31. My first full day in Santiago

Camino Frances - Day 34 - September 29th. 2013: First full day in Santiago














Santiago de Compostela on Google Map 

Brilliant wax dummy in this doorway

A permanent fixture in the park, great

I slept well last night, got up relatively early and got ready to have a look around the city. I brought my camera, as usual to capture the mood of this place and take a few video shots. Jim had recommended recording the piper in the archway. 

I had a light breakfast before going back to the Cathedral. I was not happy with the video I took yesterday of the benediction ceremony using the giant incense burner so I was hoping to get a second chance. I entered the Cathedral shortly before benediction and secured a good spot to record it. The recorded file is in excess of 1Gb so I cannot load it on Flickr until I edit it and cut a section and publish it here. I walked around the city but my movement and opportunity to take photographs was hampered by the torrential rain.  I dropped into a small cafe and had the most amazing carrot cake and a couple of coffees. Then back to the hotel to chill for a while

Back in the room I checked over the photos and video. I made some more entries in my notebook and then decided to take a nap. The phone rang and I answered it. I though it must be around 6 or 7pm. but didn't check. It was Ger, he was having a beer with Jim and asked me to join them. Never one to abandon a friend I made my way to where they were sitting outside a bar/restaurant and joined them for a beer.  

Ger, Jim and Jack

While sitting there enjoying the beer and the company many people we had met over the past few weeks came over to chat. Among them one guy who left Budapest on the 15th. May and walked all the way to Santiago. A distance on 2,450Klms, remarkable. We had heard many stories of people walking across Europe to Santiago. One guy set off from Switzerland after his wife died and he was going to walk all the way back too. Cathy and Jo joined us too. 
Ger and I went for something to eat. I had clearly lost track of time earlier in the afternoon because I only noticed the time as I set off for my hotel. It was only 6pm. I had only been asleep for a couple of minutes when Ger rang me earlier but I had assumed it was 6 or 7pm. It never occurred to me when I was out that it had not started to get dark. Maybe this was because I was now totally chilled out and oblivious to time : ) 

Back in the room I watched a movie in Spanish and got the jist of what was going on. I rang my Dad before going to bed for the night. 

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Other Links, relating to this section of the Camino, you may wish to follow 

Santiago:
Images of Santiago on the internet
Wikipedia on Santiago