Well, my last day on the Camino started like any other day on the Camino, with lights flashing, bags rustling, and voices a bit above a whisper. I found I had no need to set an alarm. Many people were up and excited to get to the cathedral for the noon Pilgrims mass. I liked watching their excitement.
I did my usual stretching, dressing, and eating. I was out the door about 7:45 am, when it was light enough for me to see. When we went through a couple of areas with tall trees, I was glad someone behind me had a headlamp.
Somehow today I was just part of the river of Pilgrims flowing towards Santiago. The sunrise was different, but stunning.
The river just rolled along
Some of the river took time out to have lunch in a field.
And there were some strange looking trees:
I also saw ovejas with long tails. I didn't get a picture of them because they were too far away. I've never seen an oveja with a tail, they are usually bobbed.
On the way through Santiago I was walking along and there was a couple of families talking on the sidewalk, maybe about where to eat. In the grouping were two little girls about five years of age. In passing the families, I passed the girls too. I was going at a pretty good clip and rhythm. After I passed, one of the girls comes running by me. I thought maybe she thought this was a game where we passed each other. But she passes by me and then comes to a complete stand still about two feet in front of me. I think she thought we were going to play leap frog. But a seventy year old woman, who has just walked twelve miles up some steep inclines with a heavy pack, is not jumping, not even if she wanted to jump. I thought I was going to go ass over tea kettle over this kid, injurying her and I in the process. Splat!! I put on the brakes so hard I went up on my toes. I stopped about one inch from running into and over her. Out of my mouth came, "Sheeeesh!" She just sort of looked at me and then went back to her parents. I tried to collect myself from the near disaster. I still had visions of me tangled in my poles lying on top of the kid on the sidewalk.
After that, everything seemed smooth as silk.
And then I got to Santiago and followed the shells to the Cathedral.
Except the Praza in front of the Cathedral was a zoo. Half the Praza was blocked off and there was a bunch of basketball hoops, with young people shooting basket in some sort of competition. And a lot of people were standing around watching. This was not a good day to end your Camino with a picture of you in front of the Cathedral. Unless you wanted a photo that was like, Where's Waldo? lol
I scooted through and went to the post office to pick up the box of things I had sent from Burgos. I got disoriented and couldn't find the post office. So I asked a woman who looked like a local where it was. She started to explain, and then just said come with me. She lead me right to the font door. Again, the kindness of strangers.
I went in the post office and the little machine that usually gives you a number corresponding to what you are there to do; mail something, pick something up; was broke. So there was one long line for everyone. It wasn't too bad. I picked upmy box, unpacked it and put everything in my backpack. I found my hostel and checked in. I'm on the fourth floor. lol. I just can't stop going up and down.
I went out for a walk and at on point a group of people dressed in Galician costumes with bagpipe players came wandering by.
Now I'm tucked in bed and there is some sort of music, and I use that term very loosely, going on nearby. It sounds like people are being tortured at high decibels. There's like no tune or melody just long drawn out vocal and instrumental noises. It must be something new, because I've never heard anything like it. But people are clapping when they finish a session of moaning, so someone must know what it is and like it. I actually think it will be easier to sleep through than actual music.










No comments:
Post a Comment