Trips

Sat., 10/22/16 – Pamplona to Burgos to Leon
        Today we left the Basque region of Spain and entered the Castilian area. 
        Our first stop after three hours in the cramped bus was in Burgos.  Our local guide, Luis, took us through the ornate Santa Maria Gate and then on a tour of the large, gaudy 13th c. Santa Maria Cathedral.  Only two chapels are used for prayer and mass and the rest is a tourist business.  The main nave is carved from black walnut and most of it is gilded.  There are 38 altarpieces in the church.  The 1099 grave of El Cid and his wife are in the center of the cathedral.  The choir has 103 carved mercy seats.  There are 2500 organ pipes and some of them are horizontal, like trumpets.  The Golden Staircase leads to a door to the Camino de Santiago.    

Arco de Santa Maria - Cathedral behind	Burgos Cathedral - Santa Maria de Regla - Cathedral de Burgos
Burgos Cathedral	Burgos Cathedral
Burgos Cathedral	Burgos Cathedral
Burgos Cathedral	Burgos Cathedral - Organ en chamade - with horizontal pipes
Burgos Cathedral	Burgos Cathedral - Tomb of El Cid
Burgos Cathedral	Burgos Cathedral - Golden stairway
Burgos Cathedral - Golden stairway	Burgos Cathedral
Burgos Cathedral	Burgos Cathedral - Christ with human hair in the Chapel del Santisimo
We were let loose briefly for “lunch on our own” and we ducked into a pizza place on the Cathedral Square and each devoured a pizza.  We still had time to enter one of the non-tourist/prayer only chapels to see a unique statue of Christ on the Cross.  He is wearing a green cloth skirt and his disarticulated head has human hair for his head and beard.         While walking around we encountered a street band, walking about and playing for some cause. They were having a lot of fun!	Sycamore trees
Band in the Plaza	Lunch
Band in the Plaza	Along the river
After another 1¼ hours on the bus we got off to walk our second part of the Camino.  The path was the main street of Castrojeriz, a town of B&Bs for today’s pilgrims.  The church of St. Mary of the Apple Tree was closed but we had time for a cup of coffee, “Americano cafe, negro.”	Wind farm
Cut wheat
Church of Nuestra Senora del Manzano	Way of St. James symbol
Pilgrim with shell symbol of the Way of St. James	Ruins of the Castle of Castrojeriz
Church of Nuestra Senora del Manzano	Street scene
Hand symbol on a door	An old osuary
Cute statue	Restaurant
Two more hours and we entered Leon, in the rain, and had to walk several blocks to our hotel. The town is not named for a lion, but is an abbreviated form of Legion. A Roman legion was here and the town remained mostly Roman.         The rain stopped and Marge went out to take some pictures of the magnificent Leon Cathedral, in case it rains tomorrow.  Dinner was included and consisted of salad, cold cuts, French fries, and strips of pork fat!  Lard is a staple in this area.  Dessert was indefinable.  The salad and fries were good.
Plaque for Roman Road	Cathedral de Santa Maria de Leon
Cathedral de Santa Maria de Leon	Cathedral de Santa Maria de Leon
Cold pigeons all fluffed up	Statue of man and boy

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