Great Escape Day 3

We set out from Fatima to conclude our visit to Portugal. We drove through the town of Porto which is where our good friends, the Upstairs Neighbors, had started their pilgrimage walk just a few weeks ago, prior to their visit with us. Our destination was the same as theirs, Santiago de Compostela in Northern Spain. Since they walked the distance, we got there much faster. As we left Portugal, I reflected on what a surprise the country had been for me. I didn’t know what to expect but I came away thoroughly impressed with the country and its people. It was my favorite part of the trip. In the ranks of incredible coincidence, one of my cousins and her husband are now trekking along this same stretch towards Santiago.

Taking a Break in Santiago de Compostela

We crossed the border into Spain near the town of Vigo (not the ghostbuster villain) where we stopped for lunch. It was a rainy day, the only one we had during our entire stay. We arrived in Santiago and had a five-minute walk into the central square. While we were driving into the city, we saw so many pilgrims walking the final stretch towards the central cathedral. The “Camino” is the aforementioned pilgrimage route that has been done for more than a thousand years, along what is known as the "Way of St. James". This reportedly has been the most popular pilgrimage for Western European Catholics from the Early Middle Ages onwards. At the end they receive their Compostela. The Compostela is a certificate of accomplishment given to pilgrims on completing the Way. Santiago literally means St James, and it is where is he said to have preached and where his body is interred after his martyrdom (shouldn’t have gone back to Judea). Two of his followers brought his body back to the area he is said to have loved. He is considered the patron saint of Spain, so he has that going for him.

Crossing Over into Spain

Ancient Monastery Greeted us in Town

Statue in front of Monastery

I really enjoyed our much shorter walk into that central square in front of the massive cathedral where he is buried. We were plied by different vendors of sweets as we passed their shops. The biggest treat however awaited me in that square – bagpipe music!!! I know, weird. This area of Spain, Galicia, (Santiago is the capitol of Galicia) remains proud of their Celtic roots and bagpipes are popular there. The bagpiper was serenading the latest groups of pilgrims arriving in the square to end their walk We congratulated a few but I preferred the bus ride and we smelled a lot better than they did.

Our Walk into Town

The Central Square

In Front of the Cathedral

We were given a tour of the adjacent museum by a native tour guide who didn’t seem to care much about her profession. We hurried through the museum and were not allowed to take photos there. That museum also held what is supposed to be the remains of the other apostle named James as well. She dropped us off in the central cathedral which was amazing. The altar, under which Saint James is interred, was huge and very gold. There was a long line of people waiting to go into the crypt to honor him. We did not want to waste the limited time we had in town on that, so we went out into the old town which was fascinating. I didn’t complain when “we” decided some shopping was in order. It turned out I was a valuable asset since my Favorite Panamanian would never have found her way back to the square where the group was rallying for our ride to the hotel.

Inside the Cathedral

Central Altar was Massive

And Very Gold

St James Lies Beneath

Despite the rainy weather I really enjoyed our short stay in Santiago de Compostela. The town was beautiful and had the feeling of real “weight” for the lack of a better term. It was also inspiring to see the pilgrims completing their long walks. It also didn’t hurt that I had my first beer of the trip that night at the hotel.

Proof we Were There

Heading Out for Our Walk Around Town

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------RECURRING CHARACTERS:                                

ABFA – Amazing Best Family Athlete – my daughter in law; BR3 – Blog Reader #3 – granddaughter #3; BRS - Blog Reader the Sequel - second granddaughter; Cantankerous Friend – friend since grade school who likes to argue about everything, poses as radical leftist to attract women; CRC - Connecticut Riverboat Captain – another close friend from high school, renowned sailor of the big river; Curbside Girls – close friends of my daughter acquired during her single days in Brooklyn; Czech Connection – Czech couple who’ve become good friends along with their daughter (the Czech Shadow); Deckzilla – our backyard deck which grew to monstrous dimensions once my wife got involved in planning; Favorite Panamanian - the wife (of course); FBR - First Blog Reader - first granddaughter; First Friday – celebrations to mark the First Friday of the Week; Great Aunt - my elder sister; Keene Friends 1 & 2 – friends since high school from my home town of Keene, NH; Kindergarten Friend – friend since kindergarten whom I reunited with after many years; Maine and Virginia Musqueteras – two close friends of my wife – her US sisters, my wife is the 3^rd Musquetera (musketeer); Namesake Nephew – son of Great Aunt and Soxfather named after me; Neighborhood Mafioso - wife's close friend and Panamanian mafia member; PanaGals – female relatives /friends of my wife from Panama; Panamanian/Latin Mafia – inevitable group of Latino friends my wife accumulates wherever we have lived & their spouses; PCR - Pittsburgh College Roommate – high school friend, also a “Minor Celebrity” in Pittsburgh; PCR+1 - Pittsburgh College Roommate’s wife; Riggins - also known as the Grandpuppy, son's dog; Seis Amigos - two couples from our condo complex and my wife and I; Soxfather – my brother-in-law (whom I miss more than I can ever explain); Tia Loca – wife’s younger sister; Wingman – my son in law; Wingmom – Wingman’s mom, of course