Left Marilyn in Chicago!

American Airlines only needed one volunteer tonight so Marilyn stayed in Chicago.  If needed, she will go for a 2nd bump on the 9:25 pm flight.  Go Marilyn.  I sat next to the guy that got Mare's seat - he was happy to get to Milwaukee on time.

I took the scheduled flight to Milwaukee and caught the bus home, couldn't bring myself to pay $24 for a taxi.  I waited 10 minutes for the bus.  Then got on the Green Line and transferred to the #15, walked 3 blocks and was home in 20 minutes for a $1.75

Madrid to Chicago

Janet, Marilyn and I arrived in Madrid between 10:20  -10.30.  Took awhile to get off the plane.

Left Janet to fend for herself (sorry) - she had 2 hours to find her gate.  Mare and I zoomed.  The first signs we saw said 25 minutes to U gates - that would be us at U64, the farthest.

We raced walked to our departure gate via train, elevators, escalators, moving sidewalks; got to our gate to hear the "last call to board".  The plane left the gate at 11:50.

No time to spend our remaining euros - we ran through the duty free shop to get to our gate.  It's a sign - we have to come back to spend the euros.

The plane - 1st lunch

Ensalada mixta - mixed greens, carrots, tuna, cucumber - very nice presentation

Meatballs and potatoes, was Mare's, however, she saw my pasta and switched. 

Pasta - very nice tortellini with vegetables 

Torta del aero plane - cake with cocoa puffs on top, not kidding

Bread, and a bottle of red for me and a bottle of white wine for Mare.

Buenos!

Now only 6 more hours till Chicago.  We wait for elevenzies! That's  Chicago time.

Marilyn just said I need to go back and forth on the camino till I get straighten out - ouch!  Too many other places to go.

Elevenzies - Bocadilla Pan Trenzado de York, yogurt, Kitkat  bar and a muffin.  We both had a bottle of vino blanco with the meal.  

Mare's box lunch and vino blanco

Grocery store sometime tomorrow - lots of organic fruits and veggies going in the cart, no bread. 

Making a batch of steel cut oats with apricots tonight so we can have oats and walnuts for breakfast.

Back on the organic wagon

This was quite the trip. Met some good people, stayed in some good places, and had some good food.  Left out the not so good stuff!

A 51 day adventure.

Santiago to airport

Catching a taxi to the Santiago airport for our 9:15 flight to Madrid.  From Madrid we catch our flights to:  Janet to Amsterdam - Minneapolis - Boise; Marilyn and I to Chicago and Milwaukee. 

Last night's dinner

We had our last menu del dia last night at our hotel - Janet, Marilyn, Sandra and I.

Mushroom soup followed by hake, potatoes and salad. Red and white wine and torta de Santiago  

 

Waiting for our taxi at hotel

Arrived at airport, checked in, Mare and I had 1st breakfast coffee con leche, tea con leche and small cheese bocadillas.  Janet had nada.  Sandra joined us and had a coffee con leche.

Sandra off to Barcelona.  Us to the USA.

As expected, food and cafe was twice the price at airport as in town.

Adios

Santiago

Raining today.  Glad we walked into Santiago yesterday.  Janet purchased a amall umbrella at hotel gift shop for 2 euros.

Our hotel is across the square from the cathedral.  We had breakfast at hotel:

The fruit 

Yogurts and jams

Breads, meats and cheese

Good, but the Parador San Marco de Leon is still the grandest breakfast on the camino.

We went to the cathedral at 10:45 and secured our seats for the noon pilgrims mass.  The cathedral seats 1,000 (more or less), packed by 11:10. 

The swinging of the Botafumeiro at Mass

Santiago Cathedral 

The Mare on the square

Shell in center of the square in front of cathedral  

Cathedral 

Cathedral 

Dinner at a local bar/cafe - excellent salads.

Tomorrow touring Santiago, packing and getting ready to fly out on Thursday.

Pedrouzo to Santiago de Compostela

We walked 12 miles into Santiago today. The weather was in our favor - the rain held off.  Mare and I wore our rain pants just in case. 

Sandra caught up with us a couple of miles along and walked with us into Santiago.

Janet and Mare

Fog

Mare and Janet

The Mare

Janet, Sue and Marilyn

Mare got another stamp for her credencial 

The Mare

Sandra - our Canadian companion

Janet and Mare

Janet - one of the hills coming into Santiago

Mare and Janet

Janet and Sandra

We stopped for the Pilgrim's Cake along the way - very good

We are oh so close

Janet is in full agreement

Janet entered old part of Santiago 

Sandra, Mare, and Janet

Sue arrives at the Santiago cathedral

Janet - I just walked the Camino de Santiago from Sarria to Santiago

Santiago Cathedral 

500 miles - waiting in line to get her compestela - it hasn't sunk in yet.

The Mare at counter getting her Compostela  - 500 miles

Janet getting her Compostela 

Our hotel for the next 3 nights - San Martin Pinario

Sue outside our hotel - liking this place

Dinner

1st course - green beans and bacon

2nd course - pork loin, red pepper and boiled potatoes.

No picture. Ate it before I took a picture.  It was good. Real good.

Vino tinto 

Cheers - we just walked 500 miles

Dessert - almost forgot to get a picture, a very tasty bread pudding.

Left Janet and Mare to pay the bill! 

Sleeping in tomorrow.  Breakfast buffet is included, pictures tomorrow. I don't know if the breakfast will equal the breakfast at the parador in Leon.