Franwyn, Peter and I went to the English mass in the chapel within the Cathedral. An Irish priest took it and asked everyone where we had come from( country) and from where we had started our walk. There were only a couple of other Aussies in attendance and of the 50 odd people only 5 had completed the Via de la Plata all the others had done full or part Camino Frances. Many were very emotional. We were invited to make petitions verbally or to write them and drop them into a bowl. The chapel had lots of notes on all the shelves around the walls. The homily was very down to earth and yet inspiring at the same time and the service was very inclusive of non-Catholics. We were all really pleased we attended. It has been a highlight for me. It seems to have articulated my feelings about this trip. The priest talked about how we had left the comfort and security of our homes and family to follow the Way of St James as James had followed Jesus and that we need to persist in our faith even when we have doubts because God is revealed in the small things in our lives. We all felt this was true of our experiences on the Camino. Also that our whole lives are a continuing pilgrimage.
The chapel foe English mass.
We went for coffee afterwards and Peter realised he had left his rain jacket AND the key to the apartment in the chapel. When he tried to return it was all locked up and the main church was in full pilgrim mass. We will have to return tomorrow. He went off to meet his Galician friend and Franwyn and I do a bit o shopping. I finally organise to have a bracelet made because I cannot find what I want. I am happy. Next we go looking for the Galician museum and modern art gallery. We hear all this noise like cannons going off and when we ask a local it turns out to be a celebration for Ascension day and it is a fiesta day. When we turn the wrong way and can't find the museum in the rain we decide to go to lunch instead-and try later.
A street at siesta time
We go to a restaurant attached to the Parador but which has a modest Menu del Dia. For €12 we have a quality 3 course meal with wine, water and coffee. I had beautiful paella, followed by salmon and salad and a flan for dessert. When we head for the museum this time in the correct direction we discover it is closed for Fiesta in the afternoon. We go to the contemporary art gallery instead. It has a lot of rather weird art but a nice cafe where we spend time waiting for the rain to abate. It doesn't. We brave the rain looking for Zara and other fashion shops but they are all closed for Fiesta of course, in fact most of the shops are closed. There goes the shopping for clothes- saved a fortune. It is now heavy rain and Franwyn has no longer got any rain gear. She gave Almuth her poncho because hers had a tear.
Fran heads back to her hotel and we say our goodbyes. She flies to Germany tomorrow to visit her daughter. It has been a real delight spending time together. I head back to our place hoping Andy and Karen are in because I no longer have a key. To my relief they are there when I call through the window.
They have found a flyer for a free choral concert at 9pm in the church of Saint Francisco so we head out to that. It is a massive church with a baroque style and good acoustics but the seats are rather uncomfortable and by the end of the concert I have a cold numb rear end. We go for coffee but come across the Tuna musicians playing popular songs and so we stay and listen. They are dressed in medieval costumes with ribbons and badges attached to their capes which represent faculties from the university.Then it is past the square where there is a famous local Galician pop singer having an out door concert in the rain, which has let up finally. The music is pounding. What a contrast, choral renaissance tunes, folk music and pop all within one kilometre of each other.
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