We’re here! Arrived in the square (Praza do Obradoiro) in front of the Compostela Cathedral at 11.45am. It was absolute chaos. Half the square was a mass of hundreds of pilgrims most either in a state of ecstacy or collapse. A large area was fenced off into little pens. In each was a guide with about 30 tourists. Each guide had a placard on a stick and an air horn. The guides yelled at their charges and every minute or so sounded off the air horn. Another area was fenced off so kids could race around a track on bicycles or go-carts. It was crazy.

We took the obligatory photos and decided to get out of there. We went to the Pilgrim Office, Oficina del Peregrino, to get our Compostelas. Inevitably there was a long queue and it took 90 minutes waiting in line before we reached the issuing counter. Our pilgrim passports were full with all the required stamps, dates and signatures. I was issued a Certificate of Distance and the second class Certificate of Welcome because I walked as a tourist and not for religious or spiritual reasons.

They obviously had advance warning that Saint Barbara was approaching and saw the halo above her head, as she got a Certificate of Distance and the coveted Compostela for those who have completed their journey for religious reasons. She swears it was all a mistake and misunderstanding. But you can’t fool God.

We retired to a cafe for a peregrino lunch and celebratory vino tinto. When we went back to the square it was a different place. All the pens, guides , air horns, tourists, kids, go-carts, gone. It was quiet with small groups of pilgrims sitting or lying on the cobblestones looking happy and contented.

So how do we feel?

A mixture of feelings. Grateful to have made it. Not smug or self satisfied as we met people who tried so hard and suffered so much.

Releived not to have to walk tomorrow. Not that at anytime did we want to give up.

It feels a bit of an anticlimax. We had never really concentrated on the destination, we were just happy to be experiencing the journey, and now the journey is over.

Our passports full of stamps mean more to us than the certificates we collected today. Every stamp is a memory of somewhere along the way. There is a stamp from every accommodation we stayed at. With the passport, the blog and the photos we can relive our journey. The certificates will be put in a drawer and forgotten.

A bit confusing and a shock to be back in a city again. It would have been nice to have walked in with our friends but they are all a day behind us and will arrive tomorrow. We hope to catch up with them tomorrow afternoon before we all go our separate ways.

Tonight and tomorrow we will explore this vibrant and colourful city before going on to Finisterre.

Today’s walk was pretty easy, only 15km. Everyone was in good spirits as you would expect. We went around the end of Santiago airport and under a large red and white striped structure which only contained a few runway lights. There were three large sculptures on the way into Santiago. The first is on the top of Monte do Gozo, Mount of Joy, and commemorates the visit of Pope John Paul II. The second is of two pilgrims looking toward the cathedral. The cathedral spires are now hidden by sprawling suburbs. The third , on a traffic roundabout, is a tall structure with reliefs of notable historical figures connected with the camino.