What does one do when there is nothing to do. Well it turns out a lot.
- I had to help Cynthia find her Compostela. I went to pilgrim house. There were a few in the lost and found but none for Cynthia. I was also informed that they DO NOT re issue Compostelas.
- I went to the Albergue where we stayed for two nights after getting the Compostela. Again there were a few there but none with Cynthia’s name on it. The hospitalera even let me look under the bunks -nothing.
- I then decided to go to the lost and found at the bus station, which is a miserable place to find. It took almost all my phone battery to get there.
- Information asked which bus line and immediately directed me to the longest line in the station. Since I was low on power. I asked if there was a charging station nearby. Clearly she had no idea what I was talking about. I found one by chance and spent an hour beside some strange bench mates. One was an African fellow dressed in pale pink who kindly moved over so I could plug my phone in and use it at the same time. The other fellow faced timed for the full hour I was there. Several others plugged in for a few minutes and then were off. I guess there are faster batteries out there.
- A welcome message from Cynthia said that she had found her Compostela buried somewhere in 3 bags of luggage. Whew. All I needed to do now was to book at a nearby Albergue for the night before my early morning bus ride to Porto on Thursday.
- I decided to celebrate the positive results of the day with a great lunch. Everything is expensive in Santiago except the wine. So I decided to have an overpriced batatas bravas and a plate of padron peppers. They were both delicious. I would have loved to have had the marinated anchovies. Maybe another time. This is where it helps to eat with another person so you can share.
- Even though lunch was expensive for what it was. It was cheaper than the tasting menu at the most expensive parador in Spain – Reis Catolicos – 80 euros with wine. I’ll see how tomorrow goes. I have two more days in Santiago. I never really tire of hanging out in Spain.
- I also walked 15kms in my treks around Santiago and…..and I recognized a MoMA hat owned by the young man from Germany who has the bunk beside me. Most people who visit NY get an NYC hat. Only a Camino person would get a Museum of Modern Art hat. I’m in good company.
- The picture is there because I follow Franklin Habit – a male knitter with a degree in Classics from Harvard who moved from Chicago to Paris. He posted that his phone quit and he felt like someone going into a Citroen dealership with a donkey to see about a trade in. It’s been that kind of day!!
I’ll keep you posted.