September 17,2013. Tuesday. Overcast this morning and cool. Breakfast in a very modern dining hall, felt like the high school cafeteria. Then on the bus, feeling pretty good this morning, a little congestion, but a few more of the group have come down with the cold. Not too long of a trip brought us up in the Swiss looking mountains and streams to the shrine of Cavadonga) where King Pelayo started the conquest of Spain in the 8th century. The BVM appeared to him there so this not only a political spot but also a religious one. There were many buses of Spaniards there. We stayed for a while, because the place where we were supposed to have lunch had lost our reservations, so we decided to stay put and have lunch there, which we did. First L and I visited the museum. I walked to the grotto. The lunch was excellent. We had specially soup of fava beans with sausage, really good, then pork and potatoes, and then through a little town with a romanesque bridge with a hanging victory cross. Great views of mountains and ocean, including a blowhole. Great rough ocean to our left. About 4 Pm we arrived at Santillana del Mar, which Satre called the most perfect Spanish village in the country. And it was! The whole town wonderfully medieval. I of course headed for the church of San Juliana, which turned out to be my favorite of the innumerable churches we visited this whole trip. Wonderful unspoiled Romanesque with three women saints portrayed at the front of the church. The whole town is great, with unique cobblestone streets and a small but elegant Parador where we stayed with great wood plank floors and a view overlooking the garden. Dinner was superb as always with stuffed cabbage with seafood, grilled chicken with veggies, flan with chocolate for dessert.
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Thursday, September 19, 2013
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
Trip to Spain Day 8, Monday
Woke up to drizzle in Santiago. We did not need to get started until later today at 10. So we had a nice breakfast and got packed. Feeling pretty good but some congestion. We had a very long drive through light rain trough Galicia. We were headed for a beach, but it was clear that our guide did not know exactly where she was going. When we got there it was raining hard, so no one looked at the ocean for very long. We had a nice lunch at a seaside place in
overlooking a port with lots of fishing vessels. It looked a bit like Newport, Oregon. Lunch was salmon croquets, fish soup with little clams in it--very good. Then a whole seabass, also very good, and some kind of flan with chocolate sauce for dessert. Then back on the bus with heavier rain and lowering skies and everyone fell asleep.
We arrived at the center of Ovieto, where it was raining hard. Many wanted to stay on the bus, but Laura and I got off with several others. Saw the gloomy cathedral, where there were no pictures allowed, and a priest scolding me for forgetting to take off my hat. Outside in the plaza people were preparing for a festival. Much very loud jazz music. In spite of the rain, Ovieto impressed us as a very livable small city with lovely parks and many modern buildings. Onto our ultra modern hotel. It was too minimalist for even Laura but we enjoyed seeing another aspect of Spain. We were on our own for dinner, so we walked next door to the modern shopping mall, had beer and "bacon" and cheese sandwiches. I bought some new sweat socks to replace my smelly ones. All in all a dreary day, but we got a good antidote to medieval Spain.
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Monday, September 16, 2013
Trip to Spain, Day 7, Monday
Yesterday (Sunday) in Santiago was great. After breakfast in the Parador--the oldest hotel in the world, started in 1499 by the King of Spain, we were off for tour of the cathedral and its precints. We had a very good guide, and the timing was perfect, so we ended up in the cathedral for the 10 Mass. Before that, we visited the tomb of St Jame's in the crypt, which was very moving for me, since I had my old parish of St Jame's, LA very much on my mind. Then we went up behind the altar to "embrace" the statue of the saint. The Priest at mass (done in several languages) was very enthusiastic, even though I could not understand most of what he said. The moment everyone was waiting for was the lighting of the huge incense boat, which takes several men to swing from one of the cathedral to the other. I have a short video of this which I will try to post on facebook.
We were on our own for the rest of the day. We did some shopping--I bought a small silver shell to add wear around my neck, and Laura good a nice silver and "jet" ring. Jet is a black semi-precious material worked around this area of Spain. We also had a great "tapas" dinner of many items including octopus--another regional speciality.
It was a super day, excellent, weather, and I was only a little bit stuffy from the cold I picked up.
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Location:Orvieto, Spain
Sunday, September 15, 2013
Spain trip, Day 6, September 15, 2013
Not too many interesting pictures today, since it was spent mostly in the bus driving from Leon to Santiago. Also I was coming down with a cold, so was not in the best shape of the trip so far. I am one of the youngest of this mostly older group, but I seem to be the only one who has had health problems so far.
Just before we arrived in Santiago, our guide let those of us who wanted to to get out of the bus and walk in the last few miles with the rest of the pilgrims, I was glad I did so, but there was not much to see except the outskirts of a small city. It does not even look "medieval" until about the last half mile, and then the spectacular site of the cathedral plaza is suddenly upon you!
Our parador is even more spectacular than the last--being the oldest hotel in the world, built in 1499 for pilgrims who stayed in luxury at the expense of the kind. The first pilgrimages who arrive every day are still fed gratis by the hotel. We are located right on the main square, which is teaming with pilgrims, tourists, and the kind of people you would find in Times Square, with much excitement and and partying.
