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Trip to Italy and Spain
  • PW and JKW's trips
  • Phil Woodford

Trip to Italy and Spain

Combined sightseeing, pilgrimage, and volunteer trip Baca lagi
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  • Trip to Italy and Spain
    Mushroom risotto in the making
    Pork curry simmeringYou can hear our Korean pilgrim singing in the background

    Day 14

    28 Mac, Sepanyol ⋅ ☁️ 50 °F

    Another lovely evening with new friends and good food. We had 4 Americans, 2 Japanese, 2 S Korean, 2 Spanish. We had mushroom risotto and pork curry. All very good.

    We both feeling a bit better and sleeping better. Maybe we are just getting used to it when it is almost time to leave? We have 4 more days and then we hand off and go.

    If we don't get picked up to volunteer at a language school, we'll walk on as pilgrims until the 16th. I have train tickets to Zamora from Leon on April 16. We will spend the Easter week festivities there before returning home.    Baca lagi

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    Supper cooking
    My plateCooks in the kitchenWashing dishes

    Day 15

    29 Mac, Sepanyol ⋅ ☁️ 46 °F

    A pretty full house last night with 14 pilgrims. One vegan, one vegetarian, but dinner was a snap for our two volunteer chefs. A Frenchman made a giant pan of ratatouille, and the Italian woman made a beans and rice dish along with a kind of creamed chicken. All delicious and every scrap was eaten!

    Today there is a short pilgrimage in town in celebration of the Catholic Church Jubilee year. Townspeople are walking to Santi Domingo (about 4 miles). Of course car travel is also permitted and there will be a special Mass.

    We won't be going. Still resting up from sleepless night with pilgrims coughing and restless upstairs.

    It's a rainy day against perhaps fewer pilgrims today? We will see.    Baca lagi

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    Cold but sunny day out our window
    Picture of a picture of the choir loft with candles where we do our evening meditation service.

    Day 16

    30 Mac, Sepanyol ⋅ ☀️ 46 °F

    We are officially 7 hours time difference again now with my parents as Spain had their switch to DST last night. We got an hour less of sleep, but it was a quiet day. We had only 4 pilgrims last night. All men who were not much interested in cooking, but who at least helped with the peeling and dicing. We had breaded chicken cutlet, mixed vegies in cream and wine sauce and rice. Simple to make and tasty to eat.

    The sun is out today, but is is cold.it was only 35 F this morning. I wonder sometimes if Spring will ever arrive?

    Our replacements come tomorrow. Our mentor will also be here to help teach as they are newbies. A third experienced hospitalero is coming on Tuesday before we leave and he will have a car so the team can shop more easily.

    It's Sunday so Mass is at 12:30.    Baca lagi

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    Hummus made from white beans
    Shakshuka simmering

    Day 17-Last full day!

    31 Mac, Sepanyol ⋅ ☀️ 52 °F

    We had 8 pilgrims last night. The weather is better, and we've had 2 sunny days in a row now. Today is our last full day.

    Last night, 2 German pilgrims took the lead on cooking. We had Shakshuka with some chicken in the sauce over mashed potatoes. Very tasty! We added a little salad and some hummus and, of course, fresh bread. There is a tiny bit left today for our lunch.

    We expect two of the three hospitaleros today, along with our mentor Marina. They are completely new although they have had the training course. A third man will come tomorrow and he has a car so shopping will be easier.

    I have checked, and there's an albergue open where we intend to walk tomorrow, so we will leave mid-morning and walk about 7 miles.    Baca lagi

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    Bakers in action
    Phil and Susanna with cookies2Pilgrim PhilWe're back on the road again!Sodas on a breakKoi in a watering trough at CastilldelgadoTractors rolling byOur home for the night

    Carrying on to Leon

    1 April, Sepanyol ⋅ ☀️ 72 °F

    We had 11 pilgrims last night and another great dinner. Phil and I taught the hospitaleros as much as we knew and headed out late this morning.

    We stopped at the bakery to get our t-shirts and say goodbye to the bakery team of Susanna, Chuchi, and Chuchi's dad. It was a beautiful sunny day. We stopped once for a sandwich and a soda.

