Almost Home

All that is between me and home is some time, a taxi and three plane rides.

I tried following the directions for the walk that enters the town where the five gates to the old city used to be.  The direction said to go left out of the park onto a certain street.  Well, they don't put street signs on the park end of dead end streets and there were several options.  I, of course, chose the wrong one.  I wandered the town some and found my way to the university.   I went back and sat in three of the four squares around the cathedral.

This is my favorite one for just sitting and watching the cathedral:

It is at the eastern end.  There is a massive convent behind you with a bench that runs the entire length.  The roof guide said it had ties to both Celtic and Roman burial grounds.  This was the first day there wasn't annoying jazz being played.

The western side is the one facing the main cathedral entrance.  It is generally crowed with tourists and pilgrim groups.

The south side is the only one that does not have a Baroque facade and the Romanesque structure is still visible.

There are usually street performers here.  I came out the door this afternoon to the sounds of "Minstrel Boy".  They sang and juggled through several songs, then claimed to be a group of American seminary students who had walked the camino without any money.  Funny thing is that their repertoire came straight from the Clancey & Makem albums, right down to breaking up words into slightly different syllables than Americans use.  I would have thrown some change into their hat if they hadn't lied to me.  

There seems to be a schedule for the performers around the church.  I caught a shift change once or twice.  If this group was performing, they were doing it on the schedule location and at the scheduled time.

This was another of my favorite places to sit:

It is outside the Franciscan church.  It is down below street level and has free wifi.

The line at the pilgrim's office has grown everyday that I've been here. Today it was out the door and down the street.  I took me over an hour and I started ten feet inside the door.  Those people in the street are probably waiting three hours or more.

Now I just need to repack the pack, shower and try to get some sleep.  I am ready to be home.