PILGRIMS, ANCIENT CATHEDRALS AND SANTIAGO de COMPOSTELA ........

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It was early in the morning and very cold as I left Oviedo the capital of green Galicia aboard a comfortable Alsa Supra bus. The drifting mists were rolling down from the surrounding mountain, partially obscuring the Oviedo Bus Station. The journey up to Santiago de Compostela takes four and a half hours. This destination is traditionally Journeys End for the many thousands of pilgrims from all over the world who walk over 1,000 kilometres to get here). From France, across the Pyrennien Alps, through the middle of Spain and on up to the north of Spain and the truly marvellous medieval Catedral de Santiago de Compostela.

Travelling the winding road through the mountains, we changed drivers at the half-way mark, in the middle of nowhere. I wish I had asked where we were, because in front of the bus was an ancient cemetary? with a lot of weathered, moss-covered, granite tombs and crosses standing tall on each one. It looked like something from the era of the Knights Templar.

The gigantic white windmills, sleek and powerful, followed each other across the tops of hillsides in search of the prevailing winds. Spain makes good use of wind and solar power. The solar panels are grouped together in the sunniest areas to maximise the accumulated power and more recently, covering apartment and hotel rooftops. There arent many patches of flat ground in mountainous countryside and I saw an innovative design to take this into account. Instead of the usual group of flat panels, I saw a huge panel mounted on a revolving axis which must have been computer-controlled to follow the suns trajectory throughout the day.
My hostel in the old part of the city was only 10 minutes walk from the Bus Station and for a change, not hard to find. Some other travellers from the bus passed me by as they towed their wheeled suitcases into town. Although I only take a small carry-on board suitcase and travel light, nowadays am finding that without a handle or wheels on it, the case seems to grow heavy more quickly! Before my next holiday, I am going to investigate the new hybrid soft sided carry-on-board dufflebags or suitcases, which make light work of walking to one's destination.

I have found a small family-owned cafe bar just down from my Hostel and the food is really good there. Mama cooks good Galician food and serves it up as free tapas every evening to the locals who seem to be there most nights. The second night I was there, she decided I needed to eat a second helping of her food and I couldnt stop her from refilling my bowl. I didnt want to upset her, so I ate that too. However when I tried to pay for the second bowl, she refused to take any money for it. I tried to insist, but back peddled quickly because she said "no" very firmly. This remained the pattern for the time I spent in Compostela, so when I left, I bought her a warm woollen scarf as a "thank you" gift.

Midweek, there was a full day general strike and absolutely nothing downtown was open. There were lots of tourists walking around with bewildered "I'm hungry" looks on their faces, me included. Having been unsuccessful myself in finding anything open, I was walking back to my hostel, when I realised that Mamas cafe was open, the only one too, so I had breakfast there and then returned for lunch and tea as well!

Two years ago when I was in Spain for 3 months, there were a lot of half and full day strikes happening. This time, there is more uncertainty and more strikes than ever. There are also lots of marches and demonstrations happening all over Spain and more people reduced to begging in the streets. The people here hate the big banks. There have been a lot of evictions of families who can't pay their rent or mortgages and the banks are putting them out in the streets. There have been suicides too, just before the day of eviction was to take place. Their only prospect being that of a life on the streets in the freezing cold of an approaching winter. The ATMs have been sprayed with paint to obscure the viewing panels, the glass windows of banks have also been defaced with graffiti and anti-bank posters. Some banks have even had their strong plate glass windows broken. So much public reaction has occurred that the Spanish Government has enacted a law to prevent the Banks from evicting people from their homes during this continuing monetary crisis.

The Spaniards have always been fast drivers and the accident rate here is horrific. In the bigger cities, there is always the sound of an ambulance siren somewhere in the background. The number of people in the streets on crutches, limping, bandaged, or left with permanent injuries are too numerous to count. I have seen two since I've been here. One involving cars and 1 involving a motor bike and a car. Last nights television news showed that the Government has declared a national public day throughout Spain because of those injured or killed in road accidents. A dramatic attempt to bring home to the public just how much death and destruction is occurring which is directly due to speed.

