Santiago Cathedral, early the next morning. The Camino was over, but something deeper had just begun.
Portuguese Camino Day 8 – Saturday, 19 April 2025
As I begin sharing my journey from Porto to Santiago, it feels only right to start at the end — the last day — and walk backward, one memory at a time.
Evening Reflections – Parque de Gozo Hostel
I’m sitting in the vast dining hall at the Parque de Gozo hostel, my dinner in front of me: a hearty bowl of lentils with vegetables, a squid burger drenched in aioli, and a well-earned glass of beer. After 280 km in 7 days, it feels good to be here — warm, full, and finished.
But there’s also a strange sadness. I didn’t expect to finish the Camino so fast. Somewhere between the quiet villages and misty forest paths, I decided: next time, I’ll walk slower — maybe 10 to 15 km a day.
A well-earned feast after 280 km: lentils, squid burger with aioli, and cold Galician beer.
My thoughts are interrupted as Derrick and Dave, two Scots sharing my room, arrive and sit nearby. They started in Sarria and are planning to finish at the Cathedral tomorrow. As I’m sipping the last of my beer, Dave kindly offers me another, and I gratefully accept.
Derrick, from Aberdeen, starts talking about hiking in Scotland and Austria. While he speaks, I glance at my phone — a message from Andrea: “Are you still in Santiago?”
We had walked the three previous days together (Hani joined us after one day).
Andrea, Hani, and I — three pilgrims, one path. Somewhere between rain, hills, and laughter.
A Camino Shared — and Completed
I walked the last stretch, from O Faramello to the Cathedral, alone. But for the three days before, I was with Andrea, and later joined by Hani. Two hours after I reached Santiago, Andrea finished her 240 km and sent me a message with a photo of her Compostela certificate: “OMG!!!”
The Stamp Panic
On that final morning, I had one concern: the stamps. You need two on the last day to qualify for your certificate. After a few failed attempts in cafés, I reached Santiago and finally got a stamp — but it barely looked official.
Pilgrims in rain ponchos flowing into Santiago’s Cathedral Plaza — a sea of stories.
The final steps — arriving at the heart of the Camino.
A full heart — and the finish line behind me.
Pilgrim’s Office
At the Pilgrim’s Office, I explained my situation. The man at the desk looked through my Camino passport, filled with stamps from Porto to O Faramello, nodded, and gave me two more — one for the Cathedral, one for the office.
He asked me: “Why did you walk the Camino? Was it for religious reasons?”
I told him the truth: I’d read about the Camino, and wanted to experience it. I wasn’t religious, but walking among people from all over the world, sometimes alone, sometimes together… it was spiritual, after all.
He offered me two certificates — one secular, listing my 280 km, and another in Latin: the Compostela.
👣 Have you completed the Camino — or dream of it?
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