's, handshakes and hugs of Camino friends. Until we meet again. Safe travels, safe passage. Thank you for making this Camino journey more enjoyable. We love you dearly! Godspeed UK Dave and Dame Sue.

This was a great day.... In this journey.... on this odyssey of a lifetime... this was one of the best days. We did not waste this day! Thank you for all the abundant blessings. A good day!

You never drink twice from the same stream. 

Just because you wander doesn't mean you're lost. 

Uncle Hargus: Last of the Independents  

Have Bear,    

          Will Travel 

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