Small church and houses in the old quarter of Plentzia.
To reach Santiago de Compostela from Bilbao we chose a three-hour trip by plane rather six hours by train. Unfortunately, Spain's high-speed train (AVE) does not travel this route. Arriving at our Airbnb, we found ourselves directly across the street from the old quarter filled with tourists and pilgrims. The city is primarily known as the destination of those making a long journey on foot - El Camino de Santiago - to the city where legend locates the tomb of St James the Apostle. The modern-day pilgrimage follows a custom common in Europe from the 9th to the 16th century that resumed in the 19th century following Spain's war with England. There are seven established routes followed by pilgrims through France, Spain and Portugal. The most common are the Camino Frances (500 miles) and the Camino Portuges (141 miles). People from all over Europe and the world make this journey, some multiple times. We met several Americans who had made the trip. A northern route traces the coastline past San Sebastian and passes very near our Airbnb. Routes are marked by yellow arrows. The reasons for making this challenging pilgrimage range from religious, through self-searching to curiosity. At the airport in Santiago de Compostela, I met a woman in a wheelchair, accompanied by her husband, who was determined to make the Camino. The Cathedral, where the remains of St James are thought to have been placed, goes back to the 10th century and was completed in 1211. Various additions have been made over the years and major reconstructions were ongoing while we were there.
Plaza do Obradoiro (Galician for Square of the Workshop) in front of the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela is always full of tourists and pilgrims. In this photo one can see a group leader giving instructions, some pilgrims with backpacks and others resting on the flagstone plaza.
