Day 40 Camino de Santiago Aug 14. Santiago

    I decided to take an extra day in Santiago to take it all in.  Seemed too abrupt to get here and then leave.  Reminded me of the scene where Chevy Chase gets out of the car to look at the Grand Canyon, nods his head a few times as if he's taking it in, and says, "Okay, that's enough!  Back in the car!"

    Besides, it was still raining today and though enjoyable, I'll wait till tomorrow.  It's fun being in a 1,000 year old city with cobblestone streets and walking in the rain, dropping into bakeries, tapas shops, souvenir hunting.  But backpacking....eh... I'll wait till tomorrow.

   Last night I talked about the group playing and singing and how fantastic it was to hear about 10 men with incredible voices.  Here they are performing under cover of the 500 year old building with 3 foot thick walls while it is pouring rain.  A great setting!

    This morning I went for breakfast at a place Kevin told me was really good, but he neglected to tell me that it would make me feel not-so-good.  No big deal.  I just laid down for awhile and took more naps today than I have in the last week.  Listen to the body, Steve.  It's talking to you!!! ha!  I meant to go to 12:00 Mass today but didn't feel like fighting the crowd... and I woke up at 12:30.  By the time I got there, the Mass had just ended.  It was packed!  There was only one door open for people to get in and out and it wasn't one of those big 20 doors.  It was like a bathroom door...okay, I exaggerate, but the point is, "Open dem beeg ol' dos!!"

     Most of the people who were in Mass left and were quickly replaced by an equal number of people wanting to see the cathedral.  It is big.  Really big.  You could use the words "pretty" and "big" in the same sentence, like, "It was big and pretty..." but you'd be mistaken.  "It was pretty big!", would be appropriate.  Not ugly.  Just big.  Lot's of gray.  Lot's of gilded gold. Hard benches!!

   I've never seen organ pipes set side ways or pointing across the congregation.  Interesting concept.  In many ways, I understand why Muslims don't let infidels into their sacred places.   The infidels have no knowledge or maybe they don't care about the rules and codes of conduct in a church.  About every 15 minutes a voice would say, "Silencio!  Silencio!  No hablando in la iglesia."  Which means silence, there is no talking in the church!  Which to many must have meant, "I wish everyone else would quit talking so I could hear my friend talking!"  Happy thoughts, Steve!  Happy thoughts! 

    It's very difficult to maintain a feeling of piety when people are laying on the floor taking pictures, or shouting, "Stand next to the statue of that guy!"  Uhhh, dat would be Jesus.... Amos!!  But I'm sure Jesus would be laughing and thinking, "Santos!!!!"  

    All in all it was very difficult to think that I was walking around in a church.  There were either microphones or speakers hanging down from the 200 foot ceiling or in front of statues.  There were plasma televisions so that people could see the altar, though the altar looked the same size on the tv as it did if you looked at the altar.  Still, the effort was appreciated.  

    One thing did bother me.  When I was a kid it was so fun to put a nickel or dime into a the metal box and here it clang when it landed.  Then take a long wick, light it from another candle and pick the candle that you wanted to light.  Okay... I kinda forgot the purpose, but it did make me want to go to church, right??!  This Cathedral had electric candles.  Nooooooo!!!  We need a 3rd Vatican Council, pronto!!!

    It was easy to exit the church.  First, you push old ladies down, then step on the beggar at the door, who strangely enough has the EXACT printed card as the beggar outside the Cathedrals in Leon and Burgos!!  A Beggar UNION!    Okay, so after leaving a wake of victims, I made it to the balcony overlooking the plaza and saw hordes of pilgrims taking pictures and milling about.  

   Walking across the plaza to take this picture, I must have taken 10 photos for people with their cameras.  I'm amazed at how unwilling they are to ask someone to take a photo of them.  They'd sit there with their camera at arms length and try their hardest to get their feet and the top of the cathedral in the photo.  You can do it... if you are a midget or have El Stretcho's arms.  

