The rest of the morning was spent on a guided tour of the cathedral city busier than usual on a Sunday in Jubilee year but with the added bonus of the botafumeiro. This huge incense burner is swung the entire length of the nave over the heads of the worshippers at Mass, and was originally designed to improve the atmosphere in a church packed with weary and wafty pilgrims. It takes four officials pulling on ropes to operate the botafumeiro -- truly an amazing sight! Although the inside of the church was very crowded, there were plenty of opportunities to walk in the narrow streets or sit and admire the architecture in the many delightful squares of the city.
A highlight of the day was a lunch in one of Europe's most beautiful hotels, situated immediately next to the cathedral, the Hostal de los Reyes Cat¢licos (see the photo). The lunch started with aperitifs and traditional music in the 15th Century hospice. It was a measure of the success of this lunch that we were still sipping coffee at four in the afternoon.
An afternoon drive took us on to Cambados, a small town with an exquisite collection of medieval buildings where we could take a late afternoon walk. The day ended delightfully, in pertfect sunshine, with tapas and local white wine at a typical Galician chateau, with William Lopez-Forment leading a nature walk through the vineyards. We reboarded the ship in Villagarcia, in time for a late evening buffet. A few hardy travelers explored the town before we sailed at midnight.
