We are so thrilled to have a few more days to spend in Compestela. We spent yesterday meeting up with friends we had met along the way. For some reason ( I guess how we booked the trip), we ended up with a day we walked 35 KM when most only walked 15. The whole thing was booked so long ago, but I guess I designated 13 days hiking as a way of cutting costs. Looking back, I think I would have booked in a few days rest along the way (if I were to do it again)

A few things we have found out along the way, things that are different here from home, some just details, some important. The hotel rooms never have facecloths If you order a beer, a wine OR a coffee, you always get something with it, beit a bowl of nuts etc with drinks, or a pastry of sorts with coffee. Pretty much always, we wished we had shared one order of meal, as it was almost always too much.

We spent our second to last day enjoying a very very long lunch with Australian friends. We told funny stories about the trip for hours, until finally the waiter had had enough of us, and we all went off to meet another group of pilgrims who were just arriving. Of course we celebrated finishing the camino with them too. I guess we got to celebrate for 3 days with different people every day…. perhaps it was good to have gotten ahead of everyone.

The last time we were in Santiago de compostela I was quite sick and had a broken shoulder, but we did remember this wonderful place we went for lunch, an Italian restaurant. so THIS celebration was having pizza and Ken not having to cut my pizza for me. There really is something special about going back to a place you never thought you would ever get back to.

We have found that the whole bus system is the most well kept secret….in each place, to find the bus stop locally seems to be a secret. We are on a bus from Santiago de Compestela to Lisbon now and to make certain where the station was was quite a task. Then to get onto the bus was also a shemozzle. It was totally unclear what bus was going to Porto and which one was going to Lisbon. The luggage was all put under and at the last minute they wanted Kens Pack as well, which is where our lunch is……(and our passports). not really expecting this, another bus passenger told the bus driver that Ken needed his medication, so was able to get the lunch bag.

A few pictures from inside the cathedral, which according to some is the most impressive in Europe.

apparently there is gold up there.🤔

Well onwards to Lisbon/Lisboa, janet and Ken