Camino de Santiago Day 6 Pedrouzo to Santiago

Camino de Santiago Day 6 Pedrouzo to Santiago 18 kms

Breakfast was interesting. We stayed at a family home and were served in their dining room..just as well since the place was a good distance from the town and saved us time. The man of the house however became unpopular with the girls when he announced that he would suppprt introducing in Spain the old Indian custom of burning the wife in the funeral pyre of a man!

Soon we were on the Camino and evryone excited by the prospect of finishing. One of the group had discovered that when a group reaches the Monte Gozo, about 5 kms from Santiago, they had to race up to the point from which the cathedral spires can be seen. The first to arrive is declared the 'king' of the group!

Once again the camino passed through beautiful countryside, and we met many interesting people along the way, such as Martin the 'Bill Bryson' look alike American who had spent 6 weeks on the Camino, the Korean couple who had learnt Spanish at school and amazingly could converse easily, and the Australian from Cookstown who appeared happy to be approaching the end. 

I had walked quite fast for a while and was amazed to find myself miles ahead of everyone, and it occured to me that the group had conspired to let me arrive first at Mount Gozo. I was mortified and had this urge to share the honours with the group. I stopped at a nice little church and after about fifteen minutes was united with the group. We finished together flushed with happiness.  

A few kilometers later we all arrived at the cathedral, a wonderful piece of architecture, and flopped out in front of it. After a few celebratory photographs, we queued up to get our 'compostela'. When my turn came and I approached the agent at the Pilgrims Office, the young man looked up from his desk and said to me 'I know you'!! It turns out that he had seen me on the Spanish Tv program Destination Spain on which I appeared a few weeks ago. 

After a week full of so much emotion and tears this was quite a treat, needless to say that we all got our certificates and went off to give thanks and celebrate. 

This has been one of my best experiences in Spain.