    We are in the village of Villoria de Camino. This is the birthplace of St. Domingo who built bridges and roads for pilgrims in the 9th century. We are sitting in the sun watching tractors roll by.

    It was such a beautiful day compared to our pre-hospitalero walking. I hope it holds. We'll walk a few weeks before heading to Zamora for Easter.    Baca lagi

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    A misty, foggy, cold start to our day.
    Selfie as we set off in the fogStill foggySpring trying to break throughSpring gardenColors as the sun peeps outChurch in BelradoChapel where Christians hid relics from the Moors in caves during the moorish invasions in the 900'sWorking on the bell tower in Villambistia

    Villambistia

    2 April, Sepanyol ⋅ ☁️ 57 °F

    We walked 16 km or 10 miles today. It was misty and cold this morning, but it turned off sunny. It is supposed to rain tonight and tomorrow. We've got a slightly further 17 km tomorrow. I was proud of Phil for hanging in there.

    We got word that there were a record 35 pilgrims last night at Grañón! We are glad, but also glad to just worry about ourselves again.

    We are in a small town off the main stops tonight, and there are already 4 other pilgrims. Phil and I will have a top and bottom bunk so we can share an electrical outlet for our CPAP's with my double extension cord.

    Last night, we had only one other pilgrim from Austria sharing the bunk room. We had chicken paella for supper in a quiet farming town.    Baca lagi

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    1First selfie in the rain
    First coffee stopChapel which was the burial place of a local dignitary from the 9th century.Second coffee stopView from Monte de OcaWild primrosesCivil War mass graves. Franco's victimsHeatherNoisy neighborsMore noisy neighborsSan Juan de Ortega1Inside an albergue at night

    San Juan de Ortega

    3 April, Sepanyol ⋅ ☁️ 52 °F

    Well, it was a nice evening. There were 4 other pilgrims and we were all in bed by 8:30. Everyone had walked themselves into an early evening.

    It was relatively miserable walking today. It was cold and rainy. We climbed a steep, steep hill that lasted a couple of miles and then walked in the mud through the forest. All the total, we walked just over 10 miles, although our fitness counters say we walked much more!

    Tonight, we are at San Juan de Ortega, which is mainly a big church in the middle of nowhere. We do have our own room tonight as the albergue is not yet open, so I booked us a room.

    Tomorrow, we will walk a shorter day at 7.5 miles. It is supposed to rain all day again, so it will be good to go a shorter distance.    Baca lagi

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    Horses on the way today
    The townof Ages in the distanceHere is the dig site at AtapuercaEurasian Griffins circlingPhil making the climb on Sierra de AtapuercaCrossing at the top of Sierra de AtapuercaBurgos in the distanceSheep are still herded here openly across the country with dogs and a shepherdWow, that wind is really messing up Phil's hair!Bird song on our walk

    Cardenuela Riopico

    4 April, Sepanyol ⋅ 🌬 61 °F

    We walked in a cool but windy day through part of Spain, which has been inhabited for at least 1,300,00 years. 5 different types of human ancestors have been found in the Archeological digs near Atapuerca, Spain. Originally, a train was planned in this region, but the works uncovered a cave that had the remains of early peoples. The dig continues, and a new find has recently been uncovered. There is also a big museum in Burgos where we will be tomorrow, which documents the finds. The dig site has been a Unesco World Heritage site for 25 years now.

    We had a dry walk today, but once we came out of the big hill, Sierra de Atapuerca, the wind was very strong. At least it was sunny.

    Tomorrow, we walk into the city of Burgos, where we will stay for 2 nights. Lots to see there.    Baca lagi

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    First coffee stop
    Chapel in the same townStorks in it's nestThe "white gate" in Burgos

    Burgos Day 1

    5 April, Sepanyol ⋅ ☁️ 50 °F

    We met a couple from France and a woman from Ukraine last night at supper. Honestly, our supper wasn't very good. We had a salad and two meatballs in cold sauce with cold French fries. For dessert, plain yogurt with no sugar.

    We slept well, but it was cold and misty this morning. We walked about 5 miles and, then decided to take the bus the rest of the way into town. We are staying at a Marriott that we've stayed at several times before. It is downtown near everything.

