Homeward bound

I'm writing this on the plane from Santiago to Madrid. A beautiful sunset outside and I'm definitely working with a sleep deficit. 

On the runway with the sun setting over Santiago. 

In the sky, thirty minutes later. 

I've had way too many late nights and early mornings, so am looking forward to sleeping over the Atlantic tomorrow. 

Yesterday, after breakfast with 200 other Hospitaleros, we took a city bus to O Miiledoiro, a town about 8km away, on the Camino Portugese. Lee from Holland and Daphne from Vancouver and I were joined by 7 or 8 others. Clearly there were more people ahead of us but we didn't see them. We should have been a group of 150-200. We managed to walk through a lovely eucalyptus forest, exchanging both Camino and Hospitalero stories. As with the Camino Francés, the concrete markers are being chased from this 

To this

And sometimes even this!

We returned to Santiago too late for the art show but in time to stuff a few tapas in before lunch. 

Really, there was food involved. 

And today we had the plenary session which was very interesting, at least that which I understood. I have found that I have no problem understanding the Spanish of those individuals for whom Spanish is a second language, but the native speakers leave me in the dust. 

I went back to pack and Lanzada made a lovely tortilla for lunch. 

As much as I'm looking forward to being home, I've thoroughly enjoyed my week in Santiago and could happily stay longer. 

Mass and food

Six of us attended the Friday night mass and the church was packed. It's the beginning of a four day weekend so many people had come from 'away' to visit Santiago. 

The nativity scene reminded me of the few that we saw in southern Spain with Stefan and his family last year. 

We went for a quick drink, Nick pouring,

and some tapas and then I walked home. For some reason I thought it was about 9pm, but, in fact, I walked through Lanzada's door after 10:30. She and Victor were waiting for me as they had invited their neighbours for dinner. So at 11, we sat down to a lovely salad and smoked salmon, a couple of bottles of wine and then cava. Before you knew it, it was close to 2am! Fortunately I didn't need to be up until 9 on Saturday. 

The same six had arranged to have lunch at the hotel San Francisco. The dining room:

So my ex-neighbour Rosa, her mother Rosa, from Pontevedra, joined Daphne, Nick, Naoko and I for a delicious lunch. As per Spanish schedules, lunch began after 1:30 and we didn't move from the table until 3:45, when Daphne and I had to rush off to register for the Encuentro. 

I know you've missed the food shots. This is my starter salad. 

And this is my salmon. Not a great picture, but delicious. 

The meetings have begun and I see familiar faces. The next three days will be a lot of loud, fast Spanish, so I know I'll be exhausted. 

In Santiago

And it seems a it surreal. We left Pedrouzo after our usual breakfast.....

Four of us walking, not together, but within sight of one another for the most part, knowing we'd all meet up for coffee and later a bowl of soup. As for me, as usual on the last day, there was a bit of a melancholy feeling. Perhaps the slight drizzle as we headed off was a part of this feeling. But the walking quickly turns melancholy to meditative and pure enjoyment of nature. The first 15km is absolutely beautiful, through eucalyptus forests, birds twittering and cocks crowing. Cows in the fields, farmers herding cows along the path. I finally reached this famous signpost but there was no one about and I'm terrible at selfies. 

Naoko and Andreu reached Monte de Gozo ahead of Nick and I. We sat and admired the view and wondered if a stop for red painkiller was in order. It wasn't so we carried on. 

The trudge through the outskirts is like through any of the larger cities on the Camino......just another trudge. But we reached the cathedral and took pics. 

There was no one else about except a TV crew so they interviewed Andreu. Apparently he was on the news last night. 

And then five others, with whom we had shared some albergues, showed up.....exhausted, emotional, and relieved. Our little band of four headed to the pilgrim office for our Credencial. 36 pilgrims registered today as compared with 2-3,000  on a summer's day. Nick booked into the Hostal Suso, Andreu and Naoko decided on an albergue, and then we went to Do Bispo, a fabulous tapas bar, to celebrate. 

I'm now staying with my friends, Lanzada and Victor, enjoying clean clothes (sent ahead), a room to myself, and a hot shower that could have gone on forever. And now for a few days in Santiago before the Encuentro begins on Saturday.