After another way to lavish dinner, which included octopus, we were off to bed. More than feeling "fluish" I was also very anxious about my health--what if I could not go on the trip, etc, etc" Finally, at Laura's prompting, I took a one of the emergency Xanax pills my Dr had given me--which knocked me out so deeply, that Laura could hardly rouse me the next morning. But after a few cups of coffee, I was feeling much better and ready to face the cathedral and church services--more on that coming up!
(Again, note that I have having trouble getting this blog site to take pictures--but I am posting a few each day on facebook)
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Just before we arrived in Santiago, our guide let those of us who wanted to to get out of the bus and walk in the last few miles with the rest of the pilgrims, I was glad I did so, but there was not much to see except the outskirts of a small city. It does not even look "medieval" until about the last half mile, and then the spectacular site of the cathedral plaza is suddenly upon you!
Our parador is even more spectacular than the last--being the oldest hotel in the world, built in 1499 for pilgrims who stayed in luxury at the expense of the kind. The first pilgrimages who arrive every day are still fed gratis by the hotel. We are located right on the main square, which is teaming with pilgrims, tourists, and the kind of people you would find in Times Square, with much excitement and and partying.
After another way to lavish dinner, which included octopus, we were off to bed. More than feeling "fluish" I was also very anxious about my health--what if I could not go on the trip, etc, etc" Finally, at Laura's prompting, I took a one of the emergency Xanax pills my Dr had given me--which knocked me out so deeply, that Laura could hardly rouse me the next morning. But after a few cups of coffee, I was feeling much better and ready to face the cathedral and church services--more on that coming up!
(Again, note that I have having trouble getting this blog site to take pictures--but I am posting a few each day on facebook)
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Location:Santiago
Spain trip Friday, day 4
It was a great day, wonderful weather and three main stops.
1.Right after breakfast we walked next door to the Church of San Domingo.
I was very impressed with the work of this 11th Cent. Saint who was a kind of early St. Francis. He worked to free prisioners and their chains are hung up in the walls of the church.
2. Around noon we stopped in Carrion, and saw some wonderful small churches and ate fried calamari.
3. The big stop of the day was at Leon cathedral. This very large building was done in the french style--like Burgos--but was being extensively renovated. That made it great to look out outside--blinding white, but it was a mess inside, including the voicing of the new organ which made it very hard to hear anything. Although beautiful, most of us found it hard to pray in this place.
After we left the group to walk on our own back to the hotel, I sought out the church of St Isidore, where the saint by that name is buried. Although he died int he 6th century, he was recently picked to be the patron saint of computers--so I said some prayers for my techie friends and for the intercession of the saint when I can't get my own machines to work right!
We had another elegant dinner and then a discussion of the days events in a lovely room with 30 foot high carved ceilings. We are wondering if we--enjoying the luxury of this tour--can possibility have the same experiences as those who put up withe pain and misery of walking.
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1.Right after breakfast we walked next door to the Church of San Domingo.
I was very impressed with the work of this 11th Cent. Saint who was a kind of early St. Francis. He worked to free prisioners and their chains are hung up in the walls of the church.
2. Around noon we stopped in Carrion, and saw some wonderful small churches and ate fried calamari.
3. The big stop of the day was at Leon cathedral. This very large building was done in the french style--like Burgos--but was being extensively renovated. That made it great to look out outside--blinding white, but it was a mess inside, including the voicing of the new organ which made it very hard to hear anything. Although beautiful, most of us found it hard to pray in this place.
After we left the group to walk on our own back to the hotel, I sought out the church of St Isidore, where the saint by that name is buried. Although he died int he 6th century, he was recently picked to be the patron saint of computers--so I said some prayers for my techie friends and for the intercession of the saint when I can't get my own machines to work right!
We had another elegant dinner and then a discussion of the days events in a lovely room with 30 foot high carved ceilings. We are wondering if we--enjoying the luxury of this tour--can possibility have the same experiences as those who put up withe pain and misery of walking.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Location:Leon, Spain
Friday, September 13, 2013
Pilgrimage to Spain, Day Three
It was not the best day for me. Apparently on our mad dash trough the Madrid airport carrying luggage, I managed to pull a muscle in my arm, which strain has resulted in constant "twitching" making it almost impossible to sleep,so I was pretty groggy through most of the day. (I write this on Friday, and thanks to drugs and a good night's sleep, I am 100% better today). It was also a long day on the bus. First stop was a mysterious octagonal churchbult by the Knights Templar about 1200 standing alone in a corn field Then a long trip into the city of Burgos, lunch at a very chic hotel, followed by a great tour of the cathedral, newly renovated, very late gothic. But an even bigger hit was the peace and quiet of a Carthusian monastery outside of town. The monks here help support themselves by selling rosaries made from rose petals so that grounds smell wonderful. Back to St Domino de Cadaza to another lovely "parador' hotel made from old historic buildings, for dinner--which in Spain is not served until 8.30 PM, a debriefing session and bed.
By the way I am having posting pictures on the blog, apparently my files are too big. I am doing better getting them onto facebook.
-osted using BlogPress from my iPad
By the way I am having posting pictures on the blog, apparently my files are too big. I am doing better getting them onto facebook.
-osted using BlogPress from my iPad
Location:Area near Burgos, Spain
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