Hola! Hola! Santiago de Compostela – El Camino Day 25

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Our last day of the Camino today.

Two men posing in front of a grand, ornate building with multiple towers and intricate architectural details. The sky is overcast, and the men are dressed in casual outdoor clothing.
We made it! 600kms walked

We awoke early, had breakfast and set out to walk the last 10kms of the Camino. As we were staying at a hotel near the airport it made sense for us to leave our bags at the hotel and pick them up on our way through to the airport. Our flight was scheduled for later that day. I’m glad we did that as the cathedral would not allow backpacks in for the pilgrims Mass we attended at midday.

A quiet rural road lined with telephone poles, leading past stone walls and fields under a cloudy sky.
Walking out of Lavacolla

It was very overcast as we set out. It had rained through the night so very damp underfoot too.

A stone church with a bell tower, surrounded by bare trees and autumn leaves on the ground, with a cemetery in the background.
Church at Lavacolla

Mixed feelings I had today as we were walking the last stage of the walk. In one way I was looking forward to it and the other regret as the walk and time I had was coming to a close. The weather wasn’t helping all that much either.

A wooden bridge alongside a flowing stream, surrounded by trees and scattered autumn leaves, with a path visible in the background.
Path out of town
A quiet, winding road surrounded by trees and fallen autumn leaves, creating a peaceful atmosphere.
Along the road
Winding road surrounded by trees with autumn leaves and a guardrail, under cloudy skies.
And again
A rural road lined with greenery and trees, leading past farm buildings and fields under a cloudy sky.
Through some farms with some very strong smells
A winding country road lined with trees and a house at the top of a hill, with autumn leaves scattered along the pavement.
And towns
A quiet, narrow street lined with old stone buildings and overgrown greenery under a cloudy sky.
More towns
A winding rural road surrounded by trees in autumn, with fallen leaves covering the ground and a cloudy sky above.
Some nice scenery

The walk was mostly humdrum to be honest and as I said the weather didn’t really help either. The rain started too. It wasn’t a particularly scenic walk and it was without fanfare or any sense of a grand entrance.

A large abstract monument featuring a black sculptural form, a cross at the top, and a relief panel depicting a hand with various inscriptions and a shell symbol.
A memorial to JPII. Looks a bit Soviet to me.
A narrow pathway lined with bare trees on either side, leading through a grassy park area covered with fallen leaves, under a cloudy sky.
The path into Santiago
A view of a rainy day in an Australian town, showing a gravel path leading down to a road. In the background, there are two buildings, one with a partially peeling blue and white facade. Power lines are visible overhead against a grey sky.
We could see Santiago now
A view down a stone staircase bordered by greenery, leading to a winding road in a misty, overcast setting.
Raining quite steadily now
A rainy street scene featuring a yellow post box, green and yellow waste bins, a red car parked nearby, and low visibility with overcast skies.
Walking along Santiago streets
A wet street scene showing a mix of residential buildings and parked cars, with a lamppost on the footpath and a cloudy sky overhead.
Santiago surburbia

It was interesting walking through the streets of Santiago to find the cathedral. It was nowhere to be seen on the city skyline.

A wet street scene in a city with people walking under umbrellas, a grey Peugeot van parked alongside other vehicles, and buildings lining the street.
More street walking
A quiet cobblestone street lined with buildings, some featuring balconies and signs. It is a rainy day, and puddles form on the pavement, while cars are parked along the street.
And more
A person walking down a cobblestone street on a rainy day, holding a blue umbrella. The street is lined with traditional buildings and shops, with a few pedestrians in the background.
And more

The walk kept going and going. We were wondering if we were ever going to get there. In fact the more we came closer the less and less we saw the Camino arrows. We got to a point where we had no idea where to go and a beggar pointed us down the right street. Totally unusual that we could trek 600kms without getting lost but in Santiago the signs seemed to peter out and we weren’t sure where to go.

A man stands smiling in front of the ornate façade of a historical building with spires and intricate sculptures, under an overcast sky.
I’ve completed the Camino! Yay!

We found ourselves asking a man playing bagpipes as to where the pilgrims passport office was as there were once again no signs pointing it out anywhere. We got the final stamp and certificates which I will post up in another blog entry.

To top things off we went into the cathedral to attend the pilgrims Mass and found everything roped off. Everywhere there were seats was cordoned off and no access was allowed. Totally weird. We tried to get into a section and were told off by a very angry security guard. I’d never seen anything like it, so much anger. Quite upsetting. Anyway we walked around to another part of the church where we found another security guard who was obliging and let us sit for Mass.

So to sum up an interesting day. Not what I was expecting, perhaps a little let down and anti-climax but in no way did it hamper my enjoyment and experience I had doing the Camino.

Buen Camino. 😊

For a map of today’s walk you’ll find it below.

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