Santiago de Compostela

The city is filled to the brim. So many pilgrims— you see the ones arriving, the ones who have arrived and are spending some time here, and the ones all packed up and on their way to train , bus, or plane. Occupancy rates are the highest they’ve been all year.

This morning, I had to pack up my stuff and move from one hotel to another. It wasn’t a big deal, but it is amazing that I was unable to get two nights in a row in the same place, unless I wanted to spend €333 for a room in the Parador.

I went through the holy door, which is only open during holy years and provides a plenary indulgence. A holy year is a year in which Saint James day falls on a Sunday, though the pope extended last year’s I also attended the Pilgrim Mass. and saw the botafumeiro swing. Though I got to the cathedral an hour before the mass, there were no seats left; I found a very comfortable perch at the base of an old stone column. It was a high mass, officiated by one Archbishop, two or three bishops, and about seven other priests. It felt a little weird that the celebration was in honor of international policing day. Some high-ranking officials from the national police made a few statements. And then one of the priests talked to us about how necessary police are and how we should be prepared to give up liberty to ensure tranquility. It was a bit jarring to someone used to the idea of separation of church and state. But then I have often been surprised by how many solemn Spanish religious celebrations include participation by the military, so I guess this is no different. After the mass I lit a bunch of candles and sat in the now almost empty cathedral. I remembered the day about 15 years ago when Dana and I walked into Santiago from the Camino del Norte and ran into my parents in the cathedral. We had known we were close but in those pre-iPhone days we were not in close contact. How I miss them.

I got a ticket to visit the Portico de la Gloria, the original doorway to the cathedral before they added the current baroque facade. Thankfully, they left the Romanesque in tact. After about a decade of restoration (and 11 million euros), it’s once again open to the public. No pictures are allowed, so you’ll have to Google it if you want to see. I (and many who know a lot more than I do) think it’s one of the most beautiful examples of Romanesque in Spain. My favorites are the 24 elders in a circle around Christ, each one playing a different medieval instrument. And the smiling Prophet Daniel.

The stars at home have aligned to allow me to enjoy the icing on the cake —walking to Muxia and then Finisterre. I haven’t been out to the ocean in years, and I am so grateful that I got the greenlight. I’ll be doing longer than usual days so as not to abuse their graciousness. This means four more days of walking and then a few days to get home.Read more