Catchup Time

First of all a very big thankyou to all who are still sharing the links to Georgia's Camino and I Am Hope. It's working. I enjoyed a restful day in Santiago visiting the Pilgrims' Museum, which was great... and free! It was well worth the visit as it put pilgrimages into context with pilgrimages worldwide. Lots of explanatory information going back to New Testament times for Christians and Judaism. It also included ancient Asian religious pilgrims. I stayed at the Anglican Pilgrim House, where Jay and I stayed in 2023. Filipe, the receptionist even cooked a delicious pasta dish for lunch. It's really like a home away from home. In the evening everyone gathers for a wine or two. I had time to catch up with Glenise before she left for Ireland. Yesterday I took the high speed train to Madrid. At times the train got up to +300kms an hour. In the first part of the trip we whizzed past a couple of the villages I had walked through. While waiting at the station I thought about the camino and how it brings people from all corners of the world together. And even though you might not have met someone, when you spot a pilgrim there is a quiet understanding of a shared experience, a nod, a little smile that says " yes I did it too." Pilgrims are easy to spot, it's the shoes, the hiking trousers, the determined walk. When I got to Madrid I went for a walk up Gran Via (main street), I didn't last long, there were too many people. Today was different, I got out early to have breakfast then went looking for the Duck Store. It's All Saints Day, so some places are closed but trusty Google Maps got me back to the area we stayed a month ago and to the Duck Store. Next I sussed out the metro system so I know how to get to the airport on Monday, and then went to buy a new T Shirt, but on the way I found a fantastic book shop that has a good selection of English language books. I now have something to read during my 9 hour wait in Dubai. Tomorrow I plan to get out early to take photos of some of the incredible buildings in central Madrid. #Remember #georgiascamino #iamhope #holyblisters.