A compounding pharmacy that has been in the same beautiful building for over 100 years. In 1912 they were renown for their very effective laxative made on the premises.

We had tickets for an English guided tour of the cathedral museum but it was another public holiday which upsets the bus timetable. So we left camp early not knowing if we would be public transport lucky or a walk was in order. Turned out we were lucky and in town in 30 minutes with plenty of time on our hands and nothing much open. The Spanish seem to take their public holidays as seriously as their siestas.

Ricardo Carballo Calero, the first professor of the Galician Language and Literature.

Yesterday we lined up to enter the cathedral and inside in about 10 minutes. Today is Assumption Day and a special mass where they swing the big incense burning gadget (my catholic roots are showing). The line extended at least 200 m down the street.

Serious chains.

We were allowed to explore the museum before the tour and I managed a few photos before I learned I wasn’t supposed to.

The church is all about Saint James who was the apostle assigned Spain to missionary to, was beheaded in Jerusalem and his body transported back here to be discovered by a shepherd about 800 years later., so the story goes. So the museum is very St James oriented and his likeness is generously displayed in all manner of forms, much of it headless.

They really know how to make a man suffer.

Stacks of headless statues.

A rather beautiful carved story board.

We were treated to a serious bell ringing while just below the bell tower. It was seriously loud and impressive. Apparently on normal days it is mechanically produced. However on special days like today, there are real bell ringers up there. We were in a courtyard with bird netting so the photo is a little strange.

Retired bells.

Back inside the cathedral again and showing the original Romanesque practical columns that were built first with the gilded Baroque glitz added later to make a big impression.

The impressive St James, central to everything, with his head.

Had lunch both days at Meson42, a fabulous restaurant with great food and atmosphere. Super busy and had to line up for a table but so worth it.

Santiago was hyped up to be the place to visit after Barcelona. However, apart from the cathedral and associated museum, we were left a little underwhelmed. The Old Town is looking a bit shabby and uncared for. The gardens are impressive but not a lot more to do and see. Certainly worth the visit and the cathedral but not really worth all the hype.

Tomorrow we start to explore Portugal.

David & Collette