Being a Homesteader, I am a big believer in sawing seeds. naturally.
even when I travel, I always saw seeds.
this time, I took my son to Santiago de Compostela, where the way of Saint James (Camino de Santiago), a world famous pilgrimage route ends.
where are the seeds ? you might ask.
well, my son is 9 years old now, a bit too young to believe he is capable of hiking 30 Kms. stages everyday for several days or weeks.
but he already considers the possibility of doing it in the future.
he now saw the emotions of pilgrims arriving at the Santiago cathedral after their long journeys.
he witnessed first hand the smiles, the hugs, the tears, cries of joy, the expected photo sessions.
a word about the choice of the community where this post is published:
choosing to publish in the Homesteading community is not by chance. even when I travel, I am still a homesteader.
preparing to leave involves finding people to water the nursery and feeding the animals. making sure the water deposit is well topped up, over watering the trees for the last few days before leaving and than taking over again once I am back. topping up the water deposit, inspecting every tree, checking on the animals, arriving home.
besides, this community is where I most feel "at home". maybe it is what I identify with the most.
so our adventure started with a long drive into Spain to meet my son.
leave the car behind and hop on a train that will take us up toward Galicia at the North-Western corner of Spain, traveling at up to 306 Kms/h 🚀 (and living to tell the tale 😁).
we´ve arrived late that day and rushed to check-in before it would be too late. then out for a quick night stroll to get a feel of this beautiful city.
Santiago is not only beautiful at night, it is also a very safe place to walk around and get lost in it´s never ending Labyrinth of granite alleys. weather was just perfect for a night time exploration.
early the next day, well rested and hungry for food and exploration, we first headed to the nearby market for a breakfast on tall stools. Orange juice, toasts, a coffee to kick me started.
the rest of the day was getting lost with no real purpose. taking intuitive turns at every corner.
this city is stunningly beautiful everywhere you go, only that most tourists prefer some parts over others.
we flow down through the stone arch where there is always someone playing a bagpipe. they seem to take turns playing in there and every time we pass, there is a different person.
down the stone stairs and we are at the foot of the cathedral.
this is where hundreds of tourists are flowing to, every single day.
after soaking in the emotions (I always get very emotional here !), I take my son to the office where pilgrims receive their Compostela (a diploma like document confirming they have completed a whole pilgrimage or at list part of it.)
pilgrims carry a "passport" that is being stamped in by different entities along their way. this passport than serve as proof they have physically walked their way into Santiago.
at the office, on a screen, they where serving pilgrim no. 1337 for the day (!).
we eat as we go through town. an empanada here, a slice of pizza there, a beer with some tapas, a coffee with a slice of tarta de Santiago (a typical almond cake).
in the afternoon, our intuition takes us to Belvis. it is a huge wooded park with a convent on its top part. it is situated just near the city and the view of the city from there is awesome. massive oak trees shade over green meadow like grounds and we take a shot at the 3 living labyrinths.
I get lost while my son cheats and squeezes through the bushes... 😂
we have a quiet dinner of fried potatoes with Aioli sauce. Spanish football on massive screens keeps us distracted. a typical Spanish bar scene.
next morning it is raining. default weather for Santiago. no one seems to be too bothered. pilgrims put on their rain ponchos and march on on their ways.
we breakfast in a bar which has a purposeful touch of neglect to it in a very old building that reminds me of many bars in Buenos Aires. only that there, they are totally authentic.
it is raining most day and we stay indoors a part of it.
in the afternoon, we explore some more, enjoying a window in the weather.
we buy some gifts and some souvenirs.
while my son chooses a 1000 pieces puzzle for himself, I choose a coffee mug for myself, thinking I will get a reminder of this trip every morning from now on.
grandpa gets a magnet tile, mom gets some scallop shell shaped chocolates. everyone is being taken into account.
for our last dinner we choose a nearby restaurant and eat a massive salad and a hamburger that we share. my son sticks a coin into the cracked stone wall where many others already turn green from time and humidity.
back at the accommodation, bags are packed, an alarm is set, lights out. early start tomorrow on the first train back to reality.
a little seed lies dormant in the soil waiting its time to germinate.
thank you for reading
if you enjoyed this post please upvote and/or rehive
love and light
#OCD
#GEM
#EcoTrain
#HiveGarden
#Worldmappin
#HomeEdders
#ProofOfBrain
#AbundanceTribe
#SeedsCommunity
#KidzCommunity
#UnityTowardFreedom