The first order of the day was to head off to the laundromat we had found the previous evening and do some washing. After days of hand washing in hotel sinks and baths, it was great to be able to put things in a machine and wait! We dried some and took the rest back to the hotel, turning our rooms int Chinese laundries as we sought every spare space to hang 'stuff'.
We then headed off to the Pilgrim's service. Arriving at 11.30am we had no chance of securing a seat other than the edge of a stone pillar or even the floor! We again wandered around the building marvelling at the opulence.
At about 11.50 announcements were made requesting those not staying for the service to leave. We were advised that there was to be no photography and mobile phones were to be turned off. It appears that some people did not hear this!
About midday, a young nun arrived and started setting things up. There were several announcements in a variety of languages - some delivered by members of a small group of people sitting right before the altar. A young lady knelt before the altar, praying, for some time.
The young nun then led us all in the singing of some latin words and eventually the priests and their entourage arrived. While the service was in spanish/latin, we could not follow it closely, however recognised that words 'camino' and 'peregrino' on several occasions and at one stage they listed a number of countries, Australia included, which we believed indicated the countries from which the pilgrims came.
It was quite clear that for many of our fellow travellers, this had been a very deep spiritual journey. We recognised the young man who knelt before most of the shrines on the way and sang pop songs at the top of his voice as he walked; the two British sisters with whom we walked on occasion and who knew nearly every word of the service and several of the Irish and Swedish walkers.
The culmination of the service was the swinging of the giant censer - not the famed Botafumeiro made by a goldsmith in 1851 - but a silver censer that still required the 8 red-robed tairaboleiros to pul the ropes and start it swinging, at times almost to the ceiling. It was a magnificent sight and as it was at the end of the service was able to be photographed.
Next we headed to have our passports stamped and certificates printed. We decided that the wait was too long and were leaving when an employee advised us that if we had 4 or more we could hand them in and come back later. this we did, having lunch while we waited. There were two certificates, both in latin.
We headed bak to the hotel to pack ready for an early departure the following morning (Sue, Helen and Kirsti) before heading out for our final meal together. We started with drinks and followed it up with a lovely Tapas meal. A wander back to the hotel had us come across a harpist busker to whom we listened for a while; and a bubble blower who was working opposite our coffee stop.
The end of a great adventure - with another starting for me the next day!
We then headed off to the Pilgrim's service. Arriving at 11.30am we had no chance of securing a seat other than the edge of a stone pillar or even the floor! We again wandered around the building marvelling at the opulence.
At about 11.50 announcements were made requesting those not staying for the service to leave. We were advised that there was to be no photography and mobile phones were to be turned off. It appears that some people did not hear this!
About midday, a young nun arrived and started setting things up. There were several announcements in a variety of languages - some delivered by members of a small group of people sitting right before the altar. A young lady knelt before the altar, praying, for some time.
The young nun then led us all in the singing of some latin words and eventually the priests and their entourage arrived. While the service was in spanish/latin, we could not follow it closely, however recognised that words 'camino' and 'peregrino' on several occasions and at one stage they listed a number of countries, Australia included, which we believed indicated the countries from which the pilgrims came.
It was quite clear that for many of our fellow travellers, this had been a very deep spiritual journey. We recognised the young man who knelt before most of the shrines on the way and sang pop songs at the top of his voice as he walked; the two British sisters with whom we walked on occasion and who knew nearly every word of the service and several of the Irish and Swedish walkers.
The culmination of the service was the swinging of the giant censer - not the famed Botafumeiro made by a goldsmith in 1851 - but a silver censer that still required the 8 red-robed tairaboleiros to pul the ropes and start it swinging, at times almost to the ceiling. It was a magnificent sight and as it was at the end of the service was able to be photographed.
Next we headed to have our passports stamped and certificates printed. We decided that the wait was too long and were leaving when an employee advised us that if we had 4 or more we could hand them in and come back later. this we did, having lunch while we waited. There were two certificates, both in latin.
We headed bak to the hotel to pack ready for an early departure the following morning (Sue, Helen and Kirsti) before heading out for our final meal together. We started with drinks and followed it up with a lovely Tapas meal. A wander back to the hotel had us come across a harpist busker to whom we listened for a while; and a bubble blower who was working opposite our coffee stop.
The end of a great adventure - with another starting for me the next day!
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