  

   There has been a guy screeching on bagpipes...(Happy thoughts, STeve!  Happy thoughts!) 20 hours a day.  I saw him yesterday and he was dressed like me and truly, it was as if he found the bagpipes in a dumpster and said, "It's a miracle!  God wants me to play these bagpipes!!!  I think I'll learn how to play these bagpipes so that everyone can hear me."  He was... (Steeeeeve!!!)... he was not-so-good.  But at least today he had on a cute little Galician outfit.  I was going to give him a tip, (take lessons before getting on stage??) but when I took his photo, he covered his face as if, "Don't take a picture!"  Unfortunately, for him, I don't speak Galician... and I interpreted it to mean, "Don't tip me!"  so I didn't.  Isn't knowing a foreign language useful!!?!

  Okay, I get really upset with the graffiti, but today was way way too much.  I want to launch a full investigation into the vandal that stuck a garden rake into the hands of Saint James statue.  Poor guy.  He goes from slaying filthy Moors to raking leaves.  

Talk about a demotion!  He's going to need counseling after that fall.  

     I liked this guy.  He was dressed up like... well frankly, I don't know what he was dressed like but he was a statue of I think an ancient pilgrim...on heroin.  Around the corner from him was a cardboard cutout of a pilgrim and it had no business, which I am sure was a source of pride when his son asked him what he did for a living -  "Well you see son," he say very proudly, "I am the guy who put cardboard cut outs, out of business!"   Son - "Gee Dad!  You are my hero!!"

    This is a statue of  Alonso de Fonseca.  I know, who????  Well the rumor I heard is that he hears your sins, and helps them to be forgiven and whatever...

    I was telling him my sins and he said, "OY VAY!!  Say 4 billion Hail Mary's and when you're done with those you can start with the Our Fathers!"  Actually, it looks like he's saying, "blah blah blah!  Tell it to someone who cares!"  or maybe, "Oh... I'm sorry, you sinning sack of ...stuff... you have me confused with someone who cares!"  Or... 

    Here is one of the strangest oddities in all Spain.  Even odder than the waiters who clearly wish you had not sat down in their restaurant.  In towns with only two or three bars, on dirt roads in the middle of the state, 150 miles from the nearest ocean, muchness fishing port... you find pulporias.  A pulporia specializes in octopus.  Seriously?? All the cows and chickens that you have living 15 feet from bedroom, pooping enough to fill an oil tanker, and you gotta have octopus?!!  I'm lost for words... No I'm not!  How do they get it here?  Where is the ice?  You never see delivery trucks zooming down the street with fresh or frozen octopus.  THIS is weird... This is up there with, "How did they build those pyramids without cranes?"

     Queen Isabella, of Isabella and Ferdinand fame... the ones who told Columbus to go for a sail, is remembered for several things.  The bad thing is the Inquisition, where people were tortured so they could see the Light...okay so that was a good thing if you believe in the ends justify the means, however, most would say, BAD!  But the good thing she did was to start a hospital for the pilgrims which also doubled as a hotel.  Yep, you are looking at the oldest continually running hotel in history.  about 500 years old!  And the waiters are as grumpy as ever!  

    Another miracle happened today!  I went to a museum and liked it!  The exhibition was "Heroes of Inventions".  It was about people's inventions of simple things.  They had to boot me out so they could take a siesta!  It celebrated little inventions that did wondrous things for humanity, by virtue of saving resources, being able to be mass produced, saving time, etc.  It had cool demonstrations of how they make paper clips, band-ades, tin cans, zippers, tea bags, rubber bands, clothespins, etc.  Picasso???  Dali???  give me a museum showing how they fold paperclips by the millions and I'm all over it.  I think my version of the greatest miracle ever would be...me going to and liking a museum dedicated to cats!

    Tomorrow - The three day walk to Finnistere!  

