Trip Report: Brief visit to Santiago
 

A Jubilee Year in Santiago de Compostela, Capital of the Autonomous Region of Galicia. My visit was a kind of pilgrimage, but I did not walk the Camino. Although I did not earn la Compostela (walking 200km) I was eligible to earn a Jubilee.

Departed New York (Newark) Tuesday night. Arrived Madrid 10:25 AM (an hour late): had a connecting 11:25 AM flight on Spanair for Santiago (Spanair held the flight for me). Bus to Vilagarcia de Arousa, a coastal beach resort Wednesday to rest up from my JetLag.

Went to Playa de Compostela Thursday for a splash in ria de Arousa - no crowds ...

Friday: Caught a 10:00 AM bus to Santiago, checked into my Hostal and did a walkabout of the Historic area (I had been to Santiago several times before). There was lots of activity: It seemed like every Plaza had a concert scheduled for Friday or Saturday night.

Saturday: up early! Took a stroll to Plaza de Galicia. When I returned to the Hostal for breakfast I met a young German girl who had already walked 800km on her pilgrimage. She was continuing on to FinisTerre (to the ocean).
10:00 AM Mass at the Basilica to complete my Jubilee; spent the rest of the day buying souvenirs and sightseeing. Back to the Basilica for 6:00 PM Pilgrims' Mass (Vigil Mass) and got to see the Botafumeiro (an Incense Censer about 1m tall) swinging over the very large crowd.

Sunday: Taxi to Lavacolla airport at 5:30 AM; 7:00 AM Air Europa flight to Madrid, arriving 8:15 AM, connecting Continental airlines 11:25 AM Madrid-Newark

If you're in Santiago trying to get some sleep on a Saturday night with the windows open, forget it! You can expect it to be quite noisy.

Santiago is very, very crowded this Jubilee year with Pilgrims and Pilgrim wannabees (like me, I guess), so have your Hotel or Hostal booked in advance. This will become more so between now and the Apostle's Feast Day (Jul 25).

Glad you earned your Jubilee!
- Sharon

You won't get any sleep this Saturday, anyway. Sunday is SANTIAGO, Feast Day of Spain's Patron Saint (Apostle James the elder aka St. Jacques). Saturday night at midnight the fireworks display will peak along with the burning of the Fallas. Then it's 'Party Time' the rest of the night.

You will be able to see some of the festivities on TVG (Galicia TV). You may see some on TVE, especially if (as I suspect) just-wed Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia are in attendance.

Sorry, Santiago is July 25th and the fireworks I described are midnight, July 24th.

But each time I describe the Saturday night Juergas to people from Spain the reply is generally "asi es Santiago." There were groups of young people doing their 'thing' at the Plaza de Galicia where my taxi was supposed to pick me up at 05:30.

Next time, maybe I'll take my tambourine and just join the carousing.

We should add the tamborine to the "what to pack" postings!!!! That sounds essential for a visit to Santiago. There's nothing worse that being on the sidelines at a fabulous fiesta! It changes everything when you become a participant. I'll remember this packing necessity. Thanks again for the trip report.

You have helped so many people who are wanting to make this pilgrimage: both through your replies to individual queries and through your trip report.

Thank you!
- Sharon