Hotel Rua Villar Santiago de Compostela

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.

The centre ...

... does the paying, and we couldn't have been more clear that we were expecting friends). We enter this club and find that he has reserved a VIP table in the corner with a velvet rope and all. A waiter comes and asks for our orders, and once we realize that this guy is paying for all our drinks, we order and sit there talking and drinking. I get one of the other girls to ask him his name, which turns out to be Doglas (DOE-glass). We sit there talking amongst ourselves ...

... la Alameda, a 5 minute walk from the Cathedral, where we got an amazing panoramic view over the city and of the cathedral. We then hurried back to the cathedral for a tour of the bishop's palace and cathedral roof, which are attached to the Cathedral proper. The palace was not particularly interesting, as far as palaces go, because it was mostly empty. But it was totally worth the climb when we got to the roof of the Cathedral. From there, we had amazing views of the entire ...

... to keep me busy during the day. And the ONLY think the security guy checked was my cap. I mean, besides the professional camera / taping material I could’ve brought, I could’ve taken weapons with me. If I was a lunatic and felt like starting a massacre: Santiago was the place to do it. Incredible! After that… we just walked very quickly to the amphitheatre; we found a spot on the Big Man’s side in front of the screens, I ...

I attended Sunday mass and was in awe. The entire experience was just amazing. After my second Sunday of mass in Spanish, I was starting to get the hang of it. After all those years in Catholic school, I at least knew when to stand up, sit down, and kneel. Today, I even understood that the homily was about seeds! I went to church with one of the girls in our program who is a secondary Spanish ...

... everywhere. There's a very strong Celtic influence here, so lots of bagpipes and drums. These little bands of musicians and costumed people have been making lots of little parades through the town all day, and I spent a good while just following them around. (Or was I following the men? I think I like the Spanish ones the best.) Every now and then one little band would bump into another on the street, and then they'd play together. There's just a really good celebratory vibe in this place.