In Santiago

It’s a very strange feeling, ending the Camino. It’s a feeling of achievement but also sadness to have left the world of the Pelegrína and to be back in the ‘normal’ world where there are choices and decisions to be made.
I’m no longer following the yellow arrow (the sign we followed from the first day in St Jean Pied de Port) but am wandering around the mediaeval streets of Santiago mainly guided by my phone!
Today Richard arrived which was wonderful, and Caroline left, which was very sad. We (C and I) both felt a bit strange all day - and richard is quite tired as his taxi came at 2.30am to pick him up for the airport! So we had breakfast together then booked our rooftop tour of the cathedral. This completely freaked me out. The tour, all in Spanish, actually takes you up on the sloping roof of the cathedral where it definitely felt to me like I might fall off. It’s reasonably steeply inclined and I cannot imagine what it would be like if it was wet. As it was I still felt much safer sitting down and my feet didn’t stop tingling (and sweating) until the end of the tour. However, it really was very interesting. I think I could understand about 50% of what the guide was saying, and that was fascinating.
It was nevertheless a relief to come down. I didn’t think I was unduly afraid of heights but I definitely felt quite uncomfortable.
Then lunch at our favourite vegetarian restaurant and C had to leave to catch her plane. R needed to sleep so I wandered round the city for a while - found a hat shop for R and a few other interesting places.
It’s a strange thing not walking any more. It’s now Thursday evening and we’ve had a day wandering around Santiago. We went to the mass at 12 and finally saw the Botafumeiro swing - which was awesome in the truest sense of the word. I was so pleased that I’d seen it, despite it being a bit of a racket: I.e if you pay -€400 they’ll do it but not otherwise apart from holy days, and possibly, rumour has it, Fridays!
Anyway it meant a lot to me to see it finally and the smell it created was amazing.
After finally managing to send our suitcase to the Costa da Morte Parador by Correos we had some drinks and dinner at the Greenhouse again.
I’m going to post this now - although currently on my way to Finisterre with Richard. Czytaj więcej