We all seemed very tired and our time together has come to an end. Tomorrow we all leave in different directions. Irene and Bill will head to Seville, Spain and Anne and I fly to Dubai to meet our group for the tour of Jordan and Israel.
Irene and Bill as well as Anne have struggled with their suitcases and have decided to post some excess bagage back to Australia. I didn’t have quite the same issue but I am happy to send some items too.
There is a strike in France and apparently it has thrown the airlines out and Irene and Bill are not sure when there flight is now, 9 or 11 am. Erring on the side of caution they opted to be at the airport for the early flight, so leave at 7 am. We don’t leave till 5.40 so have a day yet to spend here.
The trip to the post office to buy a box was like a comedy show. The weather was intermittently heavy showers and sunshine. Every time we went out it rained, when we came in it was sunny. We assessed the box and took the biggest and as we left a heavy downpour started. Irene was determined to protect her box so took off her raincoat and wrapped the box up, then wrapped her scarf around her head and shoulders. Anne said she looked like one of the Virgin Mary’s in the church. I raced ahead to get the door open.
Bill had gone off looking for a place to charge his phone. It is always a bit fraught because he has a Portuguese sim. The three of us had a practice pack to check we could fit all of the ‘stuff’ in the box. Once that was achieved we realised it would be too heavy to carry! In the end we unpacked a suitcase and stuffed the excess into that and a backpack and returned to the post office to pack it there. This time we took umbrellas.
Spanish post near the pilgrims office were amazingly helpful and with the box packed and weighed, paperwork completed, postage paid we were free! That required an appropriate celebration and we finally went to the Parador for a celebratory drink. We felt like frauds when we turned up with an empty suitcase and the doorman rushed out to assist. When we explained he laughed and happily placed the suitcase in luggage storage while we had a drink. 
Afterwards Irene returned the case to the apartment, Bill went in search of money and a place to recharge the phone, while Anne and I checked our some museum shops. We regrouped again and set off in search of a lovely hotel we had seen earlier. I found a place selling Herbas Liquor on the way which I bought to take home. I remembered it from previous trips and rather liked it. I have had some again both as a liquor and over ice. It has a slightly herby flavour. We ended up in a restaurant that offered vegan food instead of the hotel. However what the restaurant was really offering was the ability to choose vegan or lactos free items. Most places in Spain just don’t get vegetarianism. They seem to think it is vegetables and meat or eggs! This place at least knew the difference even if it wasn’t a strictly vegetarian restaurant.
On the way back we came across the source of noise that has been bothering Irene and Bill through their windows at night. Behind the apartment is an information office and a car park. At night its foyer provides shelter to a group of homeless people. They tend to talk loudly and it echos in the space. At least they are dry but it must be very cold.
fleetfootkath 