It is Monday about 5pm and I am sitting in the Santa Clara Alburgue/Hotel all purpose room for pilgrims.  Karen's sister recommended the Alburgue to us and it is nice.  Too much culture shock to go to some fancy hotel as at first we thought we would.  Less than ten minutes from the Cathedral in Santiago.
We arrived in Santiago on Friday about 9am.  Stood in line for an hour to get our Compostela!  Lines today are three hours.  Anyway, we walked to theCathedral and just stood there. I simply could not believe I had been walking for 37 days, counting the three days off where we walked around Logrono, Burgos and Leon all day!  It seemed surreal.  Still standing and in good shape.  Other than the two blisters early on and my back/ shoulder issues which I needed to compensate for by sending my pack forward less than ten days, I am good to go(not far!).  I thank God that I really could do it!
We ran into Brenda, and Michelle from Alabama.  Also saw Paul and Tess from Oregon, Susanna from Germany,Jim from Canada. And, as we were leaving the plaza we saw Rosa from Switzerland. She is one of our favorites. Rosa was just arriving in Santiago, saw us and dissolved into tears. We hugged and hugged!  Saw her at the evening Mass and went to a bar for Sangria and Tapas.  So happy to see each other.  Went to the 7:30 Mass and saw them swing the Borafumeria.  Really great.  They would swing the urn in the early days to fumigate for the filth and illnesses of the pilgrims lots of incense!
Went to our hotel and slept in and how wonderful it was to be in a normal bed with no one above me!!!
On Saturday we walked to the Cathedral again. Ran into Omar from Syria who walked the last many kilometers with tendinitis.  I am so sorry I didn't get his email.  I wish him well. And, we did not get Ian's or Maggie from Australia. Regretful to be sure.   While standing in theCathedral plaza, Walter and Peggy showed up.  And, Paul the priest from Reno and his walking partner, Laurie.  Just too wonderful to know they all finished!  Oh, Friday afterMass there was a wonderful pilgrim meeting. In front of us was Kathy fromGermany. We had met her in Orisson, night one of our walk.  She had a very nice young man with her who translated parts of the pilgrims meeting to us. Kathy was happy to see we finished!!  Back to Saturday, a young woman from Denmark, Michelle, who was with us in St Jean came up to us.  Her boyfriend, Simon, came from Denmark to meet her in front of the Cathedral.    She could not find him and called him on her phone.  He was about 15 yards in front of her!  We were very happy to see her. I hope one day she and Simon visit the states.
Yesterday, Sunday, we took a ten hour buss ride to Muxia and Finisterre.  We decided to let the bus do the walking and what a great decision!!!  Oh back to Saturday. Karen and I went to Mass again but didn't see each other until after it was ver. She saw John who told us our young friend, Michael, had just arrived in town.
Muxia is translated "death".  It is a town on a very harsh part of the ocean where the weather is really harsh.  Many lose their lives in the torrential winds and rain.  Visited the Virgin of the Seas Church.  Then drove to Finisterre considered the end of the world in the early days when they thought was flat. Took a photo of Mile 0.  Saw Paul and Laurie again. Also saw Jim, who decided to walk there. Takes 4 days!  After we returned to Santiago, we walked to the plaza again and ran into Barclay from Canada!  Still have not seen Michael. But today, Monday, we woke up hoping we would see Ida and Marilyn from Holland. Guess what!?  We went to Mass again and Karen got up to walk around.  She came back and had seen Marilyn and her husband!!!  She texted Ida and after Mass, Ida and her husband who had come to meet her as a surprise, met us for lunch! What good fortune as we were upset we had no contact info for them.
We still have a few hours left but I know Ian and Omar had to leave upon arrival so we will not see them.  However, maybe Maggie will show up!
Helen and Karen leave early tomorrow morning to take a train to Madrid where they will stay the night and then return to the states on Weds.  I will fly from here to Madrid to London tomorrow.  I will stay with Andy and Mai Lara a week. Mai Lara has had her first of three chemo treatments scheduled befor surgery.  She did not get sick, only very tired.  We are very grateful.  I will ho with her for her second treatment and hope it turns out the same.  I am excited to see them and to spend some time helping them in any way I can.
I will write some thoughts over the exit few days before signing off.  In the meantime, I want to let you each know how absolutely wonderful it was to receive your texts, I messages, emails, blog comments.  I want to thank you for cheering me on during some very difficult days and for celebrating with me some of the very powerful moments.  Thank you so very much.  As most of you know, I treasure my relationships and believe they are essential in my journey through life.
And, Karen just came in to tell me Maggie from Australua, is on our floor!!!!!!  This is another true miracle of the Camino!  I only wish Ian and Omar would appear, but I will have to let them go and hold them in prayer.  Must go see Maggie. Buen Camino!!!