Santiago de Compostela
After the 2 full days sightseeing in Ourense, I set off by train to what would have been my destination had I been walking the Camino Invierno. Crossing the Ponte Vella I headed for the Ourense station to catch a midday train to Santiago de Compostela.
Hospidera San Martin Pinario
San Agustín Church, the church where John is the organist
Though I had been to this park, I had never seen this giant Tasmanian Blue Gum until Alan showed me. The seated people give you an idea of the girth of the trunk.
The shadow of a "pilgrim" who only appears at night!
The birthday cake, also celebrating three other friends who had a birthday at the same time. For John it says "keep on walking".
The Cathedral and a small portion of the crowds....
... even on a wet day.
The mechanism for supporting the swinging of the botefumerio.
Even the outside has been cleaned, various parts of it being surrounded by scaffolding since about 2016.
Arriving in Santiago, I hobbled up to my accommodation at the former monastery, San Martin Pinario. This is much sort after as a place to rest for pilgrims for a number of reasons, one being that it has lots of character being that we get to sleep in the individual former monks cell. Another is the location, it being right in the heart of Santiago, and for those watching their budget, the price is very much a bonus - pilgrim rooms (the monks cells), including breakfast only €25. Those who stay in the hotel part of the complex pay considerably more!
St James, a statue in the hospederia.
No-one knew I was arriving early, but as I walked towards San Martin I heard my name. It was John, whose 70th birthday I would be attending on Monday. Because I was early I was invited to attend his special celebratory Mass on Sat. John is an organist of considerable merit and his friend Stephen is a wonderful singer. The music, a combination of organ and voices, was an utter delight. To hear the organ as it thundered out the last verse of Guide Me O Thou Great Redeemer, and to hear singing amongst the thunder was indeed a joy.
Half an hour later I bumped into my friend Alan from Cowra who I had forgotten was going to be in Spain at roughly the same time as me. He spent a good few hours on that first day showing me a few things I hadn't seen in Santiago, and introducing me to a few people in town.
John had other celebrations for his birthday, and I was honoured to be a guest at his party on Monday - the day of his birthday. He has been a good friend to me personally, and a wise and generous friend to the Australian Friends of the Camino.
If you stay long enough in Santiago you will see many of the people you walked with. I only met 5 pilgrims on the Invierno, though I did see another half dozen or so in the distance, but never met them. Of those 5, I bumped into the Spanish cycling pilgrim, Pedro, as we explored back streets, and Robert and Sarah, the Polish pilgrims I met in A Rua, were in the cathedral when I was there. That left Lucien (Belgique) and his Spanish speaking friend Jesus, but sadly I didn't bump into them.
The number of pilgrims in town was phenomenal, and I believe that number records are being broken frequently. It is not uncommon for the pilgrim office to issue several thousand compostelas, and Father Manny from the Phillipines informed us that over 400,000 have been issued since the start of the year. I have never seen it so busy in Santiago, and it is busiest in the lead up to, and including, the weekend.
The Cathedral has been "spruced up" over the past few years in preparation for the current holy year. Saint James positively glistens.
My stay in Santago was different to what I was expecting, but as always, it was special. It is a very special city. There is so much to see, and there are still some places I have yet to see.
I am sitting on the train now, heading back to Barcelona from where I fly out tomorrow. I am looking forward to being home, but know I will miss the different lifestyle here in Spain, and the very special life of an itinerant pilgrim.
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