    Right now, I am at the laundromat, and Phil is at the barber! The weather is dreary, but it is supposed to be better tomorrow. We have 2 nights here before moving on Monday.    Baca lagi

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    First course, 4 different types of cured ham and meats
    Second course: octopus and potatoes with paprika and olive oilThird course:Tuna belly and sardine fillers with red pepperMain course: lamb chops with home fries and red pepperDessert: national which is homemade vanilla pudding with cinnamon on topPurple spring pansiesYellow spring pansies

    Burgos Day 2

    5 April, Sepanyol ⋅ ☁️ 54 °F

    At lunch yesterday (late Spanish lunch), we basically crashed someone's 90th birthday party at the Old Castle Restaurant. They pulled out all the stops, and we got 3 appetizers, a main course, dessert, and a bottle of wine for 66 euros total. There was a table set for about 24 people, and the older folks were sitting at the end by us and the "kids" table clear at the other end.

    My cold has gotten worse, and if it isn't better by morning, I think we'll stay at least another day here in Burgos. It is a head cold, and I have a sore throat. It makes it hard to sleep. I'm too congested to sleep with my CPAP on much of the time, and I always sleep better with it on. If my sore throat persists, I will try to see a doctor tomorrow. We have travel insurance, so I will give them a call if I don't improve today.

    We had a big breakfast buffet, and Phil will go finish our laundry after a shower. We are planning calls with both my Dad and Chris and Mom and Mike today. It is a 7 hour time difference, so we'll likely chat after lunch Missouri time and after supper here in Spain.    Baca lagi

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    View from our hotel room
    We ate pizza here yesterdayA "meat" pizza with beef, chicken, sausage, and pepperoniOur "pizza" salads with greens, olives, chicken, pepperoni, and tomatoes

    One last day in Burgos

    7 April, Sepanyol ⋅ ☀️ 57 °F

    My cold hasn't improved much, so we decided to stay one more day in Burgos. We've also decided that we are not going to walk to Leon and we have tickets tomorrow on the 10:30 bus.

    The 150 miles between Burgos and Leon doesn't have much infrastructure. It is kind of like walking across Western Kansas with wheat fields and very small towns.

    We've rented an apartment there where we can cook for ourselves instead of eating out. Leon has a lot of historical sites we can see. Our apartment is right in the old town.

    Phil went out today and got resupplied on hearing aid batteries. He also stopped and got me some "Dayquil" or at least the Spanish equivalent. Of course, the weather while I have been stuck indoors has been beautiful. I hope I will feel well enough to enjoy it soon.    Baca lagi

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    One of the places we stopped at last night before pizza
    Here's the bus interface. Nicer than an airline seat!In Leon you get a free snack or tapas with each drink. Potato salad was good!Not much to see from the bus

    Leon arrival Day

    8 April, Sepanyol ⋅ ☁️ 70 °F

    I am feeling just a little better, although my strength is short-lived. I am still tiring easily. Last night, I slept well. We had an early pizza, and I was out like a light by 7:30 pm.

    Our bus from Leon was a nice one with movies, a toilet, etc. We also picked up one of our Canadian pilgrims about halfway through. He had been sick when he stayed with us at Grañón and told us he was trying to walk only 15 km or just under 10 miles per day at this point. He was walking on from Leon.

    We arrived and got checked in. Our apartment is in the old town and will allow us to see many of the Easter processions here in Leon. We were able to pick up a schedule, and there will be 17 processions here in Leon before we leave on Wednesday the 16th! Some will go right by our apartment!.

    We went to the grocery store and got some stuff for a supper of nachos. The store only had "snack" items, so we have to go to another store tomorrow for some real food! We do have eggs and yogurt for breakfast, though.

    We are sitting in our apartment watching some mindless Discovery Channel stuff on Spanish TV. I am able to change the language so we're able to watch in English.    Baca lagi

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    Our apartment is inside the old city walls.
    Chicken noodles soup for a bad coldThe Plaza Mayor and a view of city hall and some renovations to the plaza1This one is Plaza San Martin also near our place

    Leon Day 1

    9 April, Sepanyol ⋅ ☁️ 72 °F

    We picked up the Easter program, and it looks like at least 8 of the processions will go almost right by our apartment starting Friday night. There will be one Friday and Saturday. There will be 4 on Palm Sunday and one each on Monday and Tuesday. In Spain, Easter is a major holiday, and there are whole groups or confraternities that are dedicated to its celebration with uniforms, bands, and floats. The processions make their way through the streets, basically telling the story of Easter. I will take some videos and photos. We'll also see similar celebrations in Zamora.

