We Coodabeen Champions

I can almost taste it.  39 km to go.  Only two easy days of walking left.  I slogged it out today to get to Arzua, just want it to be over.  Barring the completely unexpected, I will enter the Cathedral City of Santiago de Compostela around noon on Monday.  If I make it by midday I´ll attend the pilgrim mass at the cathedral and afterwards submit my credential to the Pilgrim´s office and be given a Compostela, the cerfificate of completion.  I will also follow a thousand year old ritual in the cathedral including touching my head to the statue of Maestro Mateo (to get some of his wisdom), hugging a statue of St James and then entering the crypt under the church to pray in front of his relics.  I have a room booked at a pension near the cathedral and hope that tomorrow night will be my last in an alberge.  I have agreed with some friends to meet in the evening for a celebratory dinner. 

Even though the end is near the sight of the pilgrims walking astounds me.  I have never seen a more bandaged and medicated group of people in my life.  Its as if those elastic knee support bandages are part of the uniform.  I´m one of the few without one, but then I hobble just like the others with aching feet.  I think the most prevalent ailment is the blister, followed by a bung knee, then ankles, achilles tendons, tendonitis behind the knee and sore shoulders (caused by backpacks).  Any pilgrim discussion invariably revolves around these ailments, and it always comes back to how fast or far they could have walked if not so injured.  We Coodabeen Champion Pilgrims!

And finally I am dismayed at the prospect of Collingwood being premiers for the second time in my lifetime.  Once was bad enough.  Let´s all pray that it doesn´t happen again.  I´ll have a word with St James on Monday.

Bob