Bonus Day in Santiago

I was able to attend the pilgrim mass at the Cathedral of Santiago this morning. The picture does not capture the over-the-top decor of the cathedral.

As part of the pilgrim mass, a huge censer (pictured above) swings high in the air, spreading incense smoke up and down the aisle of the cathedral. The censer is operated by a pulley system pulled by eight men. I’m not sure if the censer we saw was the famous botafumeiro or the smaller “artichoke” censer, but it was quite a spectacle.

After mass, I saw the tomb of Saint James.

Then, to fortify ourselves before going out into the pouring rain, we treated ourselves to chocolate and churros.

Spent the rest of the day connecting with Camino friends and clothes shopping (because one can only wear the same two outfits for so many weeks).

Dinner with Anne Marie, whom I haven’t seen since Burgos on day 12. Off to Madrid tomorrow!