The Perfect End
Last night I got back to Santiago and did the two things I really wanted to do to finish up. One was getting the final stamp in my Pilgrim Passport. This is stamped at each albergue along the way and used as proof that you have indeed walked the whole Camino. You're then meant to submit this to get (buy) a Compostella, a certificate of the Camino. But for me the 32 stamps are enough and I'll frame this when I get home. The other thing was to go to the Pilgrim Mass. Santiago Cathedral was packed yet hushed in the lead up. The cathedral is ornate with gold leaf on the high altar yet it seemed fitting and tasteful here where it has seemed to me tacky and over the top in some other places. Mass was lovely. And yes, we got the botufumero (the giant swinging incenser) which doesn't happen at every Mass. But the most important things happened before Mass began. I arrived 90 min early to get a good seat and hold one for Josh. I spent time just praying, thinking, being st