Day 39 Camino de Santiago Aug 13 Santiago

      Well... here I am, 40 days after landing in St. Jean Pied du Pont, France.  What an incredible expedition.  Thoughts - It was raining as I entered the plaza in front of the church today and there were many many pilgrims and tourist milling about.  I did not have the feeling of falling to my knees and kissing the ground, but I did feel the need to pat the cathedral, the one that was always in the back of my mind for the past month.

    I did wish that there was someone there with me, not to celebrate, or to say, "We did it!", but to just... just share the moment.  One of those, no words necessary.  No speeches or need to say something prolific.  Not to belittle or exonerate the Camino, but it is nice to have someone in the fraternity.  I've always been envious of people in the military and how when they meet up, they don't need to share war stories because... well, because they just know.

    There was also the feeling of, "Okay, how am I suppose to feel?"  I was tired from fast walking for four hours, I think I did 18k in little 3 hours and 10 minutes.   Okay, that's bookin' speed.  And I was hungry as well.  So after feeling sorry for myself in the plaza, I got a room.  As luck would have it, the first place I stopped was only 32 E, a great room, and is only 100 meters from the plaza.  Check out the sticker on the toilet that let's the person know that the toilet has been cleaned.

    I changed clothes, gave a bag of filthy laundry to the desk clerk and set off to get my Compostela.  . It wasn't nearly as bad as people had made it out to be.  In fact, it was quite organized.  The lady was super friendly and helpful.  I left from the office and went to celebrate.  I was going to get a beer, but declined because a) I wanted a clear head to experience the day, and b) drinking alone is about as much fun as playing baseball by yourself.  So I stopped at a chocolate shop and had a few delicious dark chocolates.  Muy dad gum bueno!  That's the chocolates in one hand, and the Compostela tube in the other.  That's my name in Latin.

     I was like Mr. Efficient as I went about my business for the day.  I remembered that 30 days ago, when I was in the town of Estella, Kevin and I had taken a day to rest our bodies and took time to mail unnecessary stuff to Santiago.  I went to the office and picked up the green box and then decided to walk a bit around the town to stretch out a bit and to see if I could find anyone that I knew from the trail.

    I was also looking for a place to eat and found a restaurant with outside (terrace) sitting, which means that it costs more than if you sit inside.  There are often three prices on a menu - ouside - most expensive, inside table - second most expensive, and standing at the bar - least expensive.  I sat on the terrace hoping to see someone.  I figured with the 2000 people going by me every minute, I'd know someone, but nope.  It began to rain hard... and it was good that it did.  Look to my left to see a man who's daughter and friend finished the Camino... from Sarria - five days back.  That's their Dad who is picking them up.

     As I was walking to the Cathedral when I arrived in town I heard the most incredible male opera voices singing classic Italian songs.  I was like a moth drawn to light and went to hear them sing.  They were in an alcove and had great personalities to go with their equally talented voices.  It's amazing to think that earlier in the day, I could have seen them in a store or on a park bench and never guessed that they had such talent.
     Afterwards, I went for a walk and I saw someone that I thought was Kevin, but I figured he was in Finestera.  I almost didn't say anything, and then I thought, "So what if it isn't him??"  and yelled, "Hey Kevin!"  He turned around and sure enough, it was Liverpool Kevin, one of the originals... The guy who nearly cut his arm off in the shower.
   He's been traveling with another Liverpoolian and a kid from Vienna.  Still Kevin!  He gets up to go smoke about every hour and when he came back he had Richard and Nora, the two who had the paella dinner with us one time a long time ago in some family's pension.  So we sat around and reminisced about crazy times together and before you know it, it was 11:00.
     this is a picture of a huge monument/statue about 5 k before entering the town.  It's as if the town elders said to the artist:
elder - Ok, Miguel, we want something to kinda summarize the Camino
artist - Ohhhh... you want a crucifix...
elder - No, not another crucifix.
artist - Ohhhh, that's too bad, cause I'm really good with making crucifix



       I realize that I'm going backwards chronologically for the day, but entering the Plaza kind of dwarfs the significance of the day.  I walked past the airport and the runways.  I'm so awed by the sound and sight of a 747 flying 200 feet over my head.    On the fence keeping us out, which was over 150 long, people had fashioned crude crucifixes from nearby branches and twigs and had affixed them to the chain link fence.

