Day's walking summary. Laura and I both put in a leisurely three mile hike from the hotel to the Cathedral this morning. We traveled backwards on a portion of the Camino Finisterrre (an extension of the Camino that leads to the Atlantic...known as "the end of the earth" before they knew better) using a little traveled path along the Rio Sarela. The weather was overcast, very cool and breezy, but it was a beautiful and invigorating walk.
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| Hotel A Quinto da Auga |
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| The Cathedral steeples in the distance where we will end today's hike |
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| Getting closer |
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| Rio Sarela |
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| Pigeon Roost |
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| Laura walking a boardwalk along the river |
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| Wisteria along the river |
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| Entering Santiago, Cathedral just over the roof tops |
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| Chapel just south across street from Cathedral |
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| Inside chapel |
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| Street leading to Cathedral |
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| Courtyard of the University building |
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| Isabel, our guide through the Cathedral |
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| Silversmith courtyard outside south Cathedral entrance. The building facing the entrance is nothing but a facade, no depth to it. But it looks good. |
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| Cathedral Alter |
Isabel told us that the swinging of the giant incense burner is done occasionally, but not often and not on any schedule. They just swing it when they are in the mood. Apparently, last night (after we left Mass) they were in the mood. She said the incense burner swings between the north wing and the south wing of the Cathedral. These are the wings through which the stinky, bug and disease ridden pilgrims would occupy. The swinging of the incense burner across these two wings served as an air freshener and bug fumigator.
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| Incense Burner |
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| Organ pipes |
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| Holy Door or Door of Forgiveness. Only opened on St. Jame's Day during a Jubilee Year (when St. Jame's Day falls on a Sunday...next to happen on July 25, 2021) |
We saw the tomb of St. James and "hugged" his statute (I patted him on the shoulder) behind the alter.
After the tour, we shuttled back to the hotel, finished packing and had a great tapas lunch before ending the tour. Laura and I were taken to the Santiago Airport and we caught a flight to Madrid, arriving a little after 7:00 pm. We checked in at the Hotel Orfila and had dinner with Max and Joan at the hotel.
Tomorrow, we take a four hour overview tour of Madrid. We will stay Saturday night at the Hotel Orfila and fly home on Sunday.
Laura has not tallied up her numbers yet, but, over the past six days, I have walked 49 miles during which included 5,100 feet of elevation gain.
