Hotel Castro Santiago de Compostela

... have been gathering for centuries to visit the tomb of St James. The Cathedral itself was magnificent, and the surrounding buildings where also very impressive. Shopping in the narrow flag stoned streets was a delight. We stayed at were given refreshments in a former hospital dating from around 1513 which is a listed building and is now a first class hotel. It was all very grand.

... wildest part was at teh end of Mass when a 6 ft incensor is lowered from high above the altar. It is set on fire and incense thrown on it, then 5 or 6 men start yanking on pulleys that make that baby swing way up into the air. I tried to get some photos of it, but without flash most are a bit "shakey", but you'll get the idea. The next was the tour of the palace and the cathedral roof. Mass was going on down stairs and the<br>organ ...

We travelled through thick fog over and through the mountains on typically heroic Spanish roads. They cut through mountains and build viaducts over the valleys. We drove through and around weary looking Pilgrims to our campsite which was on the Camino de Santiago. It was closed. After some interesting encounters with some locals, one old man practically ran away when asked for directions, we found this camp site.<br><br>The centre ...

Hi All<br><br>Sitting in a restaurant waiting for our pizzas - we are all done with bocadillos - dry, dry bread with slices of cheese and dried out ham. Sorry to say I forgot my hat two nights ago but we ended up at a albergue off the track which was a piece of heaven. The bunk beds which I have a permanent bruise on the top of my head from, were quite comfortable, complete with sheets and ...

... We literally see no one and hear nothing, and everything looks to be closed. We finally find one club that has someone in the door, and they tell us they don't open until 4am. DON'T OPEN UNTIL 4AM?! WHAT KIND OF PLACE IS THIS?! We run into 2 British kids on the street and go to some random dance place with them, were the DJ plays music from Grease, obviously causing a spontaneous dance party. Around 4:30, it is still empty, so we decide to just leave and go to bed. <br>

... than it sounds (as it always is with them), because one place was too crowded, another too expensive, another didn't have good looking wines, and so on. Finally, we settled on a table in the back of a restaurant, where I got a bowl of Galician "caldo", a delicious soup made with spinach and white beans typical of the region, and we split a bottle of white wine. By the time we finished there, it was around 1am and my leg hurt, so Maureen, Liz and I headed back to the hostel.<br>

Bon dimanche, Eh oui, pour la premiere fois en 25 jour, mon blogue ne commence pas avec 2 noms de villes avec une distance en kilometres. Je n'ai pas marche aujourd'hui. J'ai marche un peu en ville mais pas de ville en ville. ;) Aujourd'hui, il n'y avait franchement pas grand chose au programme. Je voulais en profiter pour dormir un peu. Comme j'ai la chambre pour 2 jours, il n'y a pas de "rush" a sortir. Habituellement, je mets l'alarme de ma montre pour ...

... this story. Curiously, wedding dresses were black! And, widows were required to wear black for at least six years. Their lives revolved, as most of ours do, around the family, the parish and the village; their rituals revolved around the calendar and seasons. Not very different from most people around the world, is it? To celebrate our last night in Santiago, we ate authentic Italian food! Honestly. Yum. Ciao, Dick and Sue

... folow The Way here on foot, horseback and by bicycle for hundreds of kilometers dressed in silly outfits (hat, cloak, man purse, gourd, staff or walking stick, and a scallop shell - the pilgrims' badge). They stay at rest houses for free, collecting signatures to they are bona fide pilgrim and collect a certificate proving they completed this ridiculous ritual act to rid themselves of spiritual debt. As will doubtfully not surprise you, I ...

... up in the too-hot shower. Tonight is the formal dinner for the last night aboard, and the crew turn out in their formal uniforms, and the women who have them get out their little black numbers. We start off with a cocktail, the guide thanks us for being agreeable guests, and we thank him and the crew for a good cruise. In fact, the whole complement got on remarkably well, with only one sour incident over someone not going too far ahead while others were still ...