11th Stage: Padron - Santiago de Compostela

Here we go for the last stage, as we just want to arrive, to reach the goal, even if sometimes the path is the goal.

We have already covered quite a few kilometers since Porto. Therefore, we decide to tackle the final stage with less luggage and use hotel-to-hotel transport for one piece of luggage, which works great.

This is something we learned on the way: to manage our resources wisely. And we have another (working) life after the Camino!

At km 13.580, a friend who walked the Camino in May left me a marked stone, which made me very happy (even though I had to go back a bit to find it, and a concerned couple of hikers asked if I was okay; the Camino only knows one direction, after all 😀).

Now the kilometers are also ticking down, going into the single digits before the decimal point, which feels fantastic. We keep running into almost-familiar faces like Natalia (the Argentine) and others from previous hostels/hotels.

It feels like a finish line... the last lunch break, then the final rest before Santiago. About 2.3 km before, the path forks, and a Mexican pilgrim recommends us to take the right...it's beautiful... I wonder briefly how he knows, as the path technically only goes in one direction.

Here too, the last kilometers are the most challenging, and even the first distant sight of the cathedral doesn't change that.

Later in the afternoon, we walk into the old town under a cloudy sky in oppressive 27 degrees; instead of shell tiles or signs, golden shells are embedded in the ground.

And suddenly we come from the side onto the square in front of the cathedral. There’s a unique atmosphere here, and we both sit down on the ground to catch our breaths, needing a moment to arrive internally as well. Then, however, we joyfully embrace each other and congratulate ourselves on making it! It wasn't always certain and not a given, we both know that!

To our delight, we meet Fabian and Rita (the Swiss) behind the cathedral and congratulate each other 😀

Our hotel today - Casa de Balconada - is only about 70 m from the cathedral; first, a shower, then back into our usual evening attire, collect our Compostela (the pilgrim passport was checked thoroughly!), and celebrate our accomplishment! Today, it had to be a scallop shell, which we took as a keepsake.