June 2014 – Page 3

Images of west Galicia. “Not how I envisioned Spain”. A refrain I seem to keep repeating.

Santiago – in the rear view mirror so to say.

Goodbye Santiago. Off to the end of the earth.

Mr and Mrs Longshadow arrived in Santiago shortly after we did and yet they set off to Finesterra just ahead of us. I admire their stamina.

The human body has an amazing tendency to…

The human body has an amazing tendency to both heal and get lazy quickly. It was really hard to put our boots on this morning and our leg muscles groaned at the first several steps. Funny that two days ago we wouldn’t have even noticed the first several kms, but this morning it was very difficult.

Good thing it is a short day today (21km).

Our two composures when hungry. Alison graceful and composed … me, not as much.
No we didn’t eat octopus tonight.

Shopping. Allison was tempted, but “no” to this outfit.

Reunions.

We enjoyed our sleep in day and a nice bfast and then walked outside to the main plaza here. We almost immediately met up again with some friends from the Camino including a young Korean girl we’d met on day one and only seen one other day since. Amazing.

We enjoyed getting our 2nd Compostellas and the pilgrims mass at the cathedral here. Allison and I, not being catholic, never partook in mass per se but enjoyed the services nonetheless. Instead, we celebrated our own private communion in the courtyard of the hotel – just the two of us and God.

We then went on a futile shopping excursion and spent too many hours at a travel agent trying to arrange the trip home.

After a nice, but pricey dinner we’ve come back to the parador to pack and get ready for the last four days of the extended pilgrimage as we make it 100 more kms to Finesterra.

Pictures to follow.

Pilgrims mass, swinging of the Botafumeiro (originally used to fumigate the sweaty – and possibly disease ridden – pilgrims as well as it’s religious significance.
The Relics of St James the apostle (Santiago)
And Santiago Matamoros.

Brother Anthoni examining our credentials and issuing our Compostella.