Lazy morning with nothing on the agenda. However, I did get a text from Lucie that she was up and ready to have coffee. We said we would meet at the German pastry shop in 10 minutes. It was less than 100 yards away.
She was upstairs at a table. Sally went up, I grabbed a couple pastries and Cokes and joined them. We spent half an hour or so talking, then headed out the door. We stopped at the grocery for some sodas, then the China shop where Sally bought a sun hat for Barcelona. Back to our room we lazed around until 11:25am, then shouldered out packs and walked across the street to the bus stop. There was quite a line formed. I moved to the front to find Sally a bench to sit on where we waited.
The bus arrived on time. I stuffed both our packs in the storage area toward the rear of the bus, then rejoined Sally in line. It was a double decker bus. We sat up top about five seats back from the front window.
The route the bus takes is right along the coast highway for an hour and a half, stopping at each small town. It was a gorgeous cloudless day and the scenery was magnificent. We soon turned inland and shortly thereafter arrived at Santiago. To protect Sally’s back and neck I carried her pack sling over one shoulder. It was hot in Santiago, about 86°. We had about a mile to walk to our AirB&B for the night. We stopped just across the street from the station for Donar Kababs, then hoofed it across town to our apartment, always walking on the side of the street that afforded the most shade.
Our rental was a hoot - and sad. This was a two bedroom apartment. Complete with large living room, full kitchen and laundry room. It looked like a movie set from a period piece set in 1934. Built in bookshelves, wardrobes and closets. At first, the vibe was a little uncomfortable, but it grew on us quickly. The sad part was the idea that this was a family apartment that now was a AirB&B rental, depriving some family of a very nice place to live. It’s down side was the fourth floor walk up (In many countries in Europe the ground floor is floor zero and what we would call the second floor is their first floor, so it was advertised as the third floor).
We whiled away the afternoon in our room, napping, reading and writing, then headed out to meet John and Franny in the square before the cathedral at 8:45.
It took us quite a while to find a place to have something to drink. There was a Galicia festival happening tonight and everyone who lives here is out on the streets. It is packed. Every square has a fire (something about burning witches or leaping over fires to get rid of the witches), music and beer stands. We finally found a table and had beer, wine and soda. Franny and John were hoping to eat, but they weren’t serving food. After half an hour we went in search of food. It was now 10:30pm, Friday night on a celebration night, in Spain. Franny was starving. We could not find anyplace to eat. Bebides pero no comida! Finally, we found a restaurant open and we’re able to get tortilla de patata and ensalada.
We wandered back to the square after eating. It was now 11:45pm. A long final goodbye to Franny and John and we wandered the 3/4 mile back to our apartment through the throngs of people. We got to bed about 12:15am. This is a huge shift on our clocks from our walking days when we were in bed by 8:00pm and asleep shortly after.
Us with Lucie at coffee shop
Our room in Fisterra
View from our balcony down to the bus stop and bay beyond.
Santiago cathedral at midnight
One small part of the massive crowds on the street. We walked through these same plazas the next morning at nine. Not a scrap of little or a sign of the party. Just water streaks left by the street sweepers.
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