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Published: October 28th 2014
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Today we slept in until 9am, tidied the room up for the cleaners (why do people do that?), and went to the bar three doors up for a croissant and coffee for breakfast. Great coffee and a very traditional style of establishment. It was busy and, with only two staff, it was great to watch them work with such efficiency; been doing this for a long time I think.
After breakfast we went to check out where you had to go in the cathedral for the midday pilgrims mass. We knew we would meet many friends we made along the Way, as regardless of religion or whether you were even religious, most people attended this. The word had also passed around the Camino community that the Botafumeiro was to be used and most people would want to see it.
The mass was in Spanish but it was made very clear no cameras were to be used. It was very moving and all the pilgrims country's who had arrived since the last mass were mentioned. At the completion of the service, five men came out in robes and released the Botafumeiro to the floor to be lit. It was then
raised and these men controlled the swinginging movement of it, holding a plaited rope each, which was spliced into a thick single rope. It released incense into the church and swung from one side to the other, over the congregation, almost reaching the high ceilings. It was amazing and a very powerful symbol. It's said it was originally introduced in the Middle Ages to fumigate the pilgrim arrivals and disguise their well travelled smell. Probably right in the days before hot showers and deodorant but not necessary now. Needless to say, mass had ended, so the cameras came out then. I have some great footage of it but can't seem to load it onto my ipad so pics will have to do for now.
At mass we saw many fellow travellers and the sudden delight of seeing someone you may have lost track of days or weeks ago was electric. We filled two rows with some of our most common companions, chatted, took photos and just enjoyed sharing this experience. Our original crew from Day One momentarily reformed after 33 days; it was amazing.
After mass we arranged to have dinner, just 12 of us, and Ken knew
a place in a street behind the cathedral. In the afternoon Tim and I went for a walk in the park above town and had a great view of 'old' Santiago . I took a few pics, had some hot chestnuts and coffee and wandered back the long way up alleys I had not been to before. They seemed to have a better standard of presents to buy but I dare say the recipients will be the judges of that.
We arrived back at the Nest Style to find Sue ready to go, so i brushed my hair and so was I; it's pretty convenient having few clothes to choose from. At the square in front of the cathedral we only waited a few minutes and the group for dinner was assembled. The restaurant we ate at was pretty stylish in an old world sense. It could have been part of a grand house in its early days but has morphed into a restaurant , or just been a restaurant all along.
The chat at dinner was mainly about, you guessed it, the Camino, what people thought about it, the hard bits, the best and worst places and
experiences, and how it has impacted on people. We only gathered for a couple of hours as people were flying out early, were walking to Finisterre , or just needed a good sleep.
By Wednesday we will still be here but our 'tribe' will have moved on. No one stays long in Santiago; it is a destination, but only in a final sense, so new groups replace old ones all the time. We will be strangers to all and will know none of these people. We are going to spend tomorrow on a tour of Finisterre, and do some sightseeing and shopping on Wednesday before a very early start on Thursday, flying to Warsaw. It will be interesting to see Finisterre, the end of the world and the Camino for some, and it will be strange getting off a bus to do it.
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D MJ Binkley
Dave and Merry Jo Binkley
Cathedral
Stunning beauty.