[Gocamino] Santiago

[Rosina]

Hello you all,
The Xacobeo Security 2010 commission informed that for the upcoming Holy Week the number of security and assistance agents in the Camino (including the Guardia Civil, the National Police and other agencies will triple in number and avenues of assistance).
In Santiago itself the security and assistance personnel in and around the Cathedral has been augmented already and Xose Sanches Bugallo, the city's mayor, informed that all types of delinquency have decreased noticeably during the last two and a half months as a consequence, he opines, of the increased security measures. 
The commission stated that backpacks will not be allowed to be brought into the Cathedral from April 1st. on, and that the number of people in the Cathedral at any one time will be limited to its estimated maximum capacity of 1,200.  The security agencies privately engaged by the Cathedral's Cabildo, with the support of the National Police will secure compliance.  "Security arches" (metal detectors?) will be employed to limit access to the Cathedral.
Pilgrims will need to leave their backpacks in the Casa del Cabildo, with facilities therefor to be made available also at the John XXIII and San Martin Penario buildings. There will be a fee for storing the backpacks but, it was assured, the fee will be "very small".

It would appear that the security measures will be augmented when the Pope visits Santiago in November, more so because King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia will go to Santiago to welcome him.
Both monarchs were in Santiago during the opening of the Holy Year in 2004, and I, for one, was rather surprised at the little security that accompanied them. The king in particular seemed most amiable and esteemed; the crowds were affectionate and respectful..
At the closing of the door Prince Felipe and Princess Leticia attracted a tremendous amount of enthusiasm. They were treated as what we would call "rock stars". The prince seems as friendly and pleasant as his father and while the princess appears to be somewhat shy it was obvious that the crowds were crazy about her. As a Santiagan told me, she will be the first Queen of Spain actually born in Spain in hundreds of years. (The present Queen was born in Greece). Princess Leticia was a popular and well-liked TV newswoman before she married the prince, and her popularity has grown exponentially as she has borne two daughters, accompanies her husband everywhere (including the European football Cup games in Vienna), and undertakes a lot of social and charity projects. She is quite beautiful and poised and in a recent poll she was chosen as the most beautiful and elegant woman in Spain.

All this portends an unbelievable number of people converging on Santiago in November.   The good news is that because of the Pope's visit the  powers that be are working 24/7 to finish the work on the Portico de Gloria so that it will be uncovered when His Holiness visits the Cathedral.

Hugs!

Rosina.