Santiago de Compostela

Santiago de Compostela

03/24/10

We left Teo walking through narrow, winding streets in the rain. So glad Poe tested our rain gear in the shower before we came. We walked up steeply and down steeply. We went through narrow spaces where we had to turn sideways and manuver our packs through between buildings and then through pine forests. over rail road tracks and across bridges. One of them was wooden. We didn't stop to look for four leaf clovers or pick up pretty rocks. We just walked doggedly on to get out of the rain as fast as we could. Eric even strapped my bag to his for the last miles. He is such a sweetie cakes!

Finally, we were there. We came out of the forest on a hill overlooking the whole city of Santiago. It was a panoramic view. However, the decent was steep and we had to be careful not to slip. We headed straight for the Cathedral, and there is a specil office to get your stamp and your certificate of completion. It is strange to know that tomorrow I don't have to get up and walk a lot and figure out where to sleep etc. We went to the albergue to rest for the night.

03/25/10
The next day we went back to view the Cathedral. The Cathedral of St. James is his tomb. It is amazingly Barogue. Barogue style is designed to evoke emotion. I thought about all the work it took to make all the carvings, chandeliers, alters, cover it all with gold, mine the gold, haul the rocks etc. all without the benifit of electricity, trucks and all the stuff we have to help us do big jobs. The dome is high above and has an elaborate insence burner that can be swung from a rope. The day we were there, there was a choir of little girls practicing singing to the huge pipe organ with it's pipes way above our heads. It was idealic.

We went into the streets and Eric said he was so tired he couldn't think. I wanted some sweet and sour candies, so I went in this candy store and he waited for me on the street. When I came out, he was surrounded by a group of older teenagers, all in red jackets, and he was pontificating about our family and our farm. Then when I finally pulled him away from these truely interested individuals, we took a bus to the albergue and he talked to another group of young adults who had just come in from their pilgrimages until 1:00 in the morning. He's amazing!

I just posted a lot more and the computer gliched and I lost the whole thing. Don't you just love it when that happens?

03/26/03
Anyway, basically it took us another day of resting and debating to decide to stay another again in San Lazero Albergue and we decided to take the bus to Finisterre (The End of the Earth)tomorrow.

Hanging out in the albergue where everyone ends up after their Caminos is really interesting. They come from everywhere, Germany, England, Portugal, Russia and different parts of Spain like Barcelona. They use many different routes. They speak different languages, but usually one of the two we speak. They are a type of people. It's OK to say "Ola". It's OK to start a conversation out of thin air. They are friendly and tired They offer to share their food, their bandages, their shampoo. They want to tell you all about their experience. They have tips for travel. They tell you their favorite places to visit and even invite you to come home with them. It's amazing, it's a real unique place and we've enjoyed our days of indecision.

We sat in the lounge and Eric said, "Well, where should we go next" and I swear to god, this guy walks in right that exact second, says hi, asks where we're from, we tell him we are trying to decide where to go and Bamb! Pow! Capowe! he says, " Go to Algarth on the Portugal coast across from Africa. You?ll love it. I lived there for 6 years. It's great!" So, after Finisterre, we're headed south! Just like that. Cool. The time between asking and receiving is next to nothing!

But before we go, Off to Finisterre!