    I am still feeling pretty rough. I took 2 naps today and made a big pot of chicken noodle soup (which helped me feel better.) We did go sit out in the sun a little on the two plaza nearest us the Plaza Mayor (where city hall is located) and Plaza San Martin which is basically a plaza with a ton of bars and restaurants on an open square.

    Apparently, it gets quite lively in this area. Our landlord told us it was perfectly safe to be out and about, but also left us ear plugs as Spanish fiestas (as in celebrating Easter) can go until early morning.

    Our little apartment has a washing machine and a decent kitchen although plates and glassware are not plentiful. I had Phil buy a couple of coffee cups and a vegetable peeler when he went our earlier today.

    I hope tomorrow I will feel well enough to visit some of the sites before the tourists arrive for the weekend.    Baca lagi

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    The old town is a huge pedestrian area.
    San Isadora on approachThe door to the main church at San IsadoraThe altarpiece insideThe stone work is amazingThe columns are hugeThis is the outside wall of the church 2 meters thickSan Marcos was built in the 1100'sThis is a statue of a pilgrim outside San MarcosAbove the door at San Marcos is Santiago the "Moor Slayer".Our snack and beverages at San MarcosA peek inside the luxury hotel remodeled in 2000.Another peak into the hotel

    Leon Day 2

    10 April, Sepanyol ⋅ ☁️ 70 °F

    Wow, it's the first day in a while that I have felt like doing anything but rest! We went out and did our morning chores (taking trash to dumpster site, going to the grocery store) and then had an early lunch of our remaining chicken noodle soup before setting out.

    Our first stop was San Isadora, which is a very old church where many kings and queens are buried. Leon was a hot spot of Spanish rulers in the late 900s to early 1300s, and many were crowned or interred at San Isadora. The church still has an active congregation and is open for prayer daily, too. There is an attached museum, but they were closing for siesta, so we'll go back another day. The church is built into the city wall, which is 2 meters thick in that section.

    Then we walked to the San Marcos Monastery, which is now a luxury Paradore-brand Hotel. I checked, and rooms were between $350 and $450 per night this week for Easter. We had a coffee there and took photos. San Marcos was built as a pilgrim hospital and a place where military order knights were stationed to protect pilgrims on the Camino. There are many legends about St James or Santiago as he is known in Spain. One is that he appeared on a white horse in one of the many battles against the Moors and cut them down, and trampled them. This image is above the door at San Marcos.

    We saw another one of our pilgrims from Grañón at the hotel. He was from California and had booked lunch there since it was too expensive for an overnight. This hotel was part of the movie The Way, so lots of people stop here for photos.

    We walked around a bit more and scoped out our area a bit before returning to the apartment. Tomorrow, we hope to see some of the museums.    Baca lagi

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    This time we are on top of those city walls inside the church!
    One if the old city gatesEl Cid was a real life knight who is a sort of hero in Spanish folklore.You can see again how thick the walls are.A view of the Leon Cathedral from our corner people watching spot.

    Leon Day 3

    11 April, Sepanyol ⋅ ☁️ 68 °F

    Our land lady had warned us that it could be noisy in this location and left us earplugs. In addition, you have to open the rouladen and open two windows to get to the outside. The walls are about a foot thick or more. None the less, we were surprised to open the shades last night to find a nightclub and bar right across the tiny street. People were standing outside at a table, steps away from our window! This may be a sign for the upcoming weekend. It was noisier last night than the night before.

    This morning, we did a couple of loads of wash, including our bath towels, and did our morning shopping. I made some vegetable bean soup for lunch.

    Afterward, we headed out to the San Isadora museum. No photos were allowed inside, but it was pretty interesting. Leon is built on a Roman foundation, and the church was originally started in the 800s and expanded in the 900s and 1000s and finally consecrated with its own bishop in the early 1100s It was, of course, built and supported by kings and queens wealth.

