Apartamentos Turisticos La Puebla

Cathedral - III

by andal13

Puerta de la Coronería: built in 1230, shows Jesus and evangelists; beneath them the apostles. Take your time and look at the details carefully: they are just amazing.

Puerta de la Coronería: construida en 1230, muestra a Jesús y a los Evangelistas; debajo se encuentran los Apóstoles. Tomen su tiempo y observen atentamente los detalles: son realmente impresionantes.

Monasterio de Sta Maria la Real de las Huelgas

by jel118981

It's a cistercian monastery founded at the end of the 12th century by king Alfonso VIII. Inside the monastery there's a Royal Patheon where you can visit the Gothic tombs of king Alfonso VIII ans his wife Doña Leonor de Aquitania, King Enrique I, Queen Doña Berenguela, Prince Don Fernando de la Cerda and many other members of the royalty from the Crown of Castile.
Another interesting thing to see in Las Huelgas is "El pendón de las Navas de Tolosa", that is like a trophy taken from the moors in the battle of Las Navas de Tolosa.
This convent is also celebrated for the extraordinary privileges granted to its abbess by kings and popes.
There's also a museum of medieval textiles inside the monastery.

Camino de Santiago, Burgos to Santiago

by mssly

"Before the walk in Madrid"

After much planning, I opted to walk with a group which used a back up bus. This precluded getting the Compostela, but I don't believe in Purgatory. I can only hope I'm right, as if I have to suffer some more for my sins, I am in trouble! I'm counting on Jesus... Anyway, this was more a cultural than a spiritual pilgrimage, even though it's remotely possible that St. James is buried in Spain. It's a firm enough tradition that he is the patron of the country.

No visit to Madrid would be complete without checking in on Jeremy Reines, who got married after I left town to his longtime fiancee Ena. I also met Lena Santillana, a Cuban American prof from his old college days. Finally rode the Madrid Vision bus around town. I would very much recommend it. Took Aerocity into town and stayed at the Hostal Marlasca.

"Bus and Burgos"

Burgos is a captivating old city! Burial site of El Cid, with prominent statue on display. I rode the bus from Madrid, hauling luggage from hotel to station to station to hotel. Our hotel, the Meson del Cid, was very nice, with our room above a burbling fountain right next to the Camino! My roommate Alice was Canadian but of Malaysian Chinese origin. Easy to get along with. The rest of the group were also fun people, mostly academics from Canada and Australia. All very fit compared to me, and I was one of the younger ones! Shocking!

"On the road..."

Our first stop on day one of walking was the ruins of the convent or monastery of San Anton. Legend has it that the monks here cured a skin ailment, probably ergotism or possible erisypelas(sp.) which caused terrible burning sensations, thus was named St Anton's Fire. The cure was wheat bread instead of moldy rye bread! We ate fine wheat bread, fresh tomatos, chorizo, jamon serrano, olives, cheeses....well, all of the things I yearn for when at home. Picnic style. The walking was very flat and lovely, with apples on trees and blackberries in abundance on bushes next to the trail. Also elderberries, which are not used for anything in grape-rich Spain.