Santiago’s earthly remains were translated from Jerusalem back to Hispania, translation being “relocation without transformation or reorientation” – that is for sure valid to say, not much transformation can happen to a dead body. We have now entered the portal of the modern day translation by the power of transportation technology and although very much alive will try to translate back home with as little transformation or reorientation as possible. The official stance of the present day “Compostela authorities” is that the pilgrimage starts where it starts and ends in Santiago de Compostela, period. It does not matter that the pilgrims in olden days had to walk back home, we are not in the olden days now, so we pay to be “translated”. Which is also fine, I mean, who has the time, jeez. We have tried to see if they supported the “reverse camino”, when you walk back to the starting point, but no. Maybe one needs to know the knights Templar’s secret handshake or something. As things officially are, you’re not even getting a place in an albergue if you’re walking back, only in private ones.
So, we’ve now started gradually removing ourselves from the land of the scallop shell back to the ordinary world, after spending a couple of leisure days in SdC. Tried to buy a bit less crap this time, still spent some time shopping for what we miss at home – membrillo, mi amor. Shopping takes not only money out of accounts, but also the will to live out of account holders, so really only a bare minimum, in order to stay civil to the people who helped us go on this trip.
Finally we visited the San Martino Peñario monastery – the huge magnificent complex north-east of the Cathedral. It is rumoured to be the actual resting place of Santiago’s remains, with the cathedral’s crypt being a decoy. But we shall not repeat rumours, eh? The church is not in use as church any more, but it is magnificent.
We have never been to Santiago when it isn’t the day of the Apostle, so now I very firmly believe it is all charangas and Galician pipe bands all day long, all year round. The city of nonstop party for a fisherman from Judea. Together with friends we spend the evening listening to the Galician philharmonic out in Quintana and then walking, talking, dancing to some more music and eventually saying the last goodbyes.
Back home to plan the next Camino, then.