Day 17 - We're in Santiago de Compostela

In the morning, we retraced our steps from Casa de Cruceiro back to the Camino and walked the last few miles of the Camino Portugues to Santiago de Compostela. We ascended a hill along the highway, wended our way through a wooded park, and finally caught a view of misty Santiago in the distance. Santiago in the distance We followed the last of the yellow arrows and scallop shell markers to the Cathedral, then threaded our way through crowds of pilgrims who had plopped down on the ground in the immense Plaza del Obradoiro facing the Cathedral. We had arrived at the traditional endpoint of the Camino de Santiago. Tired, a bit worse for the wear, still snuffling from our colds, but we made it! Traditionally, pilgrims would burn their clothes at the end of the pilgrimage, a symbol of purification and rebirth. It’s not permitted any more. Although some pilgrims still maintain the tradition, we did not. Since these were the only clothes we had with us, we thought it prudent to keep them on,…