Breakfast at the Hospederia – looks like a tour group has been staying here. Last evening as we checked in we met a peregrine from Alberta, Canada who had biked the Camino from Pamplona to Santiago. The plaza of the walled city seems to be filled with hikers and bikers. Much of the weather we have encountered in the car has been horrendous – rain, sleet, snow, cold. Even on sunny days it often sprinkles.
The Hospederia San Martin is actually a beautiful, well constructed and renovated monastery. Our rooms are sparse, but efficient. The beds are wide metal cots with slats topped with a thick mattress and quite comfortable. No heat during the day, except in the bathroom when the door is closed and the light is on. Electricity to the room works like most other hotels in which we have stayed. The door key card fits in a special slot that supplies electricity to the room – key out, no lights; key in, lights on. Very energy efficient. Oh yes – the towel rack in the bathroom is almost always heated.
But the elevator went out today. Fannette and Shirley were the last to descend before it broke. Thank goodness it didn't happen when we were on it! To get back to our room, 225, we had to climb four flights of stairs since in Europe the first floor is always listed as the 0 floor except in this hotel where the reception which should be on 0 is really on -1 so our room which should be on the 3rd floor is really on the 4th floor. Whew! Who's on third?
We took a tour of Santiago – the central part as well as the residential part – on a cute little train with one side enclosed and one side open and of course, it was raining! Noon found us in the crowded Cathedral de Santiago to celebrate the mass of the peregrinos. The place was packed. A nun with a beautiful voice led some chants before the processional and the beginning of mass, which was in Spanish but easily followed. How warming to participate in the passing of the Peace with who knows how many nationalities. Our governments should do so well. The cathedral is enormous. Where the transept crosses in front of the main altar a huge botofumeiro (incense burner) is sometimes swung while peregrinos names are read But not today. Except on holy days, we think it takes an offering of 300€ or so to have this done.
Lunch of flank steak, fries, and hot tea, and then off to Finisterra (end of the land) to look at the Atlantic. As we started off down the two lane highway over the hills and through the woods, it was … raining! Eventually the sun came out and the day was gorgeous.
Forgot to mention the WiFi which they call Wiffey does not always function here so we call it Iffy Wiffey.
We were still descending the hills when we spied the ocean – beautiful! Drove to an old castle on the hill at the furthest point of Spain. Then we stopped at a small café along the beach overlooking the bay where we had tea/coffee/chocolate. Two Germans were there who had walked from Portugal. We treated them to beer and all wished each other a "Buen Camino". We returned to Santiago by the coast road before turning back inland. The hills are covered with plants and bushes bearing yellow flowers, much like forsythia. There are also elongated stone boxes with open slats around the side that sit on stilts. Are they crypts? Storage huts? Stone greenhouses? We can't decide. It appears to stay much warmer along the coast as lemon trees are full of ripe fruit. Back in Santiago, we are again in a city built among the mountains – the place where St. James (Santiago) remains were found. Yes, raining again.
After a short rest, we strolled the city in search of pizza. After a ½ mile walk, we finally found a restaurant that had pizza as well as Thai, Lebanese, and Greek food. We ordered a few pizzas and salads to share. We've found all over Spain the people are friendly and very accommodating – this place was no different.
Tomorrow we head for Portugal and hopefully, warmer and drier weather.
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