I have taken so many photographs of the cemeteries, but for some reason, they don't usually come out.  This one does give you a feel for how they are so orderly and kept immaculate!
   This was the first view of the cathedral.  I had to tell you that so that you would not think that this was the first view of the dog!   Normally, you should be able to see the cathedral from farther away, but the clouds were very low and it was raining.

Nope!  That is not me!  I don't have white shoes or a brown dog!

 






   

Day 38 Camino de Santiago Aug. 12 O Pedrouzo

Wow, I can't believe that tomorrow around noon, I'll be sauntering into Santiago.  Don't know how to feel or what to think.  I was looking at the blog last night and can't believe so many people and things have entered my world in so short a time.  Much like 2012 as a whole.
     I'll stay in Santiago long enough to look around, attend Mass, possibly get the Compostela and then head off to Finistera.  I don't have a map, but I know it's west of here so I'll find a road, strait walking West till I hit ocean.  West... that's where the sun goes to sleep, right?

     Today started off fairly ominous, but not worrisome.  At least not for me.  The storm clouds were gathering and people acted like it was acid rain.  Weren't you the same people who 1/2 hour ago were standing in a torrential downpour...called the shower?  Never figured out why people are so afraid to get wet.  You'll dry.
     I remember when I was going to bike through Europe and was in the bike shop in Tempe, asking a lady how to handle the rain.  Her words rang true during the bike ride and today as well: "The rainy days will be some of your favorite days!"  And today was one of my favorite!

    It started with a mist and then a stronger a mist.  I stopped and wrapped my bag with my rain jacket. But the trail went through such a thick canopy of trees that I got very little rain.  At one point there was a clearing and I got wet.  Could have put my poncho on, but it would be a choice between getting wet from rain or from sweating in the poncho.  I opted for the clean water.

     The best part of the day was seeing a fruit/coffee stand next to an old farmhouse.  There was a price list, very reasonable!!, and a can for the money.  Behind it was a canopy with a huge picnic table beneath it and several candles.  I bought a few items and coffee and sat down at the table watching the rain come down.  It was magic!  Not beating the elements, but coping with them.  Absolute magic!

    Some time later, the Kilometer marker 25 appeared.  I was feeling fresh and gave thought to busting it out to Santiago, but decided to wait and get my head straight before walking into town.
 

  Never had lightening or thunder, but it did start raining harder and I broke out the University of Memphis poncho.  I was right.  It got hot, but it didn't rain long enough to worry about it.  The rain tamped down the trail and I was able to roll almost the entire way.  Very relaxing walk.

What is a rainstorm without a picture of a spiderweb??  THE classic photo.  Beaded water on a spider's web!  Wow! How original.
Pretty though, eh!?

   This is the first area where I walked through a stand of eucalyptus trees.  Wasn't sure at first because the leaves are extremely wide.  Only way to tell is to look for koala bears... or... I guess I could crush a leaf and smell it.  Sure enough they are eucalyptus trees.

    Maybe it's the sentimental act of actually arriving in a destination after so long a time, or maybe it's the sheer number of markers identifying people who died along the way, but this one was particularly notable if for no other reason than it was in English.  Glad she made it to Santiago.

























