Day 42.

Misty frosty morning, here we go..last 10km to Santiago..was actually 13 as a detour….Apparently Lavacolla in etymology is derived from ” lava colea” in an uninhibited reference to the hygiene of the genitals. Coming in yesterday evening we walked by stream with all sorts hanging on the tree. Here was where the pilgrims would wash their whole body in the stream that flows through the area. It was a pleasant surprise to be walking still through forest, being so close to the city.

We soon come to the ” Monte do Gozo” 380 m a small hill where pilgrims enjoy a distant view of the cathedral. The first pilgrim in the group was declared King of the pilgrimage.  Here is the statue built because Pope had visited here.From here you get view of city, the emotions and feelings overwhelming.  Behind is the harshness and grandiosity of The Way with all I have experienced.Within an hour I will be in the city of Santiago. Even the detour is still in the country side keeping me away from the busy motorway. 

As I hit the streets of Santiago, my body starts to ache, I even nearly trip over a pavement stone that is slightly risen, caught by my friend Janine, my toe feeling quite sore through. Signage isn’t as good in the city but we find our way to the Cathedral. We first have to enter under a tunnel which has the piper playing the bagpipes. I decide to video it, it’s very emotional for me, being the only instrument I have learnt and part of my heritage. We carry on to square in front of the cathedral..it’s crowded, not just with pilgrims but tourist groups to the city.

There an overwhelming feeling present, hard to explain the feeling. Here I am 11.11am on 17.11.2017 completing an 799km walk over 42 days. I decide to do a video for my oldest daughter Lynska, who on this day turns 33, I gave birth to her when I was 22, so all very significant numbers. Giving birth for the first time was an incredible experience in my life, I remember not sleeping for 24 hours in awe of the whole experience, has does a human grow inside another, an more so be birthed. Today felt similar, have I really walked 800km and been on the road for 42 days…just like the pregnancy process you just go with it all…not knowing what tomorrow brings as each day passes. We head off to the pilgrims office to get our certificates. I decide the name on it will be Angel Esvella. That what everyone knew me as on Camino and Lesley Evans life is well behind…feeling reborn, still not knowing what next but doesn’t matter as I am used to living in the moment.

We head to the cathedral for mass, we are greeted by, ” you can’t bring your backpack in here” ..what the hell we are pilgrims, just walked all this way to mass and so where you leave it? ? Janine found a pilgrim guy who said he look after it. Should read it as a sign not to go, we go in , my body and legs aching, the service is in Spanish and although I didn’t understand any of it, it felt like an energy of suppression. All these pilgrims, some walked like me 42 days, some just 10..but who are wide open energetically are shut down in this place, so called Holy….they didn’t do the big insence either which Janine was disappointed about. Later we found out people pay to have it done. Feeling very deflated we leave the cathedral and find a place to eat, few glasses wine to celebrate our victory. 

I am really feeling a lot stuck old energy in this city, I now have 3 days here. Maybe to do some clearing, in someway I wish I had kept walking to Finistere. Later in hotel after a bath I decide to upload video for Lynska and photos and my phone deleted all photos and videos from my journey since August, lucky I had voice telling me each day to post photos on Facebook just in case I lost my phone. The message was now, feel it in your heart ….why do we always try to capture our experience externally??? Stay in your heart…

Love And Blessings

Angel xxcc