P.N. Reyes Catolicos Santiago De Santiago de Compostela

... Stanford Travel/Study made a big enough donation that an exception was made and the incense was swung despite not being a Holy Year. On the other hand, all the people who attended the service couldn't buy any souvenirs at all because all the shops were closed after lunch for siesta. This was a big deal as we've hardly had any free time at all scheduled in our tours. That night, Char and I ate at the "Study Leader" table ...

... and toilet. The even better thing is that all of my converters work! The drawback is that the wireless internet is currently not working and I doubt it will be fixed before we leave. The computer lab is quite interesting and definitely not a part of the 21st century. There are only 7 computers for an entire dorm full of students (over 100 of us) so the line gets pretty long at times. It took me a couple of days to make friends with someone who lets me ...

... queue. The one mildly unpleasant thing about being at the front of the queue was that we had two couples behind us who were competing for the 'who can kiss the most passionately in the airport queue' prize. One of the girls did at least have the good grace to look a little embarrased by her amorous partner but the other three were oblivious to the effect their behavior was having on those around them. We did not commence boarding our flight until the scheduled departure ...

... and a wonderful journey completed. I felt the need for a beer. Grande, por favor. One of the great things about being here is that I know loads of people. Here I am in a strange country, a strange city and yet everywhere I go someone calls out hola! or wants a hug! All those familiar faces, friends and waving aquaintances that I've met along the way are all here. Sam arrived yesterday evening too so we have been going out 'celebrating' and farewelling one and all. Last night was the ...

When you're in a new city, always assume there is something special in the area that might not be on the tourist radar. During my travels, and I might have mentioned this before, I try to discover new corners, new streets, new anything, that isn't in my guide book or on the TI's recommended list of "to do's." Our last day in Madrid was no different. I guess you would say my father and I are park people. I find it very ...

... anything that I can appreciate. The more modern things which I can't begin to comprehend. Installations of things that make no sense to me. But we enjoyed Picasso. The train ride to Sevilla was quick and efficient on the AVE. My parents had not been on a train in 30+ years so it was almost novel for them but they were so exhausted that they kept nodding off. I enjoyed the ride and seeing the countryside. It's amazing to see a bit of a ...

... s a painting that definitely has to be seen live, in situ. We wanted to check out the sculpture wing but yet suddenly the three warning bells went off and all security guards started inviting people to leave. Was it 8pm already? Had 8 hours already passed since we'd gotten there? It certainly did not feel that long; the day went by too quickly. We went for a Starbucks coffee to finish off the day and give our poor feet some rest ...

... so that we wouldn't have to pay hefty prices for drinks at the club. Click here for more pictures of the evening On Sunday, we went to a huge flea market that they have every Sunday. It was blocks and blocks of vendors and we got some cool stuff. That evening, we went to Retiro Park which is the large city park in Madrid. Every single sunday people come and play free music all over the ...

... definitely going to try and brush up my French and really get a lot more Spanish grammar and vocab so I can talk to more people. I have been really touched by the panache and charm with which people from various countries are able to speak English and am ashamed that I cannot offer them the courtesy of an address in their language. What are my overwhelming impressions from this trip? 1) Water is a precious thing and we are damned lucky to have a ready supply of clean ...

... enjoying the green beauty of Galicia. This is the Oregon of Spain, seriously. It pours every morning and the siestas are humid afternoons. We love it after the heat of Madrid. And I also love the Celtic/Portuguese flavor of this region, which never received Moorish influence due to the difficult of reaching it from the south. The main ...