If you ask a Spaniard about Santiago de Compostela, he will surely tell you about the Camino de Santiago (the religious pilgrimage) and the Catedral de Santiago. Today, with a comprehensive visit to this magnificent site,  we got to see first hand what all the fuss is about .

For a region of Spain that is well knows for its rain, we were all surprised yesterday when it was sunny and about 65 degrees. This morning, we all showed up at the school toting our umbrellas and donned in raincoats. With drizzle lightly covering our heads, we navigated the narrow streets of the old section of the city and found our way to the Cathedral.

The building itself is impressive, dating back to the 12th century. It is the destination for pilgrims who come from around the world to visit the remains of Jesus’ apostle, St. James the Great, which are located in crypt below the main alter. With small capillas (chapels) along the walls of the cathedral, there is always something capturing your attention and provoking thought and intrigue.

After a guided tour around the cathedral by Xoan, one of the teachers from our intercambio school, and visiting the crypt of the cathedral, we climbed the medieval stairs of what was once the living quarters of the archbishop of the area to the roof of the cathedral. If you weren’t winded from the climb up the steep steps, the view that awaited you upon arriving at the roof was truly breathtaking. With close up views of bell towers, local convents and symbols that represent the city, the rooftop tour is truly a wonderful (and recently new) addition to visiting the inside of the cathedral.

After the cathedral visit, we had a little time to wander around the streets of the old quarter, have a coffee or do some shopping before heading to the Pobo Galego museum. This museum is dedicated to Galician heritage, history, culture and language (Gallego – somewhat of a mixture of Spanish and Portuguese).  From the museum we came back to the school, had some down time, and then headed home to spend the afternoon and evening with our host families.

It was another full day of being absorbed in the language, culture, food and atmosphere of Spain and Galicia. Tomorrow’s adventures will take us to Baiona, Santa Tecla and Valenca, Portugal.  So pack up the picnic lunch, and let’s hit the road!

But first, below are some pictures of today’s activities. There are a few videos too, but unfortunately they cannot be posted on the blog website. To check out the videos, click on the following YouTube links:

Enjoy!

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