Be Nice!

A compostela is a certificate issued by the Catholic Church documenting that a pilgrim has completed the Camino de Santiago with a religious/spiritual motivation. Pilgrims on bikes must travel at least 200 kilometers, which requires them to start their journey near Leon. Pilgrims on foot must walk at least 100 kilometers making the city of Sarria their nearest departure point to earn a compostela.

We started in St-Jean-Pied-de-Porte, 500 miles from Santiago de Compostela, with just a small trickle of fellow pilgrims on the trail. As we moved along the trickle of pilgrims grew into a stream and is now a full fledged river of people headed to Santiago. 

In Leon we noticed the packs of bicyclists who joined us. Now in Sarria it's a full fledged flood of pilgrims starting their journey on foot to earn a compostela.

In Sarria we've been watching tour groups arrive in buses and lug huge suitcases into hotels. 

We're enjoying the spectacle of pilgrims resplendent in colorful new trail clothes and clean hiking boots, with tin cups, flashlights, and scallop shells hanging off of huge day packs. 

We're feeling the culture clash of all of these fresh pilgrims who have parachuted into Sarria. Who are they to join into the routines and intimacy that we've shared over the past month?

We're wearing 400 miles of accumulated dirt and dust on our shoes and packs.

Ning's broken scallop shell is still hanging on her pack, while John's is safely tucked away inside his pack after having fallen off twice and been found twice.

Our Brierly guide sternly advises grizzled pilgrims to "Be nice!" to those who are just starting their journeys. It was good advice and we did need to recalibrate our thinking. So in talking with pilgrims just setting out we're drawing on our feelings at the start in St-Jean-Pied-de-Port and joyfully wishing them "Buen Camino!"
  

Yesterday, we met a young pilgrim from Detroit at a cafe. We learned he was waiting for 25 people to join him ... from his Parish!  He was a priest and yesterday was the third anniversary of his ordination. We wanted to give him a pin but they were back at the hotel. So John gave him the personal pin that he carried from St. Jean in France.  

Only six more walking days to Santiago.  Time has gone so fast...