Being a tourist before the pilgrimage begins

For the past few days we have had a wonderful time visiting Peniscola, Valencia, and Madrid. 
Swimming and wading in the Mediterranean, visiting a medieval castle, seeing a town parade, and walking through the El Retiro park in Madrid we’re some of the highlights. 

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This castle was walking distance from our hotel in Peniscula. The views were breathtaking!

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In Valencia we unintentionally ended up right in the middle of a parade for the celebration of Corpus Christi which, evidently, is the third most important holiday in the town behind Christmas and Easter. 

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Also unintentionally we ended up in the middle of a torrential downpour. 

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Our time in Madrid was short, but we did enjoy a beautiful walk through a large park in the city. Now that Dan and I are healthy again each day we’ve enjoyed delicious meals, daily gelato, and sangria!

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There have also been several comedic events along the way, including a trip to the Madrid Costco to replace a broken suitcase which then barely fit into our crowded rental car. It provided lots of laughs and fun memories. 

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Tonight we’re in Santiago, which seems backward, I know. This is where we end the Camino. Logistically it worked for us to shuttle tomorrow from Santiago to Sarria where we begin our pilgrimage. We are feeling ready for this challenge and are so excited to meet up with our friends Carrie and Jerry tomorrow! 

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