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Published: June 14th 2011
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Cathedral de Santiago
The goal of every pilgrim is to reach the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela I was hanged last night -- spent the entire night hanging from the ceiling, smashed between Bill's bunk and a window. The Tramp did not do any better; he, too, spent the night with his front wheel high in the air, bungy-corded to me. And no, it was not a romantic night for the two of us.
Okay, this is Lady talking. Bill and Gerri are recuperating from a night of little sleep (as if I slept any better than they!). But here's the story; the whole truth and nothing but the truth . . . .
We biked from Ken and David's place to the Chamartin Train Station. Not a particularly nice ride but not as harrowing as we feared in the rush hour of Madrid down a major road. Arrived at the station a couple of hours before the scheduled departure and a customer service agent told us that we could just wheel our bikes onto the train and store them under the bed in the room -- sounded good to us.
Fortunately, we had plenty of time to board the train as we were supposed to be in Coche 14, Beds 61 and 65. No
Large group of cycling pilgrims breaks for lunch
These cycling pilgrims have reached their goal, Santiago de Compostela coche marked 14, but with the help of a conductor who wasn't pleased that our bikes were not "embalada," we found the correct coche. Then, no beds numbered 61 and 65, but a "room" marked "6." Gerri grabbed it. The "room" was probably about 8 foot by 6 foot with two bunks and a sink. We were evidently supposed to fit our bikes under the bed, an area about 8 inches deep and already filled with cushions. So, as the train pulled from the station, Bill grabbed his trusty bungy cords and hung The Tramp and me from the ceiling. Oh, the indignity of it all!!! So while Bill and Gerri slept comfortably in the bunks, Tramp and I nearly asphixiated. Gerri says she didn't really sleep well, but at least she was horizontal and had a pillow.
We arrived in Santiago de Compostela by 7:30 and by 9:00 a.m. had secured a campsite for the evening. Bill and Gerri allowed Tramp and me to chill out for the rest of the day while they showered, took the bus into the ancient medieval town, and had dinner.
They saw hundreds of peregrinos (pilgrims). Legend has it the the
A steeple framed with flowers
A random but beautiful shot of one of Santiago's many steeples bones of Saint James are housed in the cathedral here, construction of which began in 1075, but now more Baroque than Romanesque. So, since the Middle Ages, Christians have walked 1000 kilometers or more to this city in order to receive pardon for their sins (and cut their time in Purgatory in half). Over the years, this activity has taken on its own life, attracting thousands of people a year who walk and pray and improve the local tourisim economy.
A special mass is said three times each day at the Cathedral as the peregrinos finish their quest. Bill and Gerri observed the mass at noon today. What they found most interesting, however, is that the number of those cycling the route has now surpassed the number of those walking the route. Around the historic center of the large city, a hundred or more touring cyclists wander, many of them desperately in need of a shower.
Bill and Gerri are, as usual, taking the path less traveled, taking the route backwards. The local tourist office views that
as near heresy, so they may not receive "credit" for their pilgimage when they complete it in France.
Now, I don't want to complain too much, but I overheard Bill and Gerri talking about another delicious, typically Galician meal they had, and me, I haven't even had my chain oiled in the past two weeks. Oh well, maybe tomorrow.
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