Via de la Plata - leaving home!

Nearly time to go! For once I haven't had to get up early and walk to the bus stop in the dark:) I have a dental appointment in half an hour, so I am going to get the 6pm bus to Ourense, then the train to Santiago. I have the choice between the 19.55 TALGO, which takes 42 minutes and costs €19.70, or the 20.15 Regional, which takes 1 hour and 49 minutes, and costs €8.20! I'm hoping to get there in time for the TALGO, it will give me time to check in at the hotel and then go out for something to eat, and still have an early night. I have to get the 06.30 bus to the airport! Actually I could get the 07.00 but I would like time for breakfast.
My bag is packed but I keep thinking of things I have forgotten so I am going to have to re-pack. It is very difficult knowing what to wear, there are still heavy frosts here at night so I'm not sure about Extremadura. The temperature in Seville is 21 degrees today but Caceres is 18, they say it is going to continue getting warmer again, the 'cold' spell of the last few days was very short and not very cold. I've packed the sun cream this time, though my face is already well tanned and my arms still have some of the tan from October's Potugues.
This time tomorrow I will be in Seville, I'm very excited. As the airport bus stops near the old town I will walk from the Cathedral to Triana, that I way I can start off from Triana on Thursday morning. :)
Wednesday, 7th March
I arrived in Santiago last night, in drizzle, but without problems. It was still damp, and foggy, when I got up this morning. I got up in time and got to the airport. I had a "senior moment" with my liquids, I had put them into a plastic bag but forgot to get the plastic bag out of my back-pack. My back-pack went through the check twice but she let it through. Today the Ryanair staff were checking the size of every single bag, I have never seen them do that before, fortunately mine fit.
When I arrived in Seville I went to the Cathedral to find the beginning of the route, I wanted to walk from the Cathedral to Triana. I walked all round trying to find the first shell or arrow, eventually I asked a security man who pointed me in the right direction, the door I wanted was having works done and the ground is covered so I couldn't see a shell there but I found the second one.

The shells here are 'back to front', i.e. the opposite way round to other caminos, I think that may take a little getting used to.

The route is well signed, even within the city, which is unusual, so hopefully bodes well for elsewhere.

I went to Triana and dropped off my bag but it was too early to register and get my credential, so I went shopping! I needed a stick as there are no woods on the way out of Seville. Someone suggested I buy a broom handle! I found a chinese shop and bought: a broom handle; a pen-knife with cork screw; a mug and an excercise book, it came to the grand total of€3.60!! Then I went to the supermarket to buy some food, my emergency supplies.
Once I got my credential I went back to the old town, first I went to the Alcazar, which I have not visited before, it is beautiful, quite as impressive as the Alhambra. After lunch I went back to the Cathedral to get a stamp on my credential. I also paid €8 to go in, I was not impressed with this but she wouldn't accept that I am retired. I didn't really want to go around the Cathedral again but I felt it was the appropriate start to the camino, if an expensive one. The cathedral is enormous and not at all prayerful but I found the right door, for starting, even though I couldn't go through it, I also saw the grave of Christopher Columbus, which I don't remember seeing before, finally I went up the Giralda Tower, that was really worth while and not too difficult as one goes up a series of slopes, not steps.
It was a lot easier than going up to the Dome of St Pauls Cathedral.
Now I'm exhausted, I've been sitting up on the roof of the hostel, it is so warm even though it is evening. I think I have not drunk enough today, I have bought bottles of water but I am going to go and get some lemonade, I feel the need for something sweet. Tomorrow I start properly.