4 oct 2019, day 61: Pedrouzo - Santiago de Compostela, 21 km (1208 km)

 Meanwhile, it is October 5th and I am sitting on a terrace in Santiago.  Everyone knows through Whatsapp, Facebook and Twitter that I completed my Camino yesterday.  A joyful but also very emotional moment.

 Back to yesterday.  Christiane, a pelgrim from Germany, and I agreed to walk together so that we could take pictures of each other and share our impressions.  We are both awake early and, contrary to our principles, we start walking in the dark after a breakfast in one of the many bars in Pedrouzo. Just like the previous day, we follow an unpaved path that goes up and down through a forest.

 In Labacolla we cross the rio Sionlla, where the pilgrims used to wash themselves before they entered Santiago.

 After Villamaior we climb the Monte de Gozo and arrive at a work of art along the route.

For the pilgrims monument we have to get off the route to the top of the Monte de Gozo (mountain of joy).  There are two bronze pilgrims who see the cathedral of Santiago del Compostela in the distance.

 We descend the Monte de Gozo and then quickly reach the entrance to the city.  After about 3 km we are in the old city.  We walk under the gate with Galician bagpipe player and than we are on the Obradoire plaza.

When I turn around I stand eye to eye with the magnificent cathedral.

 Then I walk to the seminary menor where I have my own cell with wash stand. I quickly freshen up and go back to the cathedral, because I want to "hug" the apostle and see his relics before I collect my Compostela (official document stating that I have done the Camino).  Fortunately, there is a short queue in the incredibly imposing cathedral, even now that the entire interior is under construction.  I put my hand on the statue, kneel in front of the relics and this pilgrim has earned her Compostela.
 When it's my turn, I hand over my 4 full credencials (pilgrim's passports, a sort of stamp cards) and the overview of the route I have walked.  I get my personal Compostela and distance proof: 3145 km from the Sint Jacob church in Uithuizen to the Santiago cathedral in Compostela.  Of these 3145 km I dedicated the last 1200 km to rare chromosome disorders in order to create awareness and to raise money for a project that aims to get more information available for parents through a sophisticated interactive self-learning system.
This pilgrim is now incredibly proud.

We go back to the square in front of the cathedral where the sun is beautiful now.  I make many pictures again.

You can still support the project and all families world-wide with a child with a rare chromosome disorder. THANK YOU !

professor Conny


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