21/08/11
An easy morning souvenir shopping followed by the big pilgrimage hike to Cuartro Ventis, madness, mayhem, poor organisation, rain, police blocks, an itchy pussy leg and finally the Papal mass.
Wanted to see some site seeing this morning before heading out for the sleep out so we Teresa and I aimed for the palace and cathedral. On the way their we got caught inbetween a huge police escort of at least 60 police officers – we should have worked out something big was going on. When we got the palace it was closed and at the cathedral there were thousands of people outside and on the opposite hill as Pope Benny was celebrating mass there. On the way back we stopped for some souvenir shopping – I bought some posties, a Enjoy Madrid shirt like coca cola, an apron and bandana maybe, some maracas, a Madrid bag and magnets of course.
We set off for the pilgrim hike of 8-12 km just after 2. I was debating training it as my ankle is tender but I really wanted to do the hike so I strapped up my ankle. It was hot, some bus stop thermometres flashed 43 degrees – yikes. We cooled down in some garden sprinklers and some Madrid locals had their hoses out in high rises to cool us down too. Had a great chat with Archie along the way – not many 75 year old Archbishops made the trek with their flock. The Irish were most impressed with his efforts. John and I made up a limerick for the Irish form Limerick after they sang us the theme songs from Neighbours and home and Away and Waltling Matilda.
There was an Irish group in Spain,
who thought the long trek was a pain.
The sat under a tree
And met some Aussies
And decided to catch the train.
We were near the head of the Qld contingent and out fatal mistake was trying to go in the back way through gate 3 instead of 1 or 2,, I should have gone with my instinct. We entered the back section and followed the signs to gate 3 but were being held back by police on horseback. No one knew anything or could tell us anything but apparently it was already full even though we had assigned areas! After hours of wandering round aimlessly we ran into some Brisbane crew and then some of our Holy Land crew and settled down with them in the boom docks at the back.
Next set back – the lightning and rain came down – twice but not too heavily like Easterfest. Thousands started leaving and many seemed to get into gate three so around midnight we packed up and headed back up the hill to just be cut off again by police in vans this time. This was enough for some – they headed home to a warm bed and air conditioned comfort. 10 of us decided to stick it out and we regained a better position near a screen. We did some international souvenir trading and I finally got a Spanish flag. The ground was hard, we were in the back, very disappointed with Spanish organisation skills and ha to remind ourselves many a time; ‘we are pilgrims not tourists.’
The screens came on at 5am – sheesh and announcement started a
The screens came on at 5am – sheesh and announcement started at 7am even though the sun was yet to rise. Bertie complained of an itch – he found he had slept on 2 bull ant nests and suddenly I felt itchy on my leg. I checked my leg and was horrified. Where my strapping tape was it ws leaking with fluid, my whole bottom leg had huge rash welts all over it and it was painful. I used a baby wipe to clean it and put some paw paw cream on it. Doc Bertie and Nurse Teresa came with me to find the first aid tent. First 2 areas a bust until they told us to go to the chapel and finally some help. It stung lots when the nurse cleaned it, they asked me if I had had such a reaction before and gave my a huge antibiotic injection in my thigh! By the time we were done it was time for the culminating mass. Couldn’t understand much in Italian but we had most of the English translation before the announcement of Rio De Janero for the next World Youth Day in 2013. The last battle – attempting to get back home- a huge line up but not to pushy or stuffy only took about 3 hours to get back! Hmm character building and memory making I say.
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