End of first day

After no rest, we headed off into town for the Our Lady of Penafrancia festivities. The image of Our Lady is transported from the Cathedral to the special Basilica dedicated in her honour. The last 2 kms she is transported on a barge towed by hundreds of canoes.

We had to wait in the late, hot afternoon sun for this moment. The wait was a difficult one given our exhaustion. And, every five minutes, another group arrived to take up a viewing position, usually where we were standing.

The heat and the wait were well worth it. It was spectacular.

We immediately set out for the Basilica for Mass. What a crowd. We were pressed from every side. The closer we got, the less personal space we had. It was with a very big sigh of relief that we arrived in the grounds of the Basilica and found some open space.

The group lasted about half of the Mass before the day got the better of them. I insisted that the brothers take them home. Tony and I waited until the final blessing before we departed.

We were met with another delightful meal at the end of a really good day.