Living in El Casco (the historical part of town) is always interesting and often awe inspiring! I always try to find hostels in these areas wherever I travel in Spain. For me, interesting means the contrast between the history and culture of Australia and Spain. And awe inspiring is the Catedral de Santiago de Compostela herself, on which construction started in 1025. And more has been added by the Romans and other civilisations, up to more recent times. This amazing cathedral is traditionally Journeys End for the thousands of pilgrims coming from all over the world since ancient times to walk the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage. The complete Camino starts in the French part of the Pyrennees Mountains and is approximately 700 kilometers, or the official minumum of 100 kilometers. Some pilgrims walk the entire distance in parts, returning in their holidays to add another section and have their official Pilgrim Passports stamped, until they have walked the entire Camino. There are other Caminos too numerous to mention. I guess thats why a pilgrimage is often referred to as 'The Way', perhaps because it is not so much the route taken, but the pilgrims intentions and reasons for walking a pilgrimage.

Although I am not a churchgoer at home, I have been to two of the masses for pilgrims. The vast interior of this wonderful cathedral is impossible to describe - one needs to actually see it in all of its glory. I think most pilgrims are hoping to see the huge silver botafumiero - like a very large urn in shape - slicing through the air across the aisles. It is hung by very thick ropes from a gantry structure up high under the ceiling and takes 6 to 8 men to operate it. Whilst the men are holding onto the ropes, a monk places a small shovelfull of burning coal inside the urn, onto the ancient resins of myrrh and frankincense. These men then commence the alternate pulling rhythm which causes the urn to ponderously swing, gradually increasing in distance and height whilst fragrant trails of smoky flow out and drift slowly upwards.

There seems to be a continuous stream of pilgrims coming and going through the hostel where I stay. Its fascinating to sit down to breakfast and listen to all the talk about their experiences on the camino, where they started walking, their nationalities, etc. I have written a lot of their advice and information in my notebook, in case I get the opportunity to walk a part of the camino myself. My intention was to try to walk at least the 100 kilometers myself, but it didnt work out this way. The rainfall and the cold weather, especially in the north, at this time of the year was what changed my mind. Most of the pilgrims suggested that mid to late September would be a much better time of year to try this. So, who knows? maybe next time I come over here.

There are so many large wooded areas and park systems up here and I have been for long walks through them every day. Thank goodness my waterproof padded jacket has a detachable hood with a drawcord. Since coming up here, I have needed my hood every day. Some days it is so cold, the breath turns to mist as soon as you walk outside. Directly opposite to the Australian summer which is starting to warm up right now. Taking a shower had become an unpleasant experience at any time of the day, until someone heard the complaints and turned on the central heating - Hallelujah!!

So my three weeks in Santiago de Compostela have passed really quickly. Other people have asked me how I can stay in one place for 3 weeks. I just say "Why not?". I guess everyone wants something different from their travel experience. For me -here today, gone tomorrow- doesnt work. I wander wherever the whim takes me and I seem to always find something interesting I didn't know about, or havent seen before.

Now I have just bought my plane ticket from here to Alicante by the seaside, down on the south coast. It is a one and a half hour flight and the company is Ryanair. I have heard a lot of not very encouraging things about this airline over the years, but it is the company which has the most flights out of here. So will let you know what my experience of them is when I fly out in 2 days time.

My thoughts are now turning homewards and I still have a little less than a month before I see my family and friends again. It kind of feels like one of my feet is still on Spanish soil and the other is already in Australia and it happens every time I go away for so long from my family and my home. So have decided that now, 3 months is a bit too long to be away from all that I love in my life. So next time, I will try 6 to 8 weeks instead of 12 weeks away.

To my loving family and great friends,

Lots of love

from your wandering Ibu

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