27. Hanging out in Santiago 6-8/8/12

It's been great hanging out in Santiago.  Over the last couple of days I've bumped into, and chatted to, many walkers that I'd met on the camino - as they have just arrived in Santiago.  I saw the lovely 84 year old Italian man today. He's amazing. He was on his last 500 metres of walking to the Cathedral and must have been so tired - but he still had a big smile when he saw me and an enthusiastic kiss on each cheek.  We can't even talk the same language - but we smile and each say things that the other one doesn't understand.

There have been a couple of times when people have waved out - and I've not known if they were waving at me or not as I didn't recognize them - but I wave back (then surreptitiously turn to check if they were perhaps waving to someone else behind me) before wandering over to say the 'olas'  and ask the 'how are you' questions.  I think I perhaps may not remember them as they may have been in a big group when I'd met them in a bar, restaurant or albergue - and I'm probably easy to remember as I'd say there aren't many big Kiwi woman in Crocs cycling the camino.  I don't like it though when I can't place people. It seems rude - but I hope I'm tricky enough so they don't realise.

Oh, I got an umbrella from God yesterday.  It was in the same rubbish bin that the shoes were left for me.  I was just about to go out to town yesterday morning and it looked like it was going to rain.  The weather forecast was for rain and the sky looked grey - so I knew (being berry brainy) that I needed to take my pink poncho.  But I forgot it.  I walked outside to check if I really needed to go back and get it - and there in that first rubbish bin out the hostal door - was an umbrella from God.  I had to take a photo as proof.  So I took the nice big blue umbrella and then returned it to God when I got back later that day (putting it back in the same rubbish bin).  I did wonder who God put the orange cone there for - won't that person who needs one of those be surprised?

The umbrella from God

These are just shots of around Santiago. I really like this city.   I went out wandering yesterday to pick up my pannier from the sports shop, buy maps for the Camino del Norte - AND went to see the Swinging Thingy again. I bought postcards to send to Nana and Jeff's niece Rebecca and went and sat in a cafe to write those. Then about 2pm I found a restaurant where I could sit outside and have lunch. I had a menu del did - a Galician green been dish to start and fish for main course.  The day can just go from  doing a couple of chores, having a long lunch and going out for dinner.

Somedays I can't get the grin off my face as I feel so happy when I'm out biking or wandering the streets.  I was like this yesterday and thought I'd better stop smiling as people will think I'm mad. Anyway, I was just telling myself this when the song started playing 'I''m in Heaven'. I laughed and then did a jig for a few steps towards the busker and gave him a euro.

There was a busker under the arch on the other side with a sound system set up  and he was singing 'I'm in Heaven' so I must have looked mad dancing across the plaza.

Speaking of being mad.  Sometimes I talk to myself (not out loud like Shirley Valentine) but in my head while I'm biking or walking - and I was worried that this might be a sign of something.  But luckily I thought about it a bit and realized that I wasn't going mad at all - as my multiple personalities always talk to each other and never just to themselves. 

See these two kissing in the window. Isn't that lovely? I wonder if they met on the Camino.  

Pilgrims who have just arrived in Santiago

I have no idea what that instrument is. 

I love walking round and hearing the buskers playing music 

These two women were on holiday from France - they had both been drinking and smoking away - but before the photo they quickly hid the cigarettes .  

I could sit in these outdoor cafes for hours watching people or reading.  Oh that's right - I do do that. 

This was an interesting starter - it's green beens.  I had no idea what I was choosing - but it is a typical Galician dish.

Today I went to the morning market, went and had coffee, met up with Wing and went to a museum together - and then went and watched the Swinging Thingy for the last time.  The cathedral was packed today.  There must have been a thousand people at mass.  Can't believe I've been in a church more times in Santiago than I have in the last 20 years. 

These are from the market. It's a bit different from the Russian Market. You don't even have to hold your nose Warren.  I loved the look of the red meat as it didn't have lots of fat.  When we live in Spain one day Jeff we can buy you the steak with the fat in it and me the steak without.  Perfect!  

These are those longueirons (bottom left) we had at the seafood festival in Finisterre. I have no idea what the seafood was beside them.  When we live in Spain we'll buy them and cook them up.  

That's the perfect meat for me ...

...and so is that!

I considered buying a huge jar of olives as I eat buy and eat 3 tins of them at a time each day.
I'm addicted to the ones stuffed with anchovies.

Yum.

Yum.

Wing and I went to the Monastario de San Martin Pinario museum.  It's hard to even imagine that the building dates back to the 9th century.  There were exhibits of paintings, jewellery, clothing, sculptures etc.  These three photos were just of the alter which was very ornate. 

This was just the view from the window from one of the exhibit rooms

Okay, these are the last of the photos of the Swinging Thingee. I won't go to mass tomorrow - even if the Swinging Thingee is happening.  

My favorite singing nun

In a quieter time - a couple of hours before the mass started

See - does that look like a wax figure or what?

This is the sculpture of the Apostle Saint James that many pilgrims embrace.   There was a queue to visit him - and the people before me hugged him - but I didn't feel right doing this so I gave him a  'she'll be right'  kind of pat on the back.  

There were hundreds of people in the cathedral today. This is just the width view of the cathedral.  The longest part goes back from the alter. 

It's so civilized here stopping at a cafe for a clara or a beer as they give you some small tapas to eat...

...especially when there is a historical view to the left...

...and people watching to the right.