From The Mummy - "Death is only the Beginning!"  In this case, not death, but end.. of the Camino.  I would like to return with a few things:
1. The act of stretching everyday.
2. The giving nature of the Camino
3. The need for daily exercise
4. Tinto verano - red white and Sprite

Day 37 Camino de Santiago Aug. 11 Arzua

If you want to eat before 8:00 PM, then you eat in a bar. Only, they don't really have lots to choose from.  Bocadillos - sandwiches with very little mean and LOTS of bread.  This is the bar that I went to after getting tired of a poor connection and a hard seat on the ground.  Not the most hygienic, to be sitting on a curb typing on a computer.  This bar had a very friendly bartender who actually came to the table with a tapas of french bread, good cheese and a fish.  A slimy, ain't been cooked fish.  But it was the gesture that counted!   Is that Ed Asner ponying up to the bar??!?!

     The town I stayed in last night was Palas de Rei, or Palace of the King.  T'wernt a palace, and t'wernt a king in sight.  Town was nondescript...which means I won't bother trying to describe it.  Dinner was nondescript as well.   Looks like they're gearing up for a big festival.  For a country with no money, they sure like to party like they've got money.  I can hear the Germans as they continue sending the Euros....
German - "Vas its das?   Eine party?!?! Again! Nein! Nein!!
Spaniard - He's right!  SIESTA!!  Everyone take a break!!

    Okay, remember these cute little silos they build here in Galicia (the Irish state in Spain)?  I saw this one today and thought, "Tupperware!"  Tupperware needs to quit dabbling in the little 1 quart size and kick it up to the 300 gallon size.  They could make them fit inside these silos so the tourist still go gaga, but they would be so much more efficient.
      Within 50 miles of Santiago.  Don't know what to expect or what to feel.  Part of me is happy to have that feeling of accomplishment and another part of me is sad to have a great learning experience end.  I guess it will never end, if I don't let it.  Listen to me, waxing on like I'm done.  There's still 50k more that a lot can go wrong.  I'll get all sentimental at k maker 0!!

    In the middle of a field in the middle of nowhere, (sounds Dickenish) was a woman washing clothes in a public water basin.  I was looking at her thinking, "Is this a tourist attraction?  Did I just walk into a Galicia Colonial Town, aka Williamsport?"  In all of Spain, this is the only one that I've seen.   They way she was scrubbing, I don't know how the clothes last??

    Okay so here is a very practical way to use the old silos.  As a mail and milk box!  Clever.

      I realize that it's a bit blurry...okay, a lot blurry, but I loved the reflection.  The purple blur is a family that has been biking the camino for the past few days.  They go ahead of me then, because of the little girl on the back, they fall behind.  I usually see them at dinner and Bien Camino them.  It's a good feeling!

     Yes, pretty colors, but you have to know why I took the photo.  There was a 12 year old boy walking with his family and he would get ahead or behind them and to avoid being lonely/scared, he would play his radio.  Loudly!!!  I would pass him to get away from the radio and he'd run to catch up. I'd let him pass, and then he'd wait for me at some point along the way.  He finally got the drift and turned off the radio and then stayed within eyesight as I walked....in quiet!

    Another albergue...that was 'complete'.  No problem... Just uphill 2k more to the big city.... Found a great little hotel, which cost more than the albergue, but I'm not sharing a room with 40 folks.  It would have been nice in the pictured albergue as I would have been able to soak in the river.  No problem...I soaked in a shower.
     This is the river.  Not too deep, but deep enough and cold to bring the old knees around.  Actually, the body seems to have adjusted.  I've named my backpack/trip - "Walk n Roll".  I have to admit, I have a nasty habit of naming inanimate objects like cars, backpacks, houses, etc.  Also learned to quit trying to change my feet.  If I wear a band -aide, I don't get blisters.  I was trying to toughen them up.  They won the fight.  Now it's a morning ritual, four band-aids and start walking.

 
 One of my favorite scenes is the grand panorama.   It's so.... so... Arizonaish, isn't it!!  Here it is in color and in black and white.

