Y tu, Peregrino... A donde vas?

So, safefully now in London, and pictures of the Camino adventure now posted. The album with the general run-down of photos from St. Jean to Santiago is here, and another one with mainly shots of the beautiful, fabulous, long and winding road can be found here. Compostela certificate to "Iacobum MacDuff" (the first name is traditionally written in Latin) in its tube and journal for the trip fully completed.

Thought on the buses and flight from Santiago into London about how much to write in summary of the wondrous and unique month past. Finding the words to properly define the experience is difficult, and I like the line in A Pilgrim's Progress (which I skimmed for fun on the Camino) that states: "I can better conceive of them with my mind, than speak of them with my tongue."

So much of what is great in this life is reading and preparing for something serious, with monumental or epic aspects to it, and then getting to experience it directly and being forever changed thereafter. For all the words and pictures, there remains that authenticity in personal attendance on and at the great sites of history and artistic beauty of the world, and real truth in the immense power behind the simple statement of "I have been there" or "I have done that" which no amount of reading or pondering can relate.

Experiencing first-hand the rich cultural history of the camino, and with such opportunity to truly immerse the soul/spirit in nature has been - again, the search for the one-word silver bullet response to the question: how was it? is in vain - to put it most simply, "extraordinary". With an emphasis on the extra. It has also been great to see the variety of individuals of various nationalities and ages drawn to the camino and the idea of it, that something that seems rather absurd by usual standards continues through the centuries to maintain its appeal. And it no longer seems to be a predominantly religious appeal, at least from those I saw and shared it with, but something else.

And it is a road that goes on from here. Great getting back into London, buying the Indepedent and Times and sitting on the Thames at Founder's Arms to pass the time waiting for Tim yesterday, just as if I hadn't left. And there is much to look forward to in Greece and beyond, obviously. More time to read the classics and ponder the "eternal questions". I liked that I noticed at the town of Manjandrin (official population of 2, according to the tourist literature) a poem written in Spanish. Even with my minimal Spanish I got the gist of the last line: "Tu camino va a Santiago, y tu... a donde vas?" Your camino goes to Santiago, and you, where are you going?

Good question.