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  • Trip to Italy and Spain
    Day 78

    Easter in Zamora

    April 20 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 54 °F

    Yesterday's evening processions were rained out, but Easter morning was bright and chilly. Phil and I walked the mile down to the Plaza Mayor, where the two floats of Mary and the Risen Christ meet. We were there 45 minutes early and had a pretty good view, only about 3 people deep. As the time for the meeting approached, more and more people gathered, and there were about 20 layers of people behind us. A lady shoved Phil to get to the spot her mother was "saving" for her, and he nearly went down. Crowds in Spain are no more polite than crowds in the US.

    As the floats and bands approached, the entire 1,500 member strong Confraternity marched into the square and stood in front of the gathered crowd with tall staffs topped in flowers. Then, as the floats arrived, people in front of us were climbing up on the barriers, etc, and blocking the view even further.

    It was pretty inspiring (what we could see). There was a talented musician who played both the drum and flute at the same time when the floats met. Also, at some point, they removed Mary's mourning veil, symbolizing the transition and her recognition of the Resurrection (although we could not see that).

    I'm glad we were there, although next time I would settle for seeing it on TV. It is an entirely different way of celebrating Easter and possibly a religious one that is more exciting than I recall in the US. I'm glad if it gets the Easter message out to more people.

    Tomorrow early we take a train to Madrid. We've been there several times and this time if the weather is good, we'll try to go to the botanical gardens since it is spring and not really cold or really hot as it has been when we were here in the past.    Read more

  • Trip to Italy and Spain
    Day 75

    Zamora Holy Thursday

    April 17 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 59 °F

    We made it here last night without difficulty. Our apartment is near a hospital and almost right across the street from the School of Nursing! Our apartment is a 4th floor walk-up. It is small, clean, quiet, and very nice. One drawback is that it is about a mile to the Old Town, where most of Easter Processions are held and even further from the cathedral!

    Today's first procession started at 10 a.m., but it had to go a long way before it reached Plaza Mayor, where we hoped to watch it. We arrived at about 11 a.m., and we're about 15 layers of people away from the front. We were on a slight hill so I could see a tiny bit.

    In the afternoon at 4:30, a longer procession began. I made sure we were there at 4 pm, and we staked out a position on some granite steps since the prime spots were already taken by 4 pm!

    The second procession told the story of Easter up until the crucifixion. There were many floats or pasos and a lot of bands. The floats were less decorated and smaller than Leon but very meaningful. Again lots of children in both the procession and the crowd and there was a very wide range of attendees who watched with rapt attention as if it was the first time they had heard the story leading up to Easter.

    Phil and I also noticed that although there are a lot of tourists here, they are all Spanish. We haven't heard any other languages which is much different than on the Camino or in Madrid.

    Today is my 63rd birthday, and I can't think of a better way to celebrate than being here for Easter week.    Read more

  • TravelerIberische Halbinsel 24/25
    2
    Day 16

    Zamora am Duero

    December 5, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    Jetzt ist's spät geworden, denn diese mittelalterliche Stadt hat mich heute stundenlang in ihren Bann gezogen. Erst in der Abendsonne 🌄, und dann bin ich wieder 'mit' den Spaniern durch die weihnachtlich beleuchteten Gassen gezogen... 🤩

    Die Stadt Zamora ⛪️🏫🏤 zeichnet sich durch ihr bedeutendes romanisches Erbe aus, das zum historischen Baumonument erklärt wurde. Sie ist an der Route der Silberstraße am Ufer des Duero 🏞 gelegen, der durch Portugal in den Atlantik fließt.

    (Und grad zu später Stunde hat es hier auf dem Stellplatz noch einiges Gerangel und Rumrangiere gegeben 🙄😬. Es sind extrem viele spanische Wohnmobile 🚐🚐🚐 unterwegs...)    Read more

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  • TravelerVia de la Plata 2024
    1
    Day 35

    So wie es mir gefällt.

    July 2, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    02.07.24
    Tag 27 VdlP

    Auf nach Zamora.
    Heute kletterte zur Siesta die Temperatur auf 30°. Es wird wärmer.
    Ich werde meinen Rhythmus etwas ändern und wieder früher mit dem Sonnenaufgang starten. Also nicht wie heute erst gegen 8 Uhr 30, obwohl das eine gute Zeit ist um den Tag zu beginnen.
    Der Weg war heute fantastisch.

