Santiago

The arrival into Santiago from the Camino Inglés is wonderful. You walk through the usual industrial area, but once you reach the inter city, you’re traveling through unfamiliar roads, with far fewer pilgrims. The best part of all? You don’t see the cathedral until the last kilometer or so, and the streets you’re walking through to get there are winding and full of interesting old hotels and shops.

It was a special moment for us to arrive in Santiago together this time. When we first met on the Primitivo last year, Manon had to hurry ahead as she was meeting friends in Finisterre. We met again in Santiago later that same trip, but we weren’t able to arrive together then, as we did this time. It was a happy moment - and then moments later, we saw our German, Italian and Spanish friends that we’d met as we walked the past 6 days. Although this Camino has been the shortest I’ve walked, the connections made seem just as fast as those I’ve forged on other, longer Caminos. Lots to think about there - what is it that creates that connection?