Post Camino Diary

November 11, 2016

Father Peter Daly

November 11 Madrid, Spain ·

The Camino is over.

We spent 3 nights in Santiago: Saturday, Sunday & Monday.

On Monday we took the bus to Finisterra, lands end in Latin.

That is where the movie The Way ends with Martin Sheen

throwing his son's ashes into the sea.

Many pilgrims walk the 3 or 4 days to the sea. It is 90 km.

We took the bus early AM. Much easier in the bus and not

really part of the Camino, though our guide in Santiago said

that all the Americans go there because of the movie.

To me it is part of the metaphor. The final destination is not the

church or even the apostles. The final destination is God,

symbolized by the infinity of the sea.

When we got off the bus we walked 3 km to the light house area,

Faro de Fisterra.

Standing on the rocks and watching the waves crash into the

cliffs we looked west. Probably due west is Ocean City, Md or

Norfolk.

You can see for miles. We could see rain approaching from miles

away. The wind picked up. For a moment it was a downpour.

Then sun and light.

Out of nowhere appeared two young people from the Camino: the

French girl Mickey and a boy from St Thomas More college:

John. It was a nice reunion. They asked for my blessing there on

the cliff as their Camino came to an end and a new beginning.

I walked back to town with Mickey. She is a delightful young

woman.

She had walked since June, more than 1000 miles across France

and Spain. Something she will tell her children about. She is

trained as a muse and she will work in a nursing home when she

goes back to France. She is one of 5 children. Her oldest sister is a

nun in France. Her oldest brother makes wine in Tibet of all

places. Her parents live in Versailles, but not in the palace. Such a

fine young person makes you confident of the future. She took the

bus back with us.

John from RI and Michelle

from Lyon, France.

Me blessing Michelle

(Mickey) and John on Cliff

at Finisterra at the end of the

Camino.

Cliffs at Fisterre.

Monday night we had dinner with Narcis Gubianas, my ex brother-in-law. He lives in Barcelona

but was doing business in Coruna north of Santiago. He sells hand made and custom carpets

which takes him all around the world. He was full of lively talk and had done the Camino

himself about 10 years ago. Odd where life takes us. He goes to India 3 or 4 times each year.

On Tuesday we took the train to Madrid where we will get the

plane home. The trains in Spain are wonderful Clean fast,

efficient and punctual. Our train whizzed along on smooth

rails reaching top speeds of 248 km/hr, about 150 mph. We

have no such trains in America because we have not invested

in passenger trains for decades. There was a free movie, a

snack cart service, and headphones for music. In 5 hours we

were in Madrid, right on time.

Now we are in Madrid, where Marty worked for ATT for five

years until he got called up by the Navy for Desert Storm. I can see why he loves this town of six

million. Absolutely beautiful.

I will have to get an apartment here too. That's five apartments in Spain.

Our first day in Madrid was the feast of the patroness of Madrid, Our Lady of Almudena.

Strange title but big celebration in honor of journey Lady with traffic stopped and her statue

carried through the streets. Gorgeous in Spanish fashion. Everyone singing Ven con Nosotros.

(Come with us Mother Mary).

Love to all.

Photos to follow.

Port at Fisterra. Cross at Lands End. People in Prayer for peace at lands end.

Europe thought this was the end

of the world until Columbus.

Sign to lighthouse (Faro). Lighthouse.

No burning, not like in the movie. Cats at lands end.

Train at Santiago station for Madrid Spanish train went more

than 150 mph.

Royal palace Madrid Cathedral Madrid Cupula of Cathedral

Closer to lighthouse

Leaving Santiago.

In costume for procession of Our Soldiers on procession for Lady of

Almudena patron of Madrid Our Lady

Pious groups In costume

Galician bagpipes much like Ireland Men’s Groups

Priests in procession End of procession

Cathedral organ

MariaVictoria at Royal

ark Madrid

Spain welcomes refugees with English Post office lit up.

banner at central post office

Entrance to Toledo

Cervantes statue in Toledo Moorish arch at a Toledo gate