    Jetzt noch eine kleine Anmerkung zu der Zahl 27.
    Im Corona-Jahr 2021 wagte ich mich auf meinen ersten Camino. Nur 4 Wochen Urlaub. Ich entschied mich für die Via. Als ich in Sevilla ende Juni an den Start ging, war ich nicht sicher ob ich es schaffen würde. Es war so warm. 35 Grad.
    Ich schaffte den Weg in 27 Tage. 27 Tage nur Sonne und Hitze, nicht ein Regentag.
    In Santiago de Compostela genoss ich den 28zigsten Tag. Mein erster Ruhetag. Ich bin immer noch stolz drauf!

    Dieses Jahr ist alles anders. Ich habe Zeit und gehe den Weg so wie es mir gefällt.    Read more

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  • Laurie Reynolds19th year to Lisbon!
    11
    Day 6

    Visigothic marvel and El Cid church

    October 13, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

    Today we took a quick trip out of Zamora to visit San Pedro de la Nave. It’s a Visigothic church, moved piece by piece to escape being submerged by construction of a dam. I had been here once before —when the hospitalero in the Zamora albergue offered to drive me out (and I walked back) but this time it was car all the way. Just as beautiful as I remembered it. It’s always awe-inspiring to be in a building from the 7C.

    From there we went back to Zamora to two Romanesque churches right outside the cathedral walls. My favorite church in Zamora—Santiago de los Caballeros, where El Cid is reported to have spent the night in prayer before being knighted. It’s extremely simple and beautiful with capitals choc full of figures and pictoral lectures about sinning, which makes for some explicit capitals.

    Yesterday in the Zamora museum I had seen a capital recovered fromn the ruined Monasterio de Moreruela. I remembered the (luckily in tact) apse of the church as the most stunning I had ever seen. I walked there on my third (?) Vdlp from Granja de Moreruela, where today we stopped for a coffee right outside the albergue. On to the monastery in car. Joe enjoyed it a lot and I think he understands my addiction to walking Caminos a little better.

    On the way back to Zamora it occurred to me to stop in a town where Dana and I had stayed on my second Vdlp. We had had a great meal in Rosamari, where the owner had regaled us with stories about how hard it had been for two women to start a business in Franco years. Banks wouldn’t lend without the husband’s signature, etc. Today the restaurant is run by the third generation, and she assured me that her mom and grandma had taught her to be strong and independent. I was shocked that I was able to find a picture of one of the owners outside in 2010 and was happy to send it on to the current owner. The food is still excellent, btw! Joe had a cocido (too heavy for my taste, though I had a few bites), and I just had an ensalada mixta. I am very sad to report, though, that despite my very clear 2010 memory of the first salad since Cáceres without iceberg lettuce, even the Rosamari has succumbed!    Read more

  • Laurie Reynolds19th year to Lisbon!
    21
    Day 5

    Cafe Viriato

    October 12, 2023 in Spain ⋅ 🌙 22 °C

    Alan, this place deserves a shout-out. Great tapas and, as you said, excellent house wine. I told the waitress that we had been sent here by a friend who walked the Vdlp, and and she told me — “cuando vuelva, esta invitado. Y dígale que ha mandado a buena gente.” We love this place. My favorites were the morcilla with manzana and the bacalao with a mejillón plopped on top.Read more

  • Laurie Reynolds19th year to Lisbon!
    1
    Day 5

    In Zamora

    October 12, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    Joe slept in so we had a late breakfast, but we had a good three hour window to walk and tour before everything closed down for lunch. I have to say Joe’s schedule is not particularly well-suited to the Spanish rhythm, but today I was able to cajole him into a nap during the 2-5 siesta period.

    In the morning, we went first to the 10C aceñas/molinos, which were in use for 8 centuries.. These are particularly unusual,, we were told, because there are four in a row, which enabled quick changes in function and heightened efficiency. From there, we walked along the river to the Diocesan museum (inside a romanesque church), and then to a particularly beautiful Santa Maria de Huerta, and then the Zamora Museum, which is small but has some beautiful pieces going back to Celtiberian days and earlier. And CR of course we had to walk over the river on the Puente de Piedra so Joe could see the view!

    While Joe napped, I did a reconnaisance all over town to pick out which churches should be top on our list, since we are obviously not going to visit the insides of all 20-something of them. At each church I tried to focus on one particular exterior feature to help me distinguish these beauties one from the other. Lots of capitals I could recognize (Adam and Eve, Slaughter of the Innocents, Daniel) but many I couldn’t. And then at 5, I pushed Joe out of bed and we went on a short circle walk to see three standouts.

