Camino bore, Day 30. The 'laughing pilgrims' enter Santiago.

Saturday 29th May, Day 30. Monte de Gozo to Santiago.
Today can't fail to be a bit of an anti-climax; so much expectation laid on it, reality cannot come up to scratch. We woke early, and though we could have had a bit of a lie-in if we'd liked, an aroma started to waft about the small bedroom as some Rumanian pilgrims started to pour boiling water on some pot-noodle-type stuff and also onto some pickled gherkins etc. I'm not a breakfast person at the best of times, and this just reinforced my need to 'get the hell out of here'.

The road out of the complex was very wet and slippy, even in proper boots; there was a huge sloping road that was treacherous, and I felt old and tottery and tearful just trying to get safely across it to the steps leading down and out. As I embarked on the steps with great care with the morning-fragile feet and knee that didn't DO downhill, clad in my cover-all brown cape as there was a grey drizzle over everything, a lovely pilgrim of about 70 who was in front of me turned and silently held out a gracious hand to me so that I could descend the steps safely, and I came down in full acceptance of my frailty and the need to accept help; but feeling as though I'd been treated like a princess. No word was spoken, but there was something of the very best of human interaction in that little gesture, and I will remember him forever.

Me and my friends

Spirits were not high; the approach to Santiago is just as miserable as to any other city. Thinking it would be nice to have a coffee and a croissant, everywhere looked shut. 'Ah', I said despondently, 'As usual, "it isn't the time when the Spanish eat" '. 'Why are you always so MISERABLE!' came the reply, and we sank into marital bickering of the worst kind. A cafe was found, but still our spirits stayed low, and as we got nearer the centre - never with a view of the cathedral or sure we were going the right way - we could have gone straight to the station and got a train home had we been able to afford it. We even stopped, wondering whether to go on. The laughing pilgrims, that's what we were known as along the way; and now.....

Wrong queue

Right queue

The red nosed kissing pilgrim

But go on we did, and we came upon the cathedral 'round a corner', and then had to search for the right queue, first of all finding the 'wrong' one, which was the queue to enter the cathedral by the Puerta Santa which is only open in a Holy Year. The right queue was in another building, and we joined in and just got on with the nuts and bolts of getting certified as having done the camino successfully, handing over our credencials for checking. A small Spanish pilgrim with a big red nose we'd encountered many times but never spoken to jumped out of the queue and gave me a smacking kiss and said 'Goodde Byyye' as though he'd been practising it for weeks.

And then, clutching our compostelas, we emerged into the light, somehow booked in at some 'hotel', left our packs at a pilgrim luggage place, shrugged and said 'Might as well go to the cathedral!' Soon after we got in, a service started, a pilgrim mass began, and we joined in the Spanish liturgy that we'd got to know well. 'Padre nuestro, que estas in cielo...' Then almost at the end, you might say 'The mighty organ thundered' a few dramatic notes, there was a hush, and we looked at one another with a 'This might be IT!' look, and it was....... Join us if you will.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6az7f1n_HU

If you want to experience it again, this time with the inner workings showing, watch this one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QFd_55El1I

There are loads more on You-tube, but these are good to start with. It CAN become an addiction!

Mantlepiece botafumeiro

The rest of the day... well, there was music and dancing and shopping and eating, and I don't really want to talk about it, as the botafumeiro is playing, and I want to be back in Santiago......