July: Week Eight

If you click on the picture next to the diary entry, you will go to a page with the pictures of that day. Expect to find some french, Dutch, Spanish and German words thrown around in this diary here and there. If you need me to clarify anything, please mail me at beken_barbara@yahoo.com.

07/07/03 - 09/07/03

The next day is shopping day. Shop till you drop. I visit all souvenir and tourist shops around the cathedral. I find some things but most of what they sell is on the tacky side. Twice, I need to head back to the hostel to deposit bags of junk. I follow the pilgrim's mass again as there are a lot less people today. The mass is led by an energetic priest with a wonderful singing voice. He sang many parts of the liturgy together with the soprano nun.
I go buy some food in a supermercado at the end of the day and eat in my room.
Tuesday is another do-nothing day. I sleep in late. I stroll around in the city, buy some sandwiches and to my very great surprise see Nan and Rie, who I haven't seen since Astorga, sitting on the terrace of a bar. They're happy to see me and we chat for a long while. Perfect ending to the day.
Wednesday sees me getting up at 8 to take the bus to Finisterre. It's an unpleasant 2.5 hour drive and I sleep the time away. Finisterre has a lovely fisherman's harbour; the sea is a wonderful blue-green and very clear. I walk up to the final point of the camino. A few pilgrims are burning clothes on the rocks. I sit and enjoy the views for a while before heading back to the village to have lunch.
I'm ready to go home now. Ever since I embraced the apostle on Sunday evening, I'm done. The camino is over.

07/07/03 - 09/07/03
	The next day is shopping day. Shop till you drop. I visit all souvenir and tourist shops around the cathedral. I find some things but most of what they sell is on the tacky side. Twice, I need to head back to the hostel to deposit bags of junk. I follow the pilgrim's mass again as there are a lot less people today. The mass is led by an energetic priest with a wonderful singing voice. He sang many parts of the liturgy together with the soprano nun. I go buy some food in a supermercado at the end of the day and eat in my room. Tuesday is another do-nothing day. I sleep in late. I stroll around in the city, buy some sandwiches and to my very great surprise see Nan and Rie, who I haven't seen since Astorga, sitting on the terrace of a bar. They're happy to see me and we chat for a long while. Perfect ending to the day. Wednesday sees me getting up at 8 to take the bus to Finisterre. It's an unpleasant 2.5 hour drive and I sleep the time away. Finisterre has a lovely fisherman's harbour; the sea is a wonderful blue-green and very clear. I walk up to the final point of the camino. A few pilgrims are burning clothes on the rocks. I sit and enjoy the views for a while before heading back to the village to have lunch. I'm ready to go home now. Ever since I embraced the apostle on Sunday evening, I'm done. The camino is over.

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