Santiago de Compostela, part II

My fortunate streak continued through the night. I get up after having slept 11 hours to discover that I could not find my key to the apartment. I looked all over the place, and although I was very tired when I dragged myself off the couch the night before, I was convinced that I had left it right on top of the couch. It wasn’t there. I scour the apartment for about 10 minutes, trying not to panic, even so much as to go into my housemate’s room (even though I had not even met him yet!) thinking that even though the proprietor said he was away for the weekend, maybe he was only gone for the night and had accidentally taken my key. A perfunctory and guilty glance on his desk, and I quickly gave up. I look in the uninhabited room 3, and I am really excited to find a SPARE SET OF KEYS!!

I am now wondering when my yin will turn to yang.

I left the housemate a note, asking if he took my keys by accident, and I head back into town.

Santiago de Compostela is GORGEOUS. Charming and beautiful. I went to the center of town, a much quicker trek now that I found the easy way to go. I had my first cafe cortado in a plaza where there was an orchestra playing classical music. I sat for a while, and an old lady dressed fully in white asked to sit with me, so that she could hear the music. I talked to her a bit. She gave me candy. She thought I was a Spaniard. Clearly, she must have been a little crazy.

My Spanish has been serving me well, so far. I mean, I’ve only been getting food, drink, and a pair of pants to wear when it’s cold (nothing I bought goes below mid-thigh.) The problem, if there is any, is that the local dialect, Gallego, is prevalent and looks more like Portuguese than Spanish. I can read it just fine, but I’m not sure if, when I don’t understand what’s going on if it’s because my Spanish sucks or if it’s because they’re speaking Gallego.

Everyone is walking around with walking sticks. It's Xacobeo, the great pilgrimage of 2010. Everyone walks and walks and goes to the immense and breathtaking cathedral. Except me. I walk right past it. One day I'll go in. Maybe.

I’ve already eaten most of the stuff I love when I’m in spain... really good gelato, ORGANIC ALCOHOLIC CIDER (that was amazing), great wine, a huge jamon serrano con queso sandwich on some crusty fresh bread, squid. And, this dessert that they sell here at the friggin supermarket by La Lechera- I discovered it a couple of years ago- it's pudding. I don't know why I like it so much, but I crave it when I get here. Once I eat tetilla cheese (that's right... shaped like a tittie,) I can move on.