Hotel Bonaval 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.

Ah, getting up at the crack of 9:30, showering, grabbing a wonderful cup of "cafe con leche" and that wonderful goat cheese with manchego for breakfast. This is the life.....I'll have to remember this when I most need it as I'm schlepping my butt from one end of the US to the other most of the year!<br><br>The hotel is pretty nice. Roomy, clean and kinda like a European version of a W Hotel without all that annoying music playing ...

... the city which contains all the old buildings and churches is pedestrianised and huddles round the grand cathedral. The Cathedral is vast and very ornate. The guide books say that is best seen in the rain so that all the lichens and mosses are highlighted. The weather duly obliged!<br><br>The car has decided to have a sick day and has gone to the Ford dealer to recuperate! We collect it tonight and move on to Portugal in the morning.

... our own bathroom and a room to ourselves. Also had awonderful meal served by a grandpa who reminded Shawn and I of Oscar. He went out of his way to solve our language barrier and also pured soup over sara´s arm and went to get a wet cloth to wipe it up - he was so cute. Mary here--I seem to be the only one the bed bugs are drawn to ,no one else has been bitten,except for the fact ...

... Doglas chain-smokes and drinks several Red Bull and whiskey's, clearly looking peeved about the situation. About an hour later, he tries to bring us to nightclub, also in his mafia circle, but we decline. He leaves, we spend about 10 minutes more at our VIP place, and then decide to start looking for somewhere else.<br><br>It is about 3am at this time, aka right when clubs should start to open, and it is a Saturday night. However, the streets are COMPLETELY ...

... As a side note, despite the interesting shape, tetilla cheese tastes like your standard, semi-soft, mild cow's milk cheese. <br><br>After the roof tour, we were given free time for lunch, and then met up again with the group. About half the program headed back to Madrid with Nuria and Eva, but my friends and I had dediced to stay the weekend, so we got our stuff off the bus and headed to the hostel. When we got there, we found out that, though we thought we had booked 2 triple ...

... to her. He then warns them to never stop in Barcelona for anyone. Later on, Wanda wakes up in the middle of the night with a bad feeling. She knew how much cash she had been carrying, and the "police officer" had handed it all back. Then she realized that she had had her Visa in her money belt. She called up the credit card company to find out that thousands of dollars had been charged that night to buy "alcohol and massages."

... We spend a good deal of time eating and talking, and the rest of my "free" time is spent walking, exploring, reading, or studying. I try to Skype with people in the family who have downloaded the software to their computers. We even have mom up and running now! I was surprised and excited to find that there are 5 other people here from Northern California. One teaches in San Francisco and lives in Daly City, one teaches in a small town near Yuba ...

Setting off at 7am, we eagerly headed off into the Eucalyptus forests and closer to our destination. I walked alone for a while to gather my thoughts and every emotion ran through me in those last 25km. It was a strange feeling, one monet feeling excited, then scared, angry, sad...everything. I had no idea how the walk into the city would feel. Just before the city, you rise up Monte Gozo, and ...

Saturday 21st May Sarria - Portomarin Start out about 7am in light rain, up and over the hill in town, past the Magdalene Convent, down to the Ponte Aspera, or Rough Bridge, across the flats to the railway, and along it to the crossing. The railway is broad gauge, and in pretty good condition. Here a lot of other pilgrims pass us as we get out of our rain gear and warm tops for the steep pull through chestnut and oak woods to the high ground, with broad views of ...