Dawn

Dawn

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

For reasons I won’t bore you with, I started my camino today by doing the final leg of the Portuguese Way – Padrón to Santiago. Arriving at the cathedral – which I’ve visited many times before – I was surprised to find that, having hauled ourselves up the two or three flights of stairs that face you at the end of a long walk – the main entrance is now only an exit. And that you can’t go in with a rucksack. Likewise at the second entrance we tried. Whereupon we gave up and went off for liquid and solid sustenance.

The reason given for this new system and for the guards on each of the cathedral’s doors was “Control of the people flow”. Which, when I arrived at 2pm, consisted of just me and my friend. I didn’t bother to ask why we weren’t allowed to go in with walking poles. But I did speculate it’d be possible to pay someone to look after your rucksacks. Sure enough, we later happened about a place offering this new service. Though I can’t categorically state it isn’t free.

Progress, I guess. But far more Anglo than Spanish. Perhaps they fear a terrorist attack. Which would explain the police van parked in one of the squares adjacent to the cathedral.

And perhaps things will return to normal after this crowd-pulling, full-indulgence Holy Year (Jacobeo/Xacobeo). Though I wouldn’t be too confident of this.

After my friend had made a post-prandial visit to the cathedral while I lay down on a stone bench with both rucksacks, we repaired to the Museum of the Galician People. Where there wasn’t a word in either Spanish or English. Or indeed in any language other than Gallego. Which, as I say, must make sense to someone, if not to me. But at least it was free. And enjoyable.

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