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Yes, now whenever I arrive in Santiago, it's like coming home.It was better the next time and now when I visit Santiago its like coming home somehow. You will be back and it will be better.
Thanks for sharing. Happy to know you are all safe and memories to last a life time.Hi all,
I know that this has been discussed elsewhere, I more wanted to explain myself for not returning to the forum post camino. I received much support and advice before heading off, and we completed our camino with the family (2 adults and 5 children, 2-15 years old, now 3-16!) in April this year (on Good Friday to be more precise).
It was an awesome experience, and like many others I felt such a let down at the end I didn't really want to return to the forum. I felt so flat on arriving in Santiago. One of my daughters felt very much the same as I did. We had planned on staying the night at the Monte de Gozo campgrounds/albergue and to do the short walk in the following morning, but we were walking with our mini camino family and pushed on the last few kilometres to arrive in Santiago on the same day. The problem was that neither of us (my daughter or myself) had mentally prepared to 'finish' (I know we will never 'finish' the camino, I'm referring to the physical walking process at that time). On the wooden bridge over the highway, she just burst out in tears (and I hugged her with a tear or two welling up). The rest of the family were fine, they were looking forward to a couple of days rest and exploring Santiago, getting the Compostelas and so forth. We just weren't quite ready.
Anyway, that's a couple of months ago now, and we are applying the common medicine that I've read on here and discuss our future (ambiguous for now) camino (somewhere to Santiago, by some form of transport - foot, or foot/bike from further, sometime). It's a sweet tonic that is working for now.
I wanted to express my deep gratitude to the camino members who encouraged us either directly or indirectly. We were blessed many times on the way and before leaving. I'd like to share a short video we have made of my son across many locations. Enjoy!
Oh thanks so much! Oh and it was a wonderful video...LOVE that he is always so happy to run!Read what others and I have written earlier re 'the stop the night before SdC' in this thread.
My choice would be the Casa Amancio on a cold winter night. Walking into SdC on a snowy path can be magical!
me tooYes, now whenever I arrive in Santiago, it's like coming home.
@paul.... what a beautiful boy !!! Be blessed !! Buen CaminoHi all,
I know that this has been discussed elsewhere, I more wanted to explain myself for not returning to the forum post camino. I received much support and advice before heading off, and we completed our camino with the family (2 adults and 5 children, 2-15 years old, now 3-16!) in April this year (on Good Friday to be more precise).
It was an awesome experience, and like many others I felt such a let down at the end I didn't really want to return to the forum. I felt so flat on arriving in Santiago. One of my daughters felt very much the same as I did. We had planned on staying the night at the Monte de Gozo campgrounds/albergue and to do the short walk in the following morning, but we were walking with our mini camino family and pushed on the last few kilometres to arrive in Santiago on the same day. The problem was that neither of us (my daughter or myself) had mentally prepared to 'finish' (I know we will never 'finish' the camino, I'm referring to the physical walking process at that time). On the wooden bridge over the highway, she just burst out in tears (and I hugged her with a tear or two welling up). The rest of the family were fine, they were looking forward to a couple of days rest and exploring Santiago, getting the Compostelas and so forth. We just weren't quite ready.
Anyway, that's a couple of months ago now, and we are applying the common medicine that I've read on here and discuss our future (ambiguous for now) camino (somewhere to Santiago, by some form of transport - foot, or foot/bike from further, sometime). It's a sweet tonic that is working for now.
I wanted to express my deep gratitude to the camino members who encouraged us either directly or indirectly. We were blessed many times on the way and before leaving. I'd like to share a short video we have made of my son across many locations. Enjoy!
@Pattiii.... good luck. I've often said this "IF you want to make GOD laugh.... make plans". Buen CaminoI read this again and again and its made me plan (yes I am planning again lol) to do it differently than most. I think I am going to time it so that I arrive after a rest. My idea is to walk 5 days rest 2 and plan it so that its in the places I REALLY want to explore. I am doing this more for my body than my mind but I think, hearing this "anticlimactic entrance to Santiago" again and again that I will try to do a weekend somewhere just before I get to Santiago...to really think about the walk and what it has meant. I want to prepare to be in Santiago before I get there. So where would you suggest. If you could do it again and stop and prepare just a day or two before you get there where would you stop?
@Anamya..... I cry when I'm in Santiago and I don't know why exactly. but I cry. I've lost count of how many times I've been there..... but I still cry. My first ever time in Santiago...... I was blown away by the beauty and intensity of everything, Buen CaminoOh, my God... how amazing to recognize mny of those places! And in most of them I didn´t have half of your kid's energy to keep walking!
I also did the last day on a long walk, and maybe should not have done that. Cried so much at the cathedral, holding my legs. I stayed in the cathedral for few minutes and left - I just realized I was so tired and emotional that i could not see the beauty around me.
The next day, when I went there after a proper shower, it was so different... as if I could be part of that beauty. Then I was mentally ready.
It sounds like an amazing experience to do it with a big family, please share more about it!
The only thing I enjoyed in Santiago was arriving at the Cathedral. The Cathedral and attending Mass there was beautiful. Such an amazingly emotional experience. The rest of Santiago I regarded as a money making tourist trap full of beggars and con-artists. Not a place I would spend any more time than needed, and always glad to leave and walk on to the coast.Like many, Santiago did not really do it for me. But I didn't have any great expectations so I was fine with that.
But I took a bus to Muxia and spent time by the Ocean. Now 'that' felt like a more satisfying 'ending' and offered a really deep and emotional closure to that part of my journey.
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