Day 25 : there is no way to happiness - happiness is the way
Packing our bike bags in the morning saddled us with a mixed bag of feelings. We have been pedaling for 24 days through two countries, passing anything from glorious cities to ghost towns, witnessing some two thousand years of world changing history and admiring an equally vast palette of art and culture. Almost one month without a car, slowly traveling 1600km through a wide variety of gradually changing landscapes, along the seaside and across several mountain ranges. Our tandem mesmerized many people but still 4 insufficiently trained legs had to propel a total weight of 200kg all along. We've been confronted with annoying rain and strong headwinds as well as baking sunshine up to 35 C. We have climbed a myriad of hills and mountain tops too numerous to be counted, totaling to an impressive accumulated ascent of 11430m.
Arriving (at last) at the Praza do Obradoiro in Santiago de Compostela and getting off our bike in front of the Saint James Cathedral was a deeply emotional and immeasurably intense moment. Sure, after all, we hadn't expected any less than to make it to this place, but still we could no longer control our emotions when we embraced and kissed each other in a deeply felt eternal instance of time; tears in our eyes, immensely happy that we did it together, that we made it safely and healthy, but sad as well that is was over...
This was a triumphant moment of love. We did it together, really together - very close to each other on one and the same tandem as a symbol of unity. It took us 25 days to get to Santiago, one day for every year that we've been married - commemorating one achievement with another achievement. Therefore, my deepest thanks and greatest respect go to my honey who underwent this physical and mental testing with the sole purpose to help me make my dream come through. Neither Santiago de Compostela, neither the Camino, neither adventurous or enduring physical challenges were part of her Eastern culture or upbringing - as a reference, last year only one Taiwanese and one Chinese have been registered at Saint-Jean-Pied-De-Port... but she did it, she did it for me and she did it with all her love, love with a capital 'L' – THANK YOU HONEY, THANK YOU SO MUCH :-))
On the Camino we have been exposed to more than a thousand years of wonderful arts, culture and history. The physical exploit earned us almost heroic bragging rights. We'll go home with around 3000 pictures and a ton of stories. Yes, we realize that we accomplished something special, but as we biked along – turn after turn and mountain after mountain – we started to realize as well that it isn't reaching Santiago that matters so much, it's ultimately all about confronting yourself and being part of a unique human experience...
Here on the Camino nobody asks your name, nobody needs to know what your job is or what you do in life, there are no titles here, it is not important whether you are rich or poor (and from the clothes you certainly cannot tell here). Ten thousands of people come from all over the world, following many different routes, but all are hikers and bikers to one single destination, wanderers in pursuit of a single goal, in pursuit of this invisible Camino spirit. There are a thousand caminos but there is only one Camino.
Seeing back our Spanish and German Camino friends by accident in the cathedral and on the Praza do Obradoiro filled us with a joy as if we met good old friend that we haven't seen for a long while – although we hardly know them, let alone their name. We have all been united in sharing the same challenges, the same goal, the same dream, and the same passion. It is this human touch and connectedness that makes the Camino truly unique and so deeply felt – no matter how short the contact was, even if it was only a spark, it was a flash of eternity. There are simply no words for it. If you want to really know, there is only one way: the Camino – but you'll have to hike or bike it by yourself. We already wish you: "Buen Camino!"
PS: we would like to thank all the people who made our Camino a success. Our parents and special neighbors who – in our absence – took care of the children, the house and the garden. Our friends who came and visited us and took several superfluous kilograms of luggage back home. The post office clerk in Logrono who was willing to accept our oversized backpack so that we could get rid of six more superfluous kilograms of ballast. All the drivers who were so kind to pass us at safe distance, and especially those who waved or sounded their horn. All the other people who encouraged us along the road, not forgetting the freight train driver. The hotel desk people who always found a creative way to park our tandem in a safe and even special place like a computer room, the kitchen or the wine cellar (really!). All our “fans” that encouraged us via our weblog, via e-mail, via phone, via SMS or via their telepathic talents :-) Last but not least, all the other hikers and bikers on the Camino who turn the Way of Saint James into a generous international family. And finally, all the people we forgot to mention :-)
Arriving (at last) at the Praza do Obradoiro in Santiago de Compostela and getting off our bike in front of the Saint James Cathedral was a deeply emotional and immeasurably intense moment. Sure, after all, we hadn't expected any less than to make it to this place, but still we could no longer control our emotions when we embraced and kissed each other in a deeply felt eternal instance of time; tears in our eyes, immensely happy that we did it together, that we made it safely and healthy, but sad as well that is was over...
This was a triumphant moment of love. We did it together, really together - very close to each other on one and the same tandem as a symbol of unity. It took us 25 days to get to Santiago, one day for every year that we've been married - commemorating one achievement with another achievement. Therefore, my deepest thanks and greatest respect go to my honey who underwent this physical and mental testing with the sole purpose to help me make my dream come through. Neither Santiago de Compostela, neither the Camino, neither adventurous or enduring physical challenges were part of her Eastern culture or upbringing - as a reference, last year only one Taiwanese and one Chinese have been registered at Saint-Jean-Pied-De-Port... but she did it, she did it for me and she did it with all her love, love with a capital 'L' – THANK YOU HONEY, THANK YOU SO MUCH :-))
On the Camino we have been exposed to more than a thousand years of wonderful arts, culture and history. The physical exploit earned us almost heroic bragging rights. We'll go home with around 3000 pictures and a ton of stories. Yes, we realize that we accomplished something special, but as we biked along – turn after turn and mountain after mountain – we started to realize as well that it isn't reaching Santiago that matters so much, it's ultimately all about confronting yourself and being part of a unique human experience...
Here on the Camino nobody asks your name, nobody needs to know what your job is or what you do in life, there are no titles here, it is not important whether you are rich or poor (and from the clothes you certainly cannot tell here). Ten thousands of people come from all over the world, following many different routes, but all are hikers and bikers to one single destination, wanderers in pursuit of a single goal, in pursuit of this invisible Camino spirit. There are a thousand caminos but there is only one Camino.
Seeing back our Spanish and German Camino friends by accident in the cathedral and on the Praza do Obradoiro filled us with a joy as if we met good old friend that we haven't seen for a long while – although we hardly know them, let alone their name. We have all been united in sharing the same challenges, the same goal, the same dream, and the same passion. It is this human touch and connectedness that makes the Camino truly unique and so deeply felt – no matter how short the contact was, even if it was only a spark, it was a flash of eternity. There are simply no words for it. If you want to really know, there is only one way: the Camino – but you'll have to hike or bike it by yourself. We already wish you: "Buen Camino!"
PS: we would like to thank all the people who made our Camino a success. Our parents and special neighbors who – in our absence – took care of the children, the house and the garden. Our friends who came and visited us and took several superfluous kilograms of luggage back home. The post office clerk in Logrono who was willing to accept our oversized backpack so that we could get rid of six more superfluous kilograms of ballast. All the drivers who were so kind to pass us at safe distance, and especially those who waved or sounded their horn. All the other people who encouraged us along the road, not forgetting the freight train driver. The hotel desk people who always found a creative way to park our tandem in a safe and even special place like a computer room, the kitchen or the wine cellar (really!). All our “fans” that encouraged us via our weblog, via e-mail, via phone, via SMS or via their telepathic talents :-) Last but not least, all the other hikers and bikers on the Camino who turn the Way of Saint James into a generous international family. And finally, all the people we forgot to mention :-)
posted by Raoul at 23:45
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