    We will have tapas again tonight. Whenever Alan or Sabine recommend a place, you can be sure it’s going to be a keeper !    Read more

  • Laurie Reynolds19th year to Lisbon!
    41
    Day 4

    Drove to Zamora

    October 11, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    I love Zamora! I have walked into this city a bunch of times— it’s on both the VDLP/Sanabres and the Levante. When I looked at the map and saw how close it is to Braganca, I was sold. It’s fun showing Joe all my favorite spots and it is one of my two favorite small Spanish cities, with the other being Soria.

    By 2 we were checked in, and the nice guy at the desk parked the car in the impossibly small spot in the impossibly narrow garage. I tried backing into the spot myself but after many attempts with him looking on I asked him if he was in a hurry because this could take a while. He told me he would be at the parador till his 65th birthday so there was no rush but he would be happy to park it for me. 😀

    Joe was ready for a nap so I got to take myself to many favorite spots. First of all, get down to the 13C pedestrian bridge and cross it. Then turn around and remember how iawesome walking in feels.

    I spent several hours just walking around and got a bunch of tourist info to plan our next two days. So much to do! When Joe got up, we went to the castle, went to La Magdalena, and then spent some time walking with a beautiful view of the Duero snd the pedestrian bridge. We are now sitting in a cafe in the Plaza Mayor and trying to decide if we even want a few tapas before bed. Our stomachs still remember last night’s foodie extravaganza and are not calling for us to eat.    Read more

  • Svenssons BravaderVia de la plata 2025
    Day 18

    Zamora

    May 8 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    Det blev en middag med köttbullar igår till min förvåning och brevid mig satt en dam från Liechtenstein av alla länder. Köttbullarna serveras lite annorlunda här än hemma. Endast tomater och gröna ärtor till samt soppa till förrätt men mätt blev man.

    Och efter frukost kom man iväg 0630 och det var betydligt roligare att gå idag. Gick snabbt mellan fälten och passerade en by utan bar så det blev 20km innan man hittade en vägvisare man kunde sitta på och ha en paus. Och när man satt där var det en som gick förbi mig annars hade jag inte sett någon annan tidigare.

    Mätt i magen så fortsatte jag de sista 12km in till Zamora. Lyckades även bli omkörd på slutet. Tyckte jag gick fort och försökte öka så han inte skulle gå om mig men det gick inte. Så jag var framme vid boendet 1230 men de öppnade inte förrän 15 så det var bara att gå en runda på stan i väntan på öppning.

    Och efter dusch och lite hittade man några man bodde med igår så det blev nån timme på torget ihop. Och när man sa att man skulle gå 43km imorgon så blev man åter igen kallad för dåre här nere. Resten går bara runt 20km om dagen så de fattar inte hur man kan gå så långt. Men det är ingen fara, har 2 äldre spanjorer som också gör dessa långa dagar och imorgon ska de också till samma ställe. Vi har nog setts över en vecka nu men vi kan bara hälsa på varandra för vi pratar inte samma språk.

    Trevligt boende idag bemannat av 2 kvinnliga volontärer från Usa. De hade tydligen haft en svensk för en vecka sen...    Read more

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  • Trip to Italy and Spain
    Day 77

    Zamora sightseeing day

    April 19 in Spain ⋅ 🌬 52 °F

    Phil and I were last in Zamora in 2017, and since there were no processions today in the daylight hours, we decided to reaquaint ourselves with the old town. Zamora was a bronze age and then an iron age settlement and later the site of a Roman settlement in the 100 and 200s. It was part of a kind of no man's land after the Moors invaded in the 700s and killed everyone, and a fortress castle was established here by the Christans in the 11th century.

    The town overlooks a major river, the Duoro, and had a wall surrounding that was enlarged several times to accommodate growth. The city wall still remains around much of the old town.

    We walked down to the fortress and around the cathedral today. It was cold and windy, and we have toured most of the sites before, so mainly we just enjoyed people watching. We stopped for coffee once, and our lunch was a tapas lunch of croquettes and spicy fried potatoes in different tapas bars.

    The procession at 8 pm will be televised so we will watch from our apartment although it is supposed to rain. Tomorrow, the special procession is of the risen Christ and the Virgin of the Resurrection. They take different paths and meet at the Plaza Mayor. We hope to be there when they meet at 11:15 or so.    Read more

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