    After the museum, we walked around a lot and then sat, and people watched at our favorite cafe for a while. Phil is resting now, and we will try to stay up and catch the first procession of the week tonight. It begins at 8 pm and will pass within a few steps of the apartment.

    The forecast is calling for rain, which may complicate things. I hope it holds off.    Baca lagi

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    Crowd gathering for the procession
    The City Hall where the procession would have passedMore waiting while the clouds roll inOn our way to the department store we passed this park with wisteria in bloom

    Leon Day 4

    12 April, Sepanyol ⋅ ☁️ 59 °F

    It was a short night with a lot of noise. I forget my earplugs and had to get up and find them.

    Last night's Easter Procession, the procession of pain (Mary holding the crucified Jesus on a large float) was canceled due to rain. The floats have hand carved statues that are hundreds of years old, and the costumes of the processioners are quite elaborate, so rain could do a lot of damage.

    Still, Phil and I waited faithfully with thousands of others until the decision was announced online. I could see) the beginning of the procession streaming on my phone, and they did start out, but it was canceled before they reached our location.

    There's another procession tonight, and it will go through our plaza if it is not canceled. It has been raining all day. We even bought umbrellas for the waiting.

    I have slept a lot today. We made a couple of trips out. One to a department store and the other to get a midafternoon coffee and pastry.    Baca lagi

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    Our morning procession selfie. Not too many up at 10:30 to see this one!
    Jesus on the move on top of the float.Police cars state is Spanish and English that this is a religious procession.The Leon cathedral before the rush.Phil's card on the front.On the back it says this is a momento of this Palm SundayHere is how the float is carried. One of these men reached out and gave the card to Phil.The crowds waiting for the blessing of the palms and for Mass

    Leon Palm Sunday

    13 April, Sepanyol ⋅ ⛅ 63 °F

    We both slept better last night despite the discotheque across the way. Both wore our earplugs to bed, and we slept until about 7 am.

    Today's weather is much better. We were able to be on the front row of two events today. The first was "Procession of the Palms" at 10:30. The floats passed, and one of the many men carrying the float reached out and handed Phil a card as a momento. As the float passed and the band played, it brought tears to our eyes. Many talented musicians. I was surprised to see that many had three different instruments to play. Only a few had traditional music on paper flip cards ( a lyre), but others had a small tablet or their phone attached to the instrument. It was the first time I had seen that.

    We went to the main square outside the cathedral on the front row for the "blessing of the palms" and then joined the mad rush into the cathedral for Mass. Although we had a seat (outside the main seating area on a bench), it was very distracting to have people walking around during the service like they were touring the cathedral instead of attending Mass. There were no "cathedral security" people like in Santiago who make you be quiet or stop moving around and taking photos during the service.

    We have 3 more processions tonight nearby, so we are going to take a nap before the one at 5 pm!    Baca lagi

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    Special Semana Santa pastries
    A young processioner with her fatherA baby in armsAnother child in the procession waving her palmA little girl with her parent in the bandThe back of the float with Jesus entering the city. Problems with the sun and photos the other way.Jesus making the corner on a very narrow streetJesus and Herrod in the backgroundReal fruit and flowers on the floatsJesus with more flowers and fruitA tired processionerJesus makes the corner againSanta Maria has a very large ornate float. Hard to get around the turnYou can see how the bearers walk in a swaying movement. Some barefoot. This float has real fruit, toThis little band member greets the children

    More Leon Holy Week

    14 April, Sepanyol ⋅ ☁️ 54 °F

    The second procession yesterday was really a blockbuster. Many in the procession are of all ages, including small children and babies in arms. There were more floats (called tronos or pasos), and many more bearers called costerleros or costeleras. Many were barefoot and bearing the floats through the city for hours. It takes a whole crew of costeleros and a lot of replacements. Many walk barefoot through the whole procession, so the local street cleaners are actually out vacuuming the streets by hand in advance of the processions.

