Exploring Santiago 2 & the first of many goodbyes

I’d agreed to meet several friends for breakfast, not least to say farewell to those who were shortly leaving Santiago.

Some of us made it to the cafe where we’d planned, but were only able to secure a small table. We had a first round of coffee and breakfast, and then we had to relocate to another cafe when the others arrived and there was space.

In some ways the second cafe was in a far better location, with lots of space and right on the road where the Camino Português entered the historic centre. We were able to spot and call to various friends as they came by - including another Canadian friend from Casa de Fernanda, a German couple who’d stayed at many of the municipal albergues as some of us, and 2. British couples I’d chatted with yesterday (but who had a shorter day and had stayed a little outside Santiago last night).

After breakfast, several friends were heading off, some to go to Fistera/Finisterre (on the Atlantic coast), others to catch buses or trains before flying home. It’s been lovely to walk with at least some part of the way with each of these and so there were fond and sad farewells.

Another friend and I who weren’t going yet went to meet our other Canadian friend who’d just arrived. We had a celebratory drink together overlooking the Praza do Obradoiro.

I then returned to the Catedral in order to complete the remaining traditions of a pilgrim to Santiago. I joined the queue on the east side of the cathedral, in the Praza da Quintana, in order to gain access to the central altar structure, to hug St James (or rather his statue) and then to see the reliquary said to contain his bones.

The line moved steadily and I spoke briefly with some Texans who were just in front of me. Apparently there was a special mass being conducted by a bishop, which meant that the main public access to the Catedral was closed for now, but this had no impact upon the queue to embrace the St James and see the tomb.

It was soon my turn to ascend the steps to the space within the main altar and behind the large statue of St James, to put my arms around his silver cloak for a brief moment.

Next the line led down to the reliquary, which is below the main altar.Read more