Good afternoon. I did not attend the Pilgrims' Mass and decided to attend the one tomorrow. Actually, I ate breakfast and went back to bed. Not sick, no problem, it just felt so good to be lazy after the long walk. I will not write extensively about the cathedral because I have already done so in past blogs. If you would like to read more about the cathedral or any of my Caminos, you can do so on my blog “blog.adventuregirl.World”. Should you have more than one choice, “Hiking the Camino de Santiago and other Glorious Treks” is the correct one. You can even sign up to receive an email notification when I post. I only post when I am on an adventure.
The Santiago de Compostela is one of the most beautiful Cathedrals in the world. The word Compostela translates to "field of stars." For the Peregrinos, it marks the end of a journey, and reaching the Cathedral is an extraordinary experience, regardless of how many Caminos one completes. For me, I always feel the presence of God, and whatever troubles me suddenly seems manageable because I know that I am never alone.
In the center of the altar is a statue of Saint James, seated and dressed as a pilgrim. It is common practice for pilgrims to line up to hug the statue from behind. I always wait in line and hug the statue. It is generally considered respectful, and is a common practice for pilgrims to hug the statue from behind as a sign of gratitude for completing their journey. The statue behind the altar is a representation of Saint James the Great, the apostle whose tomb is believed to be buried under the cathedral.
The choir pipes are as magnificent as the high altar. Two identical ones are facing each other.
This is the only large stained glass window in the Cathedral,
and it vibrates with color and life.
I can find nothing on this statue of Santiago.
DE LA CORTICELA HISTORY
St. Mary's Church was part of the small monastery known as "La Corticela,” dating back to the end of the 9th century. It has the title, "Antigua", which distinguishes it as the oldest Shrine to the Virgin
Mary in Spain.
2025 is a Holy Year, a jubilee year. The Jubilee is a time of pilgrimage and spiritual renewal, with the theme "Pilgrims of Hope." The Jubilee year marks the 2,025th anniversary of the Incarnation of Jesus Christ. It emphasizes themes of hope, reconciliation, and spiritual renewal. If one completes a pilgrimage to a holy place, he/she is forgiven of all sins. Don’t we all need that? I said some big prayers even though I am not a Catholic. God promises us all the same rewards as long as we believe.
I made a pit stop at the “La Garda.” It is customary to purchase something when you need to use the bathroom, known as the baño or toilet. Look at this beautiful new bar.
Santiago Cathedral as the sun sets.
I had the best dinner of my trip. I splurged and dined at the famous Restaurant des Reis at the Parador de Santiago. Not only did I have an elegant dinner, but there was a pianist playing songs that I love, such as “Fools Rush In” on a Steinway piano. Dining in the luxurious dining room with spectacular stone arcades at the world’s oldest inn is an experience that takes you back in time. The menu includes Galician fish and meat, cheeses, empanada, mussels, scallops, variegated scallops, and sea urchin au gratin, octopus a feira (bleh), and Galician broth, among others.
I had a choice of breads and I chose the traditional one. It was enough bread for at least three people, fresh and warm out of the oven. I ate the little hat first.
My amuse-bouche was a delicious mystery croquetta served atop homemade mayonesa. It was almost black on the inside. Squid Ink with maybe tiny pieces of pulpo? I particularly dislike pulpo, but this was excellent.
My first course was Vieiras en Compota de Cebolla, Jamón y Pan de Millo, or sea scallops with onion compote, ham, and corn bread. Best dish of the trip. The ham was the Iberian pork, sliced thin and fried like bacon. The bread was not what we think of as cornbread but a buttery toast covered in caramelized onions. It had two plump sea scallops, fresh and succulent. A dish to dream about.
I was originally going to order the wild boar stew with chestnuts, but they had substituted a pork wellington atop a pear (?) compote with pork ajus. And it was accompanied by pimentos de padrón. It was really spectacular. I was not sorry about the substitution.
Although I was stuffed, I just couldn’t go to a restaurant of this quality and not have dessert.
I ordered the "Cebreiro" cheese ice cream and almond biscuit. I have never had ice cream this rich and smooth. The almond biscuit was the perfect accompaniment, with its crunchy texture and bits of toasted almonds.
Once again, I waddled off to my room.
Good Night and God Bless.
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