Finisterre
It is with deep emotion I write about Finisterre. Our original plan was to walk from Santiago to Finisterre and then maybe into Muxia. There is such a feeling of accomplishment after you receive your Compestelo and attend the pilgrims mass. Words and even pictures can never do justice to beauty of the pilgrims blessing and the tradition of the Botafumeiro as it swings above your head and you take in the smell of the sweet incense around you. It is a good thing you have done...
There is an excitement in the air as you celebrate your accomplishments with those you have met along the way with dinner and lively recollections of your times together. We have shared in something that words can not even define and yet we reminisce for hours over good food and wine. At the same time there is an unspoken change in the air as your traveling companions began to leave and return to lives very different then the ones you have just shared. We were yearning to get back on the road again but with the torrential rains and gusty winds we were in conflict.
We had decided to wait a few days for the rains to clear and they just didn't. For us in California it is hard for us to imagine the amount of rain that falls in this region at this time of year. Suffice to say, what they got in a few hours exceeded our total rainfall for all of last year. And, it was cold and very windy. We had decided we would leave on Tuesday and give ourselves four days to walk the 90km in the current weather conditions. When we woke up Tuesday morning the rains and winds were ferocious. We sat there dressed and ready for about an hour and then just decided to do what we had not expected to do while on this trip. We would take the bus.
I must say that both Tom and I can be legends in our own minds. Some might even say stubborn. Once we put our minds to something we tend to stick with it. We talked about what we had learned about trust and flexibility and enjoying the beauty along the way as opposed to following a preconceived notion or plan. We relinquished our plan and asked God for His. We were blessed beyond what we can say.
The bus ride was warm while it was incredibly wet and windy outside. We drove through the small inland villages where we would occasionally spot the yellow arrows which had become so dear to us these last few months. We missed our packs and being on the road. As we turned into the final leg of our journey which took us up along the coast, the weather suddenly cleared and the warm sun shone upon the waters like diamonds on the sea. We looked at each other and asked the bus driver if he would stop and let us out so we could walk into Finisterre. He quickly obliged us and soon we had our backpacks on headed along the coast to the End of the World, The End of the Way.
It was stunning! We walked the 20km or so into Finesterre and then another two hours to Faro de Fisterra which is the western point that had once been considered the End of the World. We sat on a rock holding each other and watched as the sun finished setting for the day. How fitting this was...
We know there is still plenty for us to see and do. We have many journeys left to live and we are free and able to do so. We know we will be okay at the end of each day. We have everything we need already. We are blessed beyond what we could ever say. We are loved by our God and He has a plan for us. We have you...
Looking forward to a Buen Camino...always.
There is an excitement in the air as you celebrate your accomplishments with those you have met along the way with dinner and lively recollections of your times together. We have shared in something that words can not even define and yet we reminisce for hours over good food and wine. At the same time there is an unspoken change in the air as your traveling companions began to leave and return to lives very different then the ones you have just shared. We were yearning to get back on the road again but with the torrential rains and gusty winds we were in conflict.
I must say that both Tom and I can be legends in our own minds. Some might even say stubborn. Once we put our minds to something we tend to stick with it. We talked about what we had learned about trust and flexibility and enjoying the beauty along the way as opposed to following a preconceived notion or plan. We relinquished our plan and asked God for His. We were blessed beyond what we can say.
The bus ride was warm while it was incredibly wet and windy outside. We drove through the small inland villages where we would occasionally spot the yellow arrows which had become so dear to us these last few months. We missed our packs and being on the road. As we turned into the final leg of our journey which took us up along the coast, the weather suddenly cleared and the warm sun shone upon the waters like diamonds on the sea. We looked at each other and asked the bus driver if he would stop and let us out so we could walk into Finisterre. He quickly obliged us and soon we had our backpacks on headed along the coast to the End of the World, The End of the Way.
We know there is still plenty for us to see and do. We have many journeys left to live and we are free and able to do so. We know we will be okay at the end of each day. We have everything we need already. We are blessed beyond what we could ever say. We are loved by our God and He has a plan for us. We have you...
Looking forward to a Buen Camino...always.
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