    We sat by a woman with two young kids yesterday, and she helped interpret several things for us. A vendor was selling some kind of wafer sandwich cookies to benefit one of the confraternities. Our parade neighbor explained that one kind was sandwiched with honey, and the other was just plain. You can guess which was more popular. She broke off a bite for us to try. She also interpreted who some of the processioners were. She said, for example at the end of each parade is a representative from each Confraternity in their robes.

    We watched three parades/processions in person and the last one on TV as we were tired and it was getting late. The tronos are decorated with carvings, flowers, and even real fruit and vegetables. Some have real lit candles on them. Yesterday, the theme was mostly Jesus entering Jeruselum. Tonight, there will be two processions through our plaza.

    We went to a laundromat this morning. We have a washer in our unit, but there is no dryer, and it is harder to get things dry on the rack with it being damp as a result. We'll head to the store shortly to stock up on things since the stores were closed on Sunday.

    Not as much noise last night as the discotheque was not open, but I got up at 5 am to use the bathroom and still heard people in the street at that time. Amazingly, although there is a lot of alcohol around, you do not see a lot of public drunkenness. It's considered very bad manners to get drunk. Most of what we see is socializing. We did try the Leon Lemonade yesterday, which is kind of like a sangria and very low alcohol.    Baca lagi

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    The Leon Santa Maria Cathedral has beautiful windows throughout.
    There are several of these large windows called Rose Windows.This altarpiece has 5 of the 12 pieces of art from the original in the 13th century.Another of the Rose windowsThe handcarved choirThe other side of the choir. Phil in his yellow coat down front.Santiago the apostleView from the cloister or covered walkway on the church.The restaurant where we ate was recovered using new and old materials.Overhead beams of the restaurantPhoto of what the restaurant looked like before restoration.Phil's steak, peppers and friesHere's my stuffed Hake. The sauce in the cup is a fresh tomato sauce with oil for breadPhil's cheesecake with Quince preservesMy chocolate mousse

    Leon, Tuesday, April 15

    15 April, Sepanyol ⋅ ☁️ 52 °F

    It was a quiet night. We watched one procession on TV as neither was slated to come by until late. I must have fallen asleep before either came by because the noise of the bands did not wake me. That is one thing about Spain as people stay up quite late! Lunch is almost never served until at least 1:30 pm and more often between 2 and 3 pm. Supper is at 8 pm at the very earliest.

    We've tried to stick more to our regular US mealtime, but that is because we can cook in our apartment most of the time. Today, we decided to have a splurge meal out in Leon at 1:30 pm. We went to the restaurant Racimo de Oro (a bunch of gold) for lunch.

    The waiter explained the specialties of the house (a soup with cod, spinach, and garbanzos or a baked suckling lamb stew). I opted for a Hake stuffed with a seafood medley, and Phil got a steak. We looked at the rest of the menu and decided against pigsfeet, duck with sweetbreads, and a few other less familiar dishes. I am sure it was all good, though, as we saw people tucking into all kinds of plates at other tables.

    For desert, I had a chocolate mousse, and Phil had a cheesecake with quince preserves. We are finishing up our time here in Leon. One more procession again tonight, but it will be cold, so we may watch it on TV again. Our train leaves tomorrow at 3:15 pm. We go back to Madrid and make a transfer to another train for Zamora.

    We also toured the cathedral today. We got the "senior" discount. You could listen to the audio tour on your phone, and Phil was able to Bluetooth it through his hearing aids. Beautiful Gothic Cathedral from the 13th century. Some architectural issues along the way, but it was saved from collapse in the 1800s and fully restored.    Baca lagi

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    Yesterday's afternoon snack
    Leon train station: bikes allowed on some trains with an extra fee.

    Travel day to Zamora

    16 April, Sepanyol ⋅ 🌧 45 °F

    It's kind of a long, boring day of waiting. We packed up and walked in the mix of snow and rain to the train station (about 3/4 of a mile). The temperature was hovering right around freezing.

    We catch our train to Madrid at 3:15 and then another one to Zamora at about 8:20. We are supposed to have a 3 hr layover, but the last two trains from Leon have both been late in leaving. I am glad we have some cushion.

