Finisterre

Wow!  To wake up in the same bed a second day is such luxury!  We had a slow start this morning and started the day by going to the local market.  Like Chestnut Hill and Flourtown, the market is humming on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.  We shopped for picnic supplies (fruit, nuts, cheese, cookies) for the bus ride to Finisterre.

                    

                    

                        Fish monger

    Ham is a Spanish speciality

It was pouring rain off and on in Santiago today.  I started my day in flip flops and a skirt.  After the market, I returned to the hotel to reassess my wardrobe for the trip to Finisterre.  I augmented it with long pants, rain pants, socks and boots!  I only wanted to be dry and warm.

As we left Santiago, I was again struck with the number of beggars in this city.  It may have to do with the number of pilgrims, but I haven't seen so much outright begging since I was in India.  Most doors to the Cathedral have someone sitting by them, men and women roam the streets with small cups approaching pilgrims and tourists, others sit quietly beside their cup.  Yesterday, I saw a young woman standing on her knees with her body upright and her head and eyes lowered towards her empty cup.  I was very touched by her quiet dignity and was moved to put some coins in her cup. I can't imagine how this must be for her or the others on the street.

Santiago is also filled with a lot of music - street muscians on most corners and under the porticos along the street.  We've seen guitarists, accordian players, bagpipers, and my favorite, a sitar player.  Most of these muscians have amplifiers and play very well.  It is nice to walk around with beautiful music wafting through the streets.

                    

 

                   

Finisterre is the Western most point in mainland Europe and in Medieval times, the great Atlantic Ocean was unexplored and scary - no one knew what lay beyond - whatever it was gobbled up the sun each day.  Finisterre is about another 3 - 4 days walk West of Santiago and many Pilgrims make this last leg a part of their Camino.  Unfortunately, we don't have time to do that, so we took a 3 hour bus ride today.  Much of the ride was along a winding road through small communities along the coast.  The Atlantic Ocean was very dramatic under the heavy skies.

By the time we got here, the rain had cleared and we set about exploring and doing a ritual release of something from our Camino.  I chose my white sun shirt that protected me across the Meseta and my sock liners that protected my feet so well.  Both of these things started out very white and had degenerated to a sad grey,  I burned them on the rocks by the sea.

                        

                        

The synthetic material basically melted.  Fortunately, it cooled quickly and I could peel it off the rocks and dispose of it properly.

                       

    

We then found our way to the lighthouse, or faro, that is on the point.  We heard there was also a small hotel and planned to have dinner there and watch the sunset.  The day completely cleared and we had a spectacular sunset!

                       

                           Camino Zero km marker

    The end of the world just beyond us!

    The end of the world.

    Bronze boot at Finisterre

    Beautiful walk around the point,

    Sunset and figs.

    The end of a beautiful day.

My angel card was 'healing' and of course I think of Hildy.  She is making steady progress a step at a time.  She now has a speech therapist who is fitting something in her trach to help her speak.  She is beginning to make sounds.  It is a slow process and we're cheering each small step. I can't wait to see her on Monday.

In Mass yesterday, I got a very strong healing image about my heart opening and all the rocks of resentment other unproductive feelings falling out.  I only wish this could happen and know that by holding that image and focusing on the abundance and gratitude in my life, I will have fewer and fewer rocks in my heart.

It was a spectacularly beautiful day.