Winewalkers: Day 10 Padron to Santiago (22 km) Sept 12

Our last day on the road together and emotions are running high. We are really not in too big a hurry to have this day end. After walking for an hour Deborah and George realized that the hotel had not given them back their passports. They took a taxi back to the hotel and then back to where they left off and managed to catch us where we have stopped for cafe con leche.
Linda is still suffering from her blisters that seem to be getting only worse, but she bravely soldiers on in borrowed sandals, with her head down and not complaining.

Coffee break.

Lunch on the outskirts of Santiago.

Entering Santiago on the Portugues route.
After following yellow arrows and scallop shells all along the way, we enter Santiago and the route markers that we relied on all along are suddenly scarce and hard to find. We feel we have lost our Way. Santiago appears to be to be a busy traffic laden city, not unlike many other European cities, until we reach the medieval streets and run the gauntlet of souvenir shops and cafés that lead to the Cathedral and the end of the trail for us.

We have arrived! I feel both exhilarated and a little let down. Like many journeys it has proven to be more about the journey than the actual destination. I feel a certain sense of accomplishment, but the arrival is a little difficult to process. All of a sudden you are here! Now what?

After ten days of walking we develop a rhythm. Life is reduced to eating, sleeping, and then rising each day and walking. It's all you really have to do. We will miss the camaraderie of the trail that we will be leaving behind, but for now we can relax in Santiago and watch the flow of pilgrims as they come in.