<html><div style='background-color:'><P>Santiago 30 October</P>
<P>Arrived yesterday after 5 days of almost summer weather and sunshine in Galizia. Indeed, it is hot in the middle of the day! Although my pilgrimage was 10 days later than the one I made in 1998, the weather has, overall, been much better. Galizia in autumn can be quite beautiful (and quite muddy from rains earlier in the season). Even managed to see a little of the panoramic view from the top at Cebreiro, though I am jinxed there. In 1998 the walk up was lovely and the one down was in torrential rain. This year the torrential rain fell on the way up with fog but occcasional clearing on the way down.</P>
<P>The nice weather from Triacastela onward encouraged a leisurely pace across Espana verde with time out for alfresco cafes con leche and photography. Hard to imagine a better way to enjoy the autumn.</P>
<P>The Pilgrim Mass at noon today was a happy/sad occasion as we congratulated each other for completing the pilgrimage and realized that it is unlikely most of us will ever meet again. Hard to spend weeks walking with fascinating people from all kinds of places, including Australia, Japan, South Africa, Canada, the US, and many European countries from Austria west to Ireland and Sweden south to Italy, and then to leave them knowing we return to our ordinary lives in places tens of thousands of kms apart. Is there anywhere else in the world where one can meet with and enjoy the company of such diverse peoples, ones we would never have a chance to meet in our usual lives? If there is, I would certainly like to know about it so that I can go there.</P>
<P>Anyway, tomorrow a bus trip to Finisterre (Fisterra), then on to Paris and back to reality.</P>
<P> </P>
<P>E. O. Pederson</P></div><br clear=all><hr>Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at <a href='http://go.msn.com/bql/hmtag_itl_EN.asp'>http://explorer.msn.com</a><br></html>