Back in Santiago, peregrina no more

Yesterday about 3 pm, we arrived in Muxía, a village on the Costa de la Muerte about 30 kms from Finisterre. The high point of the walk for me was finally finding out that I could in fact cross a river on slippery submerged stones that were more than a stride apart without falling in. It was a bit hairy, the water was up to mid-shin, but I made it. And Yolanda tells me she got it all on her camera, but luckily they will be still photos, nothing to show how precariously I was walking. We read in the newspaper yesterday that the authorities have finally budgeted the money to replace the stones with a foot bridge. Those of us who have gone on the stones hope they will leave that option open for the intrepid pilgrim. My Spanish companions could not contain their disgust when they read that the budget for this bridge is 237,000 euros. The guy, who works in construction, said that amount puts one bridge over the river, and the equivalent in the pockets of at least four politicians.

Muxía is the site where the Prestige dumped its oil. There was an exhibition of photos of the spill and the clean-up, and we could still see oil on the rocks pretty much everywhere. It boggles to mind to think what must be going on in the gulf if this one little boat´s contents did this much damage.

So my albergue nights are over for a while. I got a goodbye concert last night, snoring in stereo from three different corners of the albergue. Up at 6:30 to get the 7:30 bus, and here I am back in Santiago.

We have heard that the numbers of peregrinos arriving has suddenly shot up, the newspaper carries the headline that in the last two days more arrived than in the entire two months of January and February. Headline hysteria, since the numbers in January and February are minimal. But it is true that the city is mobbed. The noon pilgrims' mass is going to be held outside to accommodate 3000 disabled pilgrims who arrived this morning. So I will wait till the 1:15 mass, when I can see the botafumeiro swing. Having the compostela (the official certificate that you have walked), entitles you to use a special side entrance with reserved seats for the mass -- so this compostela is worth something!

The streets of Santiago are filled to the brim. Of all the street entertainers, the ones that stick out in my mind are the two who are dressed up, one as Jesus and one as Santiago. They stand on pedestals about four feet from each other, motionless till you drop coins in their buckets. Then they will lean towards each other and you can step in the middle, hold each one's hand, and have your picture taken. Jesus and Santiago in one fell swoop.