By: Thorgrim54
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The Way of St. James #82, Epilogue

The day after arriving in Santiago, I went back to the Pilgrim Centre and go my certificate. I had two days in Santiago before my flight back to Basel. I did all the things that Camino walkers do. I went to mass in the cathedral, even though I am not a regular mass-goer at all. I bought souvenirs. I even bought a T-shirt and sweatshirt. And then I packed it all up and came back to Switzerland.

Since coming back, I have been reflecting on the total experience. And in that reflection, I have come to realise some of the things that are important and some that are not. I really wanted the certificate of completion, and even the distance certificate that says where I started my pilgrim passport. But the reality is that they actually mean very little. If any document is important, it is the pilgrim passport. Sometimes, I take it out, and looking at a particular stamp, I think: “Ah yes, I remember that day”. But in reality, even the pilgrim passport is only a prompter. The real memories and experiences are in my own head. And the certificate of completion  really means very little. While on the Camino, I met people who were on their third, fourth, or fifth Camino. One said he doesn’t bother with the certificate anymore. Now I understand why.

They say that the Camino leaves its mark on people, and it has certainly affected me. I am not sure I am qualified to say in what ways, or how much, but I know that it has. I will leave it to those around me to work out the details.

And looking back over the total experience as documented in these pages, walking from Geneva to Santiago, I have been asked what were the highlights? Here are a few:

  1. Walking through the Rhone valley at harvest time
  2. The chambre d’hote stop at Cotenvert near St. Genix. In fact the entire chambre d’hote system deserves a mention
  3. The Maquis country between the Rhone and Loire valleys and the wartime story of the aircraft “Patsy Jack” at Les Setoux
  4. Having a beer in a boot shaped glass in a bar full of French farmers in Assieu, and being told by the barman that I would need two such boots “pour la marche”.
  5. The Auvergne. Lots of hills and valleys. Hard walking, but beautiful countryside.
  6. Finishing a meal with bleu d’Auvergne cheese and red wine.
  7. The botanical wonderland of the Aubrac plateau in May, including staying in a centuries old tower house.
  8. The town of Conques. I would love to have spent another day there.
  9. The seemingly endless oak forests of Quercy
  10. Doing my best gastronomically to reduce the duck population of Gascony, and taking  delight in failing.
  11. Finishing dinner in Gascony with a  glass of Armagnac.
  12. The chambre d’hote stop at Castetnau-Camblon.
  13. The French Basque country.
  14. After a wet day in the Pyrenees, reaching Irun at about 2 pm and discovering the concept of “menu del dia”.
  15. After a day of abominable weather, sitting in a restaurant in Zarrautz and watching reports of floods all over Spain and southern France, realising I had just walked through a named storm. I knew that when I had got through that, I could finish the Camino.
  16. The albergue at Guemes.
  17. Seeing a house designed by Gaudi in Comillas.
  18. Successfully coming over the Hospitales section of the Primitivo in bad weather.
  19. The Spanish cathedrals of Oviedo, Lugo, and Santander.
  20. Arriving in the Plaza in Santiago.

The road goes ever on and on, and now I have to think of what comes next. I have to finish the Trans Swiss trail, and I must get back to that soon. But another European project would be nice. I will give it thought.