amancio
Veteran Member
- Time of past OR future Camino
- Frances, Norte, Primit, Salvador, Portug, Arag, Ingles, VdlP, Leban-Vadin, Fisterra, Invierno, LePuy
I just came back from walking the Inglés, and it ended with a very sour aftertaste. My wife was not in great walking condition, and we only managed to make it to the pilgim's mass at 12:20 (we left Sigueiro at 7 and had to walk slowly because of her feet problems). We arrived in the cathedral and tried to go in for mass. there was a massive queue of tourists in Plaza de la Inmaculada, and as we tried to enter the temple, the security guard would not allow us to go in as pilgrims, and suggested we joined the queue as tourists. This is the first time I have been refused entry to the cathedral as church, every other time, if there were queues, pilgrims were allowed directly upon their arrival on foot, but he would not let us in, so we decided not to go in alltogether. Very disappointing, particulary because my wife had never seen the botafumeiro fly, and she missed it this time again.
All in all, Santiago is a nightmare with so many tourists, the queues in the Oficina del peregrino were quite discouraging too, so I eventually chose not to pick my Compostela, I really was not in the mood to do anything after being refused entrance to the Cathedral.
I understand there are massive crowds in Santiago these days, but security employees should also understand how a pilgrim feels upon arriving at the cathedral. A pity.
All in all, Santiago is a nightmare with so many tourists, the queues in the Oficina del peregrino were quite discouraging too, so I eventually chose not to pick my Compostela, I really was not in the mood to do anything after being refused entrance to the Cathedral.
I understand there are massive crowds in Santiago these days, but security employees should also understand how a pilgrim feels upon arriving at the cathedral. A pity.