The End: Our Last Two Hotels

The story continues in Italy:  Spoleto, Spello, Assisi, Florence, Lucca and then off to Spain
Otro Vez
Rick

A few more pictures

The End of Santiago's Pilgrims

Santiago Road

Everyone made it one way or another into Santiago.  Many of us attended the pilgrims mass, which was a huge one.  The weather was beautiful and we stayed at an old monastery next to the chuch. As one pilgrm said:  it is elegant.  Everyone had stories to share and the journey was a wonderful experience.  Sunday our journey took us to Finisterre:  the end of the world for the ancient pilgrims.  Once we had our closing ceremonies, we said our goodbyes.  Monique and I are off to Italy to explore a new program

Ciao

Rick and Monique

Santiago: The Moorslayer

Hola from Caldas
It is not overstated to write that St. James (Saint Iago or Santiago) was The unifying saint for the people of this peninsula at the end of the first millenium.  There is a whole story -stories-about his legend and we end up at the third most important shrine/pilgrimmage in Christiandom after Jerusalem and Rome.  You find him along the Camino:  statues, shrines, photos, inns, etc.  We are now in Caldas and here King Alfonso VII was born.  It is Caldas de Reis or King's Hot Springs.  Actually the springs were used by the Romans and presently several of the ladies are at one facility accessing a message and spa treatment.  Here are a few scenes of Caldas and St. James

Gourd and Bridge

The symbols are here and a bridge crossed today and the countryside.  Enjoy

Santiago -St. James - and the Camino

The Symbols that show us the Way

The Camino extends for thousands of miles:  Scandinavia is the northern most and the French way was the route traveled by Martin Sheen in The Way.  We are the Portuguese Way ( Moniz you know ).  The yellow arrows are along the route:  roads, paths, neighborhoods, city centers, etc.  St.James, the apostle and brother of Jesus, traveled to Iberia and was later executed.  The legend says his bones are the church we will attend mass in this coming Sunday.  Pilgrims made the journey carrying their walking sticks, their gourds for water and the shell.   The shell was used to dip into sources of water and is today the symbol you find along the way.  Often it is a tile.  The journey is one of sojourners.  

The Way to Redondela

Hola
we are now in Pontevedra, the regional capital of Galicia.  the food here is marvelous.  i had THE best calamare ever.  it arrived just like you would expect, but no sauce:  none needed.  scrumptuous.  fish, mussles, clams, octopus (pulpo is a local dish).  we stayed at the location with the sunset along the ria (inlet) and enjoyed our stay.  you find many shrines and memorials to st. james.  if you have a chance, take a short google search about this pilgrimmage.  we now have for the first time in several days the sun.  out we go and more later in this evening (foodies be prepared)
hasta la noche
rick and monique