Sat with Lex and Judy and also Romana and Lindsay a mother and daughter combo from Canada. Since we have our seat, I wandered around the cathedral taking photos and saw Willie whom I haven't seen since Burgos. It was a happy reunion.
The cathedral was packed and mass went on for an hour starting with them reading out how many pilgrims have arrived that morning from each of the camino.
The highlight of the mass was of course the swinging of the botofumero. Traditionally it's only swung on certain occasion but If you pay €300 they will also take it out and swing it. We were told there will be swinging of the botofumero today as a Korean pilgrim has paid for it be done yesterday and today. We also heard that when big tour groups comes, they will also pay for it to be swung to please the tour people
The botofumero is a giant 56kg incense burner and it takes 6 men to hoist it up and swing it high on the transept of the church. It was also a way to traditionally to cover the smell of smelly pilgrims who comes to attend mass.
After mass we saw Eric and Joyce again and we went and had churros con chocolate together to catch up on news. It was great to finally see them after not seeing them since the meseta in Carrion
I went and bought some nice handmade Galician lace for mum in the afternoon and then caught up with Line who has just arrived in Santiago and also Pepe who drove 60km from his town to come see Line.
Went to the Lebanese restaurant which serves Thai food for the 2nd time but then also went to a proper restaurant after for proper food. On the way back from dinner, Gina suggest we have one last drink and since it was raining, we decide to head to the Parador to have proper port. It was good!!!!
Still resting another day in Santiago tomorrow and then also to wait for the rain to clear
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