Day twenty six / День двадцать шестой

Сантьяго де Компостела
Santiago de Compostela.

Distance 6.09 km. Time 1 hour 16 minutes.
Прошел 6.09 км за 1 час 16 минут.

After / после
Прошел 22.56 за 5 часов 30 минут.
Distance 22.56 km. Time 5 hours 30 minutes.

Woke up early as never before. Probably because previous day was so emotional when I was writing daily blog. But some people already left albergue. Night walking is very exiting, when you know your way. But I still prefere day, or at least time of sunrise.

I didn't want to sleep anyway, got dressed, packed my staff and went to the cafeteria to get something for breakfast. Time was 7-40 am and cafeteria wasn't open yet. But wi-fi was availible from outside. I read my emails. Sent "Good morning" email to lovely one and checked weather. Day has promised to be sunny and nice. I start my routine walk with average pace, but legs moved me faster and faster. Inside me was feeling like you standing on high before jump or more precisely as when you going a top of first hill of huge roller coaster and waiting this moment when everything is fell down. I just look behind any more or less big building in hope to see top of Santiago Cathedral. Path already was going in city of Santiago. New buildings surranded it. I passed contemporary monument Gate to the Santiago ( you can see on picture ) and continued following yellow arrow, which helped me from very beginning. In probably half an hour from the beginning I stepped in old city of Santiago. I didn't see many pilgrims in the morning. But some of them showing that this is last steps in their Camino ( you can notice what type of shoes these girls on the picture wearing ). Everyone was waiting something. Finally I spotted three tops of the Santiago Cathedral. It was great feelings. I was ready to run there to all cathedral in its unbelievable beauty. In couple of minutes I stepped in the Cathedral square. Not so many people were there at this time. Just couple pilgrims and group of turists. I stand opposed main gate to cathedral , which was closed by this time yet, and spent more than fifteen minutes just looking on it. I MADE IT! More than 800 kilometers, 25 days. This is price to see this beauty from different angle than anyone else on this square. IT WORTHS IT! I made couple of picture and slowly walked across the cathedral to general entrance ( please don't mixed with main entrance - The Pórtico da Gloria ). Mass only started and I was allowed to attend it. There wee not so many people on the mass, because major mass of the day starts at 12 pm for pilgrims. And as I premember in 2010 ( Holy year, when birthday of St James fall on Sunday ( there was no place to stand, nog even sit. Anyway , I attended mass to the. Final and walked out of cathedral. Nix was time to get my recognition of achievement. I walked down by the street from main entrance to cathedral and went into piligrim's office. There was just Spanish couple before me, whose face I saw last couple of days not a once. After them I went to one of the officials, gave them my credentials, passport, filled out short form and got my Compostela. I was very concern how I can preserve this very important for me document from being wrinkled during keeping it in backpack. But in way out lady gave me hard-paper tube, where I can keep Compostela until I get home.

I get down from the office and met Spanish couple who were before me. I ask them to make couple of picture me an Compostela and walk out of piligrim's office. I feel that I achieve something, but feeling was very strange - I managed to walk more then 800 km , but I'm not finish yet. Probably because during my journey I many times told to myself that finish point - Finisterre. Finisterre if you translate from Galician means End of the Earth. I must to see it and I must do it on foot. Then mission will be completed. I walked down by the street to touristic office to get guide or sort of map how to get to Finisterre. Time was 10-30am and office will be opened only at 11am. I have to wait. I would like to walk without any information and get in the position of Charly ( do you remember Irish man I met in Meseta with schematic map of Camino? ) and I have to wait at least half an hour. What the best way to spend time ? Guess? Yes, bingo!!!! Eat. I followed my old 2010 feelings and got on the square behind the cathedral. And I orders CHURROS! There was wi-fi availible and I can call my Ksusha and showed to her view of cathedral from vary familiar place for her. I was back in turist office after 12 am and they gave me map of the city of Santiago, map of Galicia and sort of guide ( I would say written step by step manual ) how to get there. Time was about 11-45 and I slowly walk to my way out of Santiago. Walking by general entrance I found that main gate - The Pórtico da Gloria was open and pilgrims going through this gate into Cathedral. Mass was close to start. I desired to see at least start of the pilgrim's mass ( I saw complete pilgrim's mass in 2010 Holy Year and it was unbelievable ). When I walked into cathedral I noticed familiar faces and backs. First on portik itself I met Yourg, German from Frankfurt. Inside cathedral I saw huge monument out of regular size pilgrims - Andrew with his 6 foot 5 very hard was miss. And my Bundeswerth - Antonia and her mom Sebilla. We all got friendly hugs. Andrew said he will spend couple of days in Santiago and after will be going to Muxia and Finisterra. Antonia ans Sebilla will stay here couple of days and flying back to home Frankfurt. When I said I'm going now to continue to Finisterra, first question was if I spent night here in Santiago. No. Antonia's mom said that she always knew that me is very unusual ( in soft version of her expression ), but al this were said with very great respect. They asked me for the photo and we got it.

We hugged for the end and I went to the right corner of the The Pórtico da Gloria Square. Yo find my first yellow arrow which will follows me to Finisterre - End of the Earth.

I was going to complete whatever I need. The weather was fine. Not very hot and no rain. But this is Galicia. Weather can changes almost every minutes. As soon as I put my sunglasses on, sun was hidden in cloudiness. Ok. I put them back into backpack and sun started to shine. And this was all day. Finally I was tired to play this game and keep sunglasses in my backpack. Because I started from Santiago late, I reached my destination point Negrette ( 23 km from Santiago ) around 5-30 pm.
Than regular pilgrim's staff - shower, washing, prepare dinner or lolling for the dinner and bed. For dinner I got big dish of shrimps and tonn of beer. Between beer I managed to call my lovely wife, my kids and my friends. I always was agree with sign I have at home above my kegerator - Beer can do magic ( sign actually in German). For today that's it. Have a good night.