First, let me post a picture from yesterday that I couldn’t manage to upload last night…Christine captured this of me walking in the eucalyptus forest… It may be one of my favorites.

We were up early this morning, eager to finish our journey…my feet and legs are almost 100% now… Amazing!  Christine and I wanted to walk into Santiago together…it is a very special moment for pilgrims and some feel it’s anti-climactic…so I was trying not to have too many expectations…but I knew I wanted to capture the moment with a friend, and Christine has become a very good friend in a short time.

We were close to the City, so no spectacular trail shots today, we were soon in pretty heavy traffic, crossing bridges, roundabouts…we stopped for coffee and I saw a German friend I hadn’t seen in about 10 days, we screamed and hugged…it’s so difficult to explain the deep connections you form with people here, and the surprise synchronicity of meetings.

As we began our walk through the old part of the City, I had my last Hallelujia moment as I saw the tower of the Cathedral above the rooftops. (Way off in the distance in this picture, but not as far as it looks)

We had run into another pilgrim  we knew, Rose, and invited her to walk in with us…I started crying when I saw the Cathedral, which set Rose off too, Christine was misty eyed as she was re-living the last time she did this, a very different experience …then, after a few minutes, pointing across the street, Christine said “if you want to break up this touching moment, check that out”…my eyes followed her finger to a little dog, stopped in the middle of a busy sidewalk unashamedly doing its business….OMG, we were now howling…

Within a short time, we rounded a corner and there was the Cathedral.

I started to see so many people I have been connecting with for weeks, including Alaia, from the Big Island who I did some training with, she started before me and ended a week or so ago.

Christine and I checked into our room at the Parador, an amazing 5 star hotel kitty corner to the Cathedral…this place has some serious history, feels like it may have been a palace at some time…then went to the Pilgrims mass.

I was walking around while waiting for the mass to start and ran into Debra and Cathy, two of the women that I started with 39 days ago…we hugged and laughed and we walked through the Holy Door together… What a wonderful, full circle, completion.

Christine and I have taken baths and our bodies are enjoying the rest…a day of R&R tomorrow, and a little shopping, then flying home the day after.

Thank you all for joining me on this special journey, I have loved all the heartfelt comments…I love you all, and look forward to seeing most of you soon.