 

Day 36 Camino de Santiago Aug 10 Palas de Rei

I can't believe that I'm within 65 K of Santiago.  Bit by bit, step by step.  Someone said that it is over a million steps from St. Jean Pied du Port to Santiago.  The other day from Vega de Valcarce  to O Cebreiro, was straight up a hill.  I looked at a map and there were four towns along the way.  I decided that if I could only focus on the first town, then the second, and so on, I'd compound effect my way to the top.  The only problem was that I couldn't remember the names.  All I knew is that one had a bunch of R's , and another needed some consonants.  So I remembered them like this - Ronnie Harrison and Firechief  Lovell.  Once I got to the R town, it was on to the H town.  That is how this whole trip has been.  It is tempting with the end so close to try and bull rush it, but nope, I'm going to continue as I have.
      This is the front of the South African's Albergue.  Behind the giant doors it opened into a beautiful courtyard and then a very well done rehab of a farmhouse!  Gorgeous.  The owners, Gordon and Judy ran a very clean, easy going and spacious albergue!!

     You can tell the people who are relatively new to the Camino because their feet still hurt.  These two  are from Leon and the older man is from Valencia.  The young guy is an engineer and she is a piano teacher.  The older man is a saxophone teacher!

    For dinner we had homemade chicken curry, compliments of Gordon.  The two on the far right are from Slovakia and the older man on the far left is from France.  The two to the front right are from Venice. He's and engineer and she is a student.

   I complimented Gordon on having a menu that was flawless, which is a joke because English is his first language.  He was telling me that many of the restaurants rely on Google Translate but it doesn't always translate accurately.  For instance, in local jargon, "pulgas" means small sandwiches.  But on Google Translate it means "fleas"  So this menu of a restaurant nearby has not only hot fleas, but cold fleas!!

   Okay now for a trip into scatology.  After dinner I went for a walk and what did I see (and smell), but the biggest cow pattie of all time.  That's a size 12 shoe folks and this pattie dwarfs it.  But what amazed me is that, if you look at the scatter pattern, it looks like it fell straight down from... a helicopter??!?!

     From the ghastly we go to the glorious.  I left about 8:00 this morning and the early morning was beautiful.  The cool air tends to keep the cow smell down considerably!  There is a river nearby which helps to contribute the moisture in the air!

        Everytime I walk through the farm area, I think, how can this country be going broke??  It seems as if every arable acre of land is being cultivated.  Something is wrong, very wrong with this picture.

      The town of Portomarin may look like a new city... and it is.  It's what I call a TVA town.  The original town was completely buried under water when the dam was completed.  the government rebuilt the town up on the hill.  Wasn't that nice of them!!

   I don't know how long the bridge is but it had be practicing all kinds of maneuvers to avoid getting scared.  I do not like heights, but I know that I'm safe as I'm walking, but I keep imagining weird things happening... and it was a long long long way down to the river.  I'd look up from time to time to see the other side and it never seemed to be getting closer.  What's up with dat!??!!?

     Once I got to the other side, I went to a restaurant of a friend of Gordons and had bacon and eggs, but no cake or coffee.  I felt better as I walked today, but I will be even better when I just have fruit!
The river was gorgeous as it snaked it's way around the bend.  Made me want to have a canoe and paddle to wherever it was headed.

    Lot's more families on the Camino now for the final few days.  These two kids were hopping and skipping...little brats!!  No, they were cute.  At one point one had his arm around the other's back and I thought, "After a couple days that arm will be around his throat!"  But for now, they like each other.  They had exact matching outfits, down to the canteens.  Parents - don't do that!!!

    The trail went in and out of the sun today, but sometimes the shade was so thick that it formed a tunnel.

     I came to one little town and there was a grumpy man working behind the bar.  I know why, he has an ant problem!!!

   He has an ant problem and I have a wifi problem.  No wifi in town except at this little hole in the wall store that only has vending machines and stools bolted to the floor.  I sat for a minute but the connection was horrible.  I did find a better wifi connection at a bar, so I'll type until it's time for dinner which is at 8:00PM.
















“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.” 
― Oscar Wilde