Day 24: Cathedral Tour & New Digs

5.9k👣 7Z🧡 Moving packs to new digs and exploring the Cathedral and the Museum of Pilgrimage

Joe is feeling better! 🎉🎉 And my feet feel better!

We moved backpacks to our new place (a 10 min walk away) first thing. The location is near the Cathedral but off the beaten path - so quiet!! No cars!! Attached to a little cafe where we met an Irish couple and their pup who were driving around the area. Breakfast cafe con leche reminded me of my EC (Earlham College) friends 😊.

The Cathedral tour guide at noon was really good, weaving stories together, so we ended with a comprehensive overview of the history and important components of the Cathedral. It was REALLY interesting.

We indulged in a café stop for cafe con leche and double espresso (for Eric) stop, and I got to sketch the feet memorial. (But where are the blisters?? 🤣)

Afterwards, we got our big meal of the day (how was it already 3??) at a café with outdoor seating near a garden square with red, pink, and white flowers. TONS of school kids in neon t-shirts on tour through the streets.

The Museum of Pilgrimage was, as last time, terrific. Got to do a BUNCH of sketching - of St. James the Pilgrim, the grieving Mother Mary, the backpack that individuals passed along the Frances route during 2020 to keep the spirit of the Camino alive, and some late 20th century pilgrim gear: a leather tricorn with shell and a stitched leather shoulder bag, also with shell (🤣🤣)

In the pourimg rain, we came up to our apartment for today and we're so charmed by the layout: ground floor entry, open staircase to first floor living area with a queen sized daybed (for me) and sofa and round table for gathering, along with a little kitchenette & washer, and then more stairs up to a monk's cell for Joe (that's what you get when you've got COVID) and a darling room with two small windows for A&E. The bathroom includes what looks like some original granite stones in the walls.

For a light supper, we walked maybe 15 meters to a local place called Sobriños del Padre (Nephews of the Priest). The caldo gallego (Galician soup) was so tasty & hot, the octopus was soooo tender, the bread was HUGE, the sangria quite tasty.

Our waiter was amazing. He spoke no English but communicated directly with each of us using Spanish, pantomime, and the translated menu. Eric admired his silver 4-color Bic and showed off his glitzy disco ball sparkly gold one. The waiter offered to trade, but Eric hesitated.🤣🤣

And dessert: well, let's just say I couldn't pull my camera out fast enough to video our waiter pouring whiskey over Abby's ice cream cake. We divided everything in 4s: Abby's cake, Eric's tarta de abuela (chocolate in thin layers) and my tarta de Santiago (almond cake). What a way to finish off our time in Santiago.

When Eric signed for the bill, he.made as.if to make off with the waiter's special pen - which got some bigtime disapproval - a great reaction. 🤣🤣

Train to Astorga tomorrow early, so we are up at 6:15am. G'nite, y'all. 💤💤💤Read more