Day 32: The Final Day Aruza to Santiago - 25 MILES

Can´t believe we have made it!

Cow dung, flies, roman roads, rain, shin splints, knee issues, octopus, french fries with every meal, dirty clothes, awful smells, the Meseta, bocadillos everyday, no condiments, tough to get ice, fake hamburgers, tortillas for breakfast everyday, steep mountains, slippery slopes, different bed every night, washing clothes in bath tub, going to the bathroom in the woods, dirty feet, living out of a backpack for 31 days ...

WHO CARES!

Raising over $11,000 for CF, friendship, beautiful chapels and churches, togetherness, coca cola light, the yellow arrow, incredible weather, indescribable scenery, loving locals, Buen Camino, Paradores, solitude, full moon, stars filling the early morning skies, rainbows, watching families enjoy each other, meeting old women working in the fields, watching young boys playing futbol, drinking incredibly inexpensive and delicious red wine, sharing meals with wonderful people from all over the world, stately crosses where least expected, praying for friends throughout the day, sharing stories of love and loss, finding a chicken breast at dinner, eating a vegetable, finding turkey in a deli, emergency ponchos, toilet paper, laughing until your belly aches, hearing the early morning rooster, watching the cows play, hearing the church bells ring, attending special pilgrim blessings at mass, seeing a friend after what seems like years, when in fact, it´s only been a few days, hiking the last 2 miles of everyday knowing you´ll be reunited with friends when you come into town, having a screen on your window, eating a steak, finding an italian restaurant, beautiful homes in the middle of nowhere, aching heart when hearing the stories of others, clean bathrooms, being able to share with the kids while being thousands of miles apart, walking 500 miles, and over 1,000,000 steps, giving tips when they´re not expected, clearing your dishes to make a little less work for the owner, always doing your best to make Americans look good, leaving the Camino a little bit cleaner than you found it, seeing a pony frolic in the woods, almost stepping on a frog in the darkness, enjoying the sound of the birds, accepting others unconditionally, hearing people say they know you´re from California by your accent, walking where others have walked over 1200 years earlier, arriving in Santiago and being an emotional mess ...

PRICELESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Our love to all.......Pilgrim mass at noon tomorrow!

We are truly blessed to have all of you in our lives!

Sue and Steve



5:50am and we are off on our final day

Field of Dreams

Weather is perfect

We love the trail

Holding up proof that we hiked the 500-mile Camino

Checking into our Paradoes for two night!

The job is done!

Beautiful gate with conch shell

We made it ... so happy!

We both had #7

Peregrino statue welcomes us

Sue kissing the poles goodbye!

Sue wearing Steve's glasses

Emotional final day

Incredible weather for the entire Camino

Sue is ready for the end

Sue signing for her credentials