Day 40 - Negreira on the way to Finisterre

Here I am in a small bar down the road from where I am staying.  Richard is hopefully installed in a little hotel in Finisterre looking out at the ocean in the sun.  In order to rest his toe which is healing very slowly, he opted to take the bus to Finisterre (2.5 hours) and wait until I arrive on Friday.
We spent two incredibly wet nights in Santiago.  I have never seen rain so heavy and prolonged - soaked to the skin in 2 minutes, no matter how well you are protected.  But fortunately yesterday we had mixed weather and were able to see the sights between showers.  We collected our Compostelles at the Pilgrim´s office and were greeted there by a very pleasant woman who managed to make our welcome very warm and personal.  We learned that over 200 pilgrims over 80 years of age have registered there this year and she personally greeted the 91 year-old who finished recently.  We attended the pilgrims´ mass at noon and it was packed.  For me it was quite moving--the sun came out and the light poured in towards the end of the service.  The nun who did much of the singing had an amazingly pure voice.  And then there was the botofumaria, the huge gold incense container attached to large ropes which is swung back and forth by two teams of monks.  Most jaws, including mine, dropped. 
Somehow, between lunch and writing postcards, the afternoon vanished.  Then it was time to attend our second religious service of the day, this time in the church of the Benedictinas? - a small church behind the cathedral.  Our friend Denis ( M Amigo) was at the service, as was Amigo his dog.  He barked a couple of times!  Maybe because he smelled Richard who had givien him a package of bones earlier in the afternoon.
We exited the church and were promptly drenched.  The a late dinner and to bed to the sound of rain, rain, rain.  My idea to walk to Finisterre seemed crazy, and in fact a number of people we talked to had opted out.
Th rain stopped arounc 6am and by 8:30 just as it was getting lignt, I was on my way.  The weather was mixed, with some sun to dry out between showers.  I encountered only 3 pilgrims and one heron today, as well as numberous cats and dogs.  It was a short day, only 22 k but the next 2 days are long and difficult.