Boo hoo we are leaving Santiago de Compostelo and heading to Madrid. Yesterday was so special.
Let's begin - we have wooden shutters on our windows blocking out any trace of daylight in our bedroom - it was dark and i just happened to glance at the time..... 9.15am temperature 29 degrees and once shutters thrown open dazzling sunshine. Oops... Hastily got dressed and just made breakfast. Our plan - find a laundry, which we did amongst many hand signals and charades (which we are getting good at). Left our washing under the watchful eye of Mr Laundry he had just started up in business 3 mths ago and it is the only one he claims in Santiago - population 95,000. Cost €6 + €3 to dry it. That out of the way - we went shopping and shopping. Had a siesta and you guessed it ... Ha ha. Mr Laundry guided us to an excellent cafe/restaurant where we had " Dinner" at lunchtime - spaghetti bolognaise - yum and the obligatory hard rock bread and conleche.
We walked one last time through old Santiago, enjoyed a 3 scoop gelato with waffle cone for dinner still full after " lunch" and sat ourselves down in the plaza where a muzo was playing on the keyboard and singing. Soon after another muzo joined him, then another and another. Guitar, bongo drums and a partial drum kit ... We were spellbound and so were the locals and tourists ... In fact people started dancing in front of the musicians and others joined them and then singing. It didnt matter who u were. There were pilgrims fully laden with backpack sore feet and poles dancing. If we could remember our samba we would have been up also. Requests for songs. Mainly reggae and salsa music. The impromptu street party.
What an exit we had a farewell spanish style. We were captivated and rivotted to our seat. Hard to leave and go back to our hotel.
We prised ourselves away and then put our heads together to put two bags into one of no more than 20 kg and figure out our carryon luggage.
We did it