We arrived.

Waiting for us were Andy and Michelle

Leading to the group portrait …

taken by a nice young lady who had the misfortune of sitting near us.

Michelle’s heel hadn’t improved so they’d spent the last few days getting to know Santiago and generally chilling out.

Tom, Juanita, Dorothy and I nipped down to the pilgrim’s office to pick up our compostelas, our third and Tom and Juanita’s first. Juanita had clearly enjoyed the walk and had completed it without complaint. Tom had taken a day and a half out but had completed the remaining 210km or so without too many complaints. I think both are pleased to have done it.

Our final day on the road started early.

Our last albergue, actually a Pension was probably the most enjoyable of the trip. The route out of Padron was straightforward and took us quickly into the country for a final 15km of woodland and small villages

We came across this remarkable tree,

clearly the result of some imaginative gardening.

I’m not sure what these characters are meant to signify.

Shortly after this somewhat surreal gathering we came across something much stranger and much more disturbing,

two guys gutting a pig on the street. I’ve no idea whether the poor creature had been killed there earlier but copious amounts of blood were still washing down the side of the road when we arrived.

More evidence of local horticulture

followed by more forest paths

until we came to this delightful little chap/chapess.

More trees

until finally …

This is our first sub 10km marker – yay.

More goats

and a final shot of rural idyll,

a single Cala lily

before heading down our last village lane

and into the urban streets of a surprisingly quiet Santiago

As I noted earlier, it’s still very early in the pilgrim season, only 86 arrived two days ago, perhaps a similar number today. For the first time there was no queue at the pilgrim’s office and the streets, though not empty were far from busy.

After picking up the compostela and rejoining Andy and Michelle, we all retired to a rather pleasant little bar inside the city walls.

Our turn to pay, so Dorothy picked up a bottle of white, a bottle of red and some tapas. We chatted cheerfully so Tom bought more wine, we continued to drink and we all found the conversation rip roaringly hilarious especially my youthful experimentation with trinitroiodide. The announcement that Andy’s final role in the Scottish police force had been with the anti-terrorism squad had Tom splitting his sides with laughter.

Tom ordered a taxi and after hugs and kisses all round he and Juanita disappeared to the airport. Shortly afterwards Dorothy and I headed off to our hotel and after a brief shower and dinner at Makel’s vegan restaurant, rejoined Andy and Michelle at a lovely little cheese shop with a hidden bar in the back. Of such encounters are life’s pleasures made.

We’re in the small, delightfully quiet airport now.

The bus stop in Santiago is adjacent to our hotel, the 40 minute trip to the airport costs a princely €3 each. We’re boarding shortly.

It’s been a delightful trip, 250km in 10 days was fairly effortless, beautiful weather, lovely company, gorgeous scenery and a small hidden valley of Cala lilies were the highlights. Returning soon? Hopefully.

Buen Camino