Spain Diaries: Santiago de Compostela

I landed in Santiago around 9h30 it’s a small airport and all you have to do to get to city centre is to walk out the front doors and hop on the bus. I failed to do through research and it dawned on me while I was on the bus that I had no clue where to get off. So I just staid on till the last stop. It drops you off in the middle of the city. When I had seen pictures of the cathedral it totally didn’t look like it was in a city. I started thinking that maybe I’d taken the wrong bus and so on. You know the drill when you’re somewhere you don’t know and your mind starts running though a thousand and one highly unlikely but very real sounding reasons on why you’re in this spot of trouble.


So there I was on a city street. I looked left then right. I was hoping to see the spires of the cathedral but no luck of course. I saw a few people from the airport hike off in one direction and I followed. They looked touristy. I stopped paying attention to them for like two second as I checked the street and lost them. So there I was on a street corner running through things to do. I could as someone for directions. Ana had gone through some basic Spanish with me. I might be able to understand someone. First I thought I’d try having a wander about.


Turns out that was the best idea I’d had all day. I ended up spotting the tipy top of a spire and be lined for it. Once I got in the old town area it was easy to navigate to the cathedral. I ended up at the back so I walked down a few allies and got myself to the front and man what a view that is.

There’s so much to just absorb and. Plus there’s a lot of history here too. I’m a fan of lists so here’s a list (thanks to wikipedia) of facts.


-In 813, according to medieval legend, the light of a bright star guided a shepherd who was watching his flock at night to the burial site in Santiago de Compostela. The shepherd quickly reported his discovery to the bishop of Iria, Bishop Teodomiro. The bishop declared that the remains were those of the apostle James and immediately notified King Alfonso II in Oviedo. To honor St. James, the cathedral was built on the spot where his remains were said to have been found. The legend, which included numerous miraculous events, enabled the Catholic faithful to not only maintain their stronghold in northern Spain during the Christian crusades against the Moors, but also led to the growth and development of the city..
-the cathedral is the end point of the 9th century medieval pilgrimage route, the Way of St. James.
-The Obradoiro façade of the cathedral, the best known, is depicted on the Spanish euro coins of 1 cent, 2 cents, and 5 cents
-The cathedral was consecrated in 1128
-Construction of the present cathedral began in 1075 under the reign of Alfonso VI of Castile
-The crypt houses the relics of Saint James and two of his disciples : Saint Theodorus and Saint Athanasius
-The Santiago de Compostela Botafumeiro is the largest censer in the world, weighing 80 kg and measuring 1.60 m in height (it’s the incense swinger)
-One explanation of why it is so big, originated more than 700 years ago—although incense has been used in Catholic ritual from the earliest times—is that it assisted in masking the stench emanating from hundreds of unwashed pilgrims


To be honest other then the cathedral and walking the old town there really wasn’t a whole lot to see. I saw all of it the first day and still checked in 2 hours early to my hostel. My hostel was pretty cool. Check out my view from my window.

Epic right? Granted it was a hike to get back to the cathedral. And by hike I mean the cathedral is on a hill and you’ve got to go up that hill. But it was super close to the old town so it was nice. And it was here that I met the first American since I got to Europe in September. He’s from New York. Weird right? We’re like neighbors at home and we meet in Spain. Any way we sort of became friends and chatted a bit. He was nice and it’s funny because I didn’t learn his name till the last night I was there and it was when he introduced himself to another dude we were chilling in the kitchen with. This guy was funny he’s an Australian doctor and he had some crazy ass stories. Like he was working at a refugee camp in Africa and wanted to go to the Congo for a little day trip ended up getting stuck there and had to bargain their way home.


But I think the thing that chocked me the most was when the Australian guy said he’d love to be in my shoes. He’s 29 and just traveling now taking a year off of work. And he said he’d like to be me have no commitments and be able to see what I want when I want. My New York buddy agreed. He’s also 29 and a teacher. It was odd to have people admit that they’d like to be like me. It was also a good confidence booster since I’ve still been down about not being in school and all.


Even though the sights weren’t that many I had a lot of fun in Santiago just because I got to meet some new people. I was proud of myself for branching out a bit. And it’s always weird when you form a little bond people and chill out and get to know each other and then the next day you all hop on different planes and you’re out of each others lives never to see each other again. It’s weird and profound at the same time.


I’ll leave you with some pictures I took while in Santiago de Compostela.

Cheers,