Peregrinos.

Peregrinos.

Pilgrims.

In the middle ages, Santiago de Compostela was the 3rd biggest route of pilgrimage in the Christian world! And judging by the amount of scallop shell adorned backpacks we saw, the tradition hasn't waned. Santiago de Compostela in Galcia is a site of pilgramage as St James' body is in the cathedral. He was responsible for spreading Christianity to Spain, but when he died his body was transported by a boat led by angels to Galicia. Years later a hermit discovered the tomb as stars fell upon it; people then began to visit the site of this miracle. Santiago meaning San Diego, meaning Saint James and Compostela, meaning campo de estrellas, meaning field of stars. It seemed appropriate that Katherine and I visited Santiago as our last trip as auxiliares, it being a miracle in itself that we'd survived the year thus far. Not even the rain (we had a lucky break on Saturday, but Friday, oh the cloudbursts)or scaffolding on one of the cathedral towers could put us off. 

Can hardly tell the difference...

We entered the catherdral from one of the side entrances, known as Praza Das Praterías(praza is the word in Gallego for pLaza) with a fountain in the centre. Inside the cathedral is a giant gold alter, with giant cherubs, where we hugged the jeweled statue of St James, after queuing to do so, naturally. We stood for the evening mass and watched one of the biggest botafumerios (incense burners) in the world swing up to the ceiling and back across the cathedral. We weren't supposed to film, even though nearly everyone except ourselves did, so peep the link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtxuvtZqOog

We braved the cathedral roof tour, which even in UK areas with low rainfall would probably not be permitted, as we literally walked along the sloping stone roof with our tour guide.

People included for scale.

We managed to spend a lot of time going round in circles despite our map and ended up at a fair, instead of a a viewing point, which when we found it faced the wrong way anyway. We returned to the fair on the Saturday night, as after seeing the ferris wheel in nearly all of our photos (it was that tall) we felt we should go on it. I'm not good with  heights, or rides. I was so excited and panicked before we even got on it, I had spent all my adrenalin already. We were put in a carriage with a 60 year old woman, whose 60 year old friend had wisely chosen to stay on the ground. I held Katherine's hand the whole way round and breathed deeply, while the woman in our carriage pointed at sights and waved to her friend. When the ordeal was over (just as it was becoming enjoyable), we had to assist the woman down the ride steps as she couldn't walk them alone and her friend laughed at her and pretended to smack her bum while laughing with us.  

We visited two lovely galleries with fantastic interactive, well they were for us, exhibitions. El Centro Gallego de Arte Contemporánea had an exhibition by Chelo Matesanz which involved furry walls, inappropriate, or appropriate depending on your view, placed flowers upon bear suits and cut up comics. While the rather hidden away gem of the Fundación Museo Eugenio Granell had a room of fake grass and some very atmospheric sound pieces being played and, as Katherine pointed out, a quote missing a verb. 

We ate well, having a cocktail each night; once just because we needed to ask for the bill again... We stopped at one restaurant purely on the basis that they served nachos, which were pretty amazing as was the decor. We also dined at a vegan restaurant that also served meat. We had a churro break where we played draughts using chess pieces while forgetting the rules. I tried pulpo (octopus, which Galcia is famous for), suffice to say never again. We returned home on the Saturday night during the Champions League final (Real Madrid vs Athlético Madrid) to find the common room taken over by lad pilgrims with The tv moved closer and table covered with pizza, beer and olives and nuts. 30 minutes extra time, no penalties, and as Katherine put it, Athlético were robbed.

Good pilgrimage all in all. 

Sunday sun rise.