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| Porto do Mazarelos |
We spent a pleasant, restful night in Manolo's beautiful home. He had a nice breakfast laid out for us, as we carefully eased our way downstairs to the dining room. We had asked Manolo if he could arrange a taxi for us, and he made an arrangement with a local taxi driver to come and get us at 10:30. There would no more walking on this Camino. Robin was still limping and it was clear we needed transport to Santiago. So with breakfast done we packed up, met the taxi, said goodbye to Manolo, and headed off to Santiago. It is always bittersweet to not complete the journey you anticipated. We had walked a month, covered a good part of the Via de la Plata, and now were about to enter Santiago once again. We had much to be thankful for and many prayers of thanksgiving to utter at the pilgrim mass. Manolo suggested to have the taxi driver drop us off just outside the gate to the old city where the Via de la Plata enters. We felt we could manage that and agreed that we would enter the city on foot. We had a few thrilling moments as our driver, ignoring one way traffic signs, maneuvered us up as close as he could get before dropping us off. Once afoot we managed to slowly find our way into this now very familiar city. We checked into our hotel, and headed off to the 12:00 pilgrim mass. We entered the cathedral through the Puerta Santa (Holy Door) which was only opened this past Sunday, the third Sunday of Advent, in response to the Pope's declaration of a Year of Mercy. As we walked into the cathedral, and into this Year of Mercy, we were filled with gratitude for having reached this holy place once again. It wasn't all as we had planned it, but it was a precious gift and a blessing nonetheless. Feliz Navidad.
John and Robin
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| Holy Door |
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| Cathedral nativity scene |
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| That's my girl |
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Glad to learn that you both have entered Santiago once again and that you are safe and sound! Enjoy your time together at this most special time of year.
ReplyDeleteWishing you a wonderful Christmas filled with music and a peaceful Happy New Year,
Margaret
Hello Margaret, and thank you for your warm Christmas wishes. We have had a bit of a time of it, but we are now where we had always hoped to be. So, in the end all is well as we prepare for a memorable Christmas celebration in this remarkable city gifted with the pilgrim spirit. We will just add ours to the mix and be grateful for what we are able to contribute. Wishing you and your husband a joyful Christmas and a healthy and peaceful New Year. Thanks for thinking of us. You are a very special lady. Peace be with you both.
ReplyDeleteJohn and Robin
Well done again!!!! Glad you are safe and sound in Santiago. It's a special city as you know. What a great time of the year to be there. All the best for your stay there and I'm sure the volunteering will be rewarding. You two are amazing. Have a warm Christmas and a fruitful New Year. Looking forward to your next adventure. Karen and Dayton
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas to you and Karen. Thanks for following along and for your encouragement. Let's see what the New Year brings (always optimistic).
ReplyDeleteJohn and Robin
Im planning for a nov early dec walk this year but your weather looks cold.Was this typical?loved reading your story Thankd
ReplyDelete