    There are not many photos today, and we get into Zamora after 9 pm. The walk from the train station to our new place isn't too far.    Baca lagi

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    Yes, wevare going about 180 mph on the train!
    Lots of Easter travelers. Thursday thru Sunday is a holiday here.A magnificent former church/monastery that is now the Dept Education.A monument to Zamora in the park.I could basically only see the tops of the hats on the first processionThe Virgin of HopeOld market building where Phil and I shopped in 2017 getting an updateRed buds despite the chilly weatherTrue Cross of Zamora float (Confraternity is named this).Washing the feet of the disciplesThe last supperJesus in the garden. Pretty nice robeThe kiss of betrayal and Peter cuts off the ear of MalchusJesus being beatenThey crowned him with thornsThe beaten Christ still forgivingChrist with Pontius PilateAnother nice robe for Jesus, now carrying also a very nice cross.Mary, mother of ChristMilitary band marching to the paradeMy view this morning 😔

    Zamora Holy Thursday

    17 April, Sepanyol ⋅ ☁️ 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.    Baca lagi

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    Our Easter processions were rained out so we watched reruns of last night on TV.

    Zamora Good Friday

    18 April, Sepanyol ⋅ 🌬 55 °F

    Rainy during the processions today, so we watched what was available on TV. Basically, the Easter story continues with Jesus and his crucifixion, and all the pasos were very graphic in telling this story. The Virgin Mary float, which was last, was the Mary of Sadness and Loneliness for today. Last night, there was a procession from 11 pm to 1:30 am of about 7,000 Confraternity members walking in candlit silence through the streets.

    We went out for groceries and everything, including restaurants, all but a tiny local kiosk was closed for Good Friday. It was a somber mood. We managed to get enough for supper, but I think we need to go out first thing tomorrow.

    Tomorrow will be a day for museums and sightseeing. We have not been here since 2017, so it will be nice to re-aquaint ourselves.    Baca lagi

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  • Trip to Italy and Spain
    The temporary city market
    Statue of local native who led the people against the Roman's (prior to the Moor invasion)This is the pilgrim stone bridge across the river. The Via de la Plata route comes through ZamoraSan Cipriano built in the 11th centuryBaby storks (storlet?)This is the albergue where we volunteered in 2017.San Isadora with the flying buttress holding it up.A view of the river and it's bridges.The cathedral through a narrow passage.Another view of the cathedralThis is the "El Cid" house. He is a famous warrior in Spanish history.Those are old mills that were owned by the church. Lots of grain grown in this area.Another shot of the El Cid houseThe cathedral againA paso being relocated for an upcoming processionView from the top of the wallsThe castle/fortressA view of the moatOur coffee stopOur spicy fried potatoes

    Zamora sightseeing day

    19 April, Sepanyol ⋅ 🌬 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.    Baca lagi

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  • Trip to Italy and Spain
    Plaza Mayor at 10:45 am
    The various Confraternity bannersThe Confraternity processing into the plazaMany with disabilities in this groupOur view by 11:30Mary, still in mourningChrist approaching. It is about as close as we got to himChrist turning to greet MaryTalented man playing the drum and flute at the same time.Christ turning to greet Mary and the crowd in front of us.

    Easter in Zamora

    20 April, Sepanyol ⋅ ⛅ 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.    Baca lagi

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  • Trip to Italy and Spain
    Asador 7 de Juli is one of our favorite Madrid restaurants.
    Set up for fine dining. We were the first people seated for lunch at 2 pm. Spanish eat quite late!These were our appetizers which came with the meal.

    Back in Madrid!

    21 April, Sepanyol ⋅ ☁️ 64 °F

    We took the train back early this morning and are back at the Madrid Marriott Convention Center Hotel. Mostly, we just lazed around. We had lunch at one of our favorite places near the hotel. Tomorrow, we'll take the bus into town for the Botanical Gardens.

    We are trying to figure out the logistics of our trip home on Wednesday. We've had such bad luck in recent years with plane cancelations that we hesitate to make any firm plans. If we are on time Wednesday night, we'll take an Uber from the Kansas City airport into town to my brother's house. We left our car and a suitcase there almost 3 months ago now. If we are really late or delayed, we'll probably just sleep near the airport and ride